US Senate approves Bill to curb class actions

The measure, adopted 72 to 26, now heads to the House of Representatives, where Republican leaders say it will be approved and sent to the White House for President George W Bush\'s signature, reports the Financial Times. The measure would prohibit state courts from hearing many kinds of cases they now consider, transferring them to federal courts. Experts say many cases will wind up not being brought because federal judges have been constrained by a series of legal precedents from considering large class actions that involve varying laws of different states. The business groups have asserted that the legislation is necessary to curtail frivolous litigation that benefits lawyers more than plaintiffs. Full report in the Financial Times