Pioneer Electronics v. Superior Court

DREDF joined a large coalition of public interest organizations in an amicus brief to the California Supreme Court in Pioneer Electronics v. Superior Court, which addressed a balance-of-interests question involving the privacy interests of individuals, versus the public interest in ensuring access to relevant information about class members by class counsel in ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of civil rights and consumer rights laws. The intermediate appellate court had created a new state constitutional privacy standard, which amici argued would severely undermine the efficacy of class actions in California. In January 2007, the California Supreme Court issued an opinion reversing the appellate court decision as overprotective of privacy rights, inconsistent with established privacy principles, and likely to cause adverse consequences in future cases, thereby vindicating the amicus position and confirming California’s commitment to an effective class action vehicle for rights enforcement.