A class action developer scenario involves a single named plaintiff from State A and class members from States A, B, C, D, and E. The runner and all other class members seek more than $75,000. The manufacturer is from States B and C, the retailers from States D and E. If the named runner is the only named plaintiff, which statement about diversity is correct?

A class action developer scenario involves a single named plaintiff from State A and class members from States A, B, C, D, and E. The runner and all other class members seek more than $75,000. The manufacturer is from States B and C, the retailers from States D and E. If the named runner is the only named plaintiff, which statement about diversity is correct?

• A. Diversity requires all class members to be diverse from all defendants.
• B. Diversity is determined by the named plaintiff and the named defendant(s) only for class actions.
• C. Diversity is not required in class actions when federal questions are involved.
• D. Diversity is satisfied if the named plaintiff is diverse from all defendants.

Answer: (D)

In class actions, federal jurisdiction based on diversity uses the citizenship of the named plaintiff(s) and the defendants, not the entire class. With one named plaintiff, his state must be different from each defendant’s state. Here, the named runner is from State A, and the defendants come from States B, C, D, and E. Since State A is different from all of B, C, D, and E, there is diversity with every defendant. The other class members’ states don’t affect this analysis. So diversity is satisfied if the named plaintiff is diverse from all defendants.

In class actions, federal jurisdiction based on diversity uses the citizenship of the named plaintiff(s) and the defendants, not the entire class. With one named plaintiff, his state must be different from each defendant’s state. Here, the named runner is from State A, and the defendants come from States B, C, D, and E. Since State A is different from all of B, C, D, and E, there is diversity with every defendant. The other class members’ states don’t affect this analysis. So diversity is satisfied if the named plaintiff is diverse from all defendants.