In re PowerSchool Holdings, Inc., and PowerSchool Group, LLC Customer Data Security Breach Litigation

Summary

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered centralization of 32 related customer data security breach actions involving PowerSchool Holdings, Inc. and PowerSchool Group LLC. The Panel transferred the actions to the Southern District of California and assigned them to Judge Roger T. Benitez for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407. The order identifies common factual and legal issues concerning the cybersecurity incident, data security practices, breach notification, and overlapping class claims.

Holdings

1. Centralization is warranted because the actions involve common questions of fact arising from the same cybersecurity incident, and coordinated pretrial proceedings will serve convenience and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
2. The Southern District of California is an appropriate transferee district for the coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.
3. Informal coordination is not the most efficient method for resolving this litigation, particularly because there was no assurance that potential Section 1404 transfers would be uncontested.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the actions involve common questions of fact warranting centralization under 28 U.S.C. § 1407.
2. Whether centralization in the Southern District of California would serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
3. Whether informal coordination rather than multidistrict centralization would be the more efficient means of managing the related actions.

Disposition

other