Summary
The United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issued a transfer order centralizing thirty-two customer data security breach lawsuits pending across multiple federal districts into the Southern District of California. The Panel determined that the actions involve common factual questions regarding unauthorized access to PowerSchool’s Student Information System software and concluded that centralization will promote judicial efficiency, conserve resources, and prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings on class certification. The transferred cases were assigned to Judge Roger T. Benitez for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether centralization of the PowerSchool data breach actions in the Southern District of California is appropriate under 28 U.S.C. §1407.
Holdings
- The Panel finds that centralization in the Southern District of California will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation and therefore orders transfer.
Key quotations
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that actions listed on Schedule A are transferred to the Southern District of California and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable Roger T. Benitez for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.”
Factual background
A recent cybersecurity incident gave unauthorized access to PowerSchool's Student Information System, affecting students, guardians, and school staff. Plaintiffs seek class certification for negligence, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment claims.
Procedural history
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation considered centralization of 55 related actions pending in nine districts and ordered transfer to the Southern District of California.