Providian Nat. Bank v. Pritchett

Summary

The Supreme Court of Alabama vacated an order certifying a class action against Providian National Bank and Providian Financial Corporation. The court held that the plaintiffs' claims were barred by res judicata and by the release provisions of a prior nationwide class-action settlement in which the plaintiffs had participated and did not opt out. The case was remanded for further proceedings, and the court did not address the remaining class-certification issues.

Holdings

1. The plaintiffs' claims were barred by res judicata because the nationwide class action resulted in a final judgment on the merits, was entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, involved substantially identical parties, and encompassed the same causes of action.
2. The express language of the nationwide class-action settlement released and barred relitigation of the plaintiffs' claims.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the plaintiffs' claims were barred by res judicata because they were included in and released by the final settlement judgment in a nationwide class action.
2. Whether the express release in the nationwide class-action settlement barred relitigation of the plaintiffs' claims.

Disposition

vacated