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

Summary

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation orders the centralization of actions arising from the PowerSchool customer data security breach. The Panel transfers the cases to the Southern District of California and assigns them to Judge Roger T. Benitez for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407.

Holdings

1. Centralization is warranted because the actions involve common questions of fact concerning the PowerSchool cybersecurity incident, the adequacy of PowerSchool's data-security practices, and notice to breach victims, and centralization will promote convenience and the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
2. Informal coordination was not the most efficient means of resolving the litigation because the parties had not established that potential transfers under 28 U.S.C. § 1404 would be uncontested, and the decisions cited against centralization were factually distinguishable.
3. The Southern District of California is an appropriate transferee district for the centralized litigation.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the actions involve common questions of fact warranting centralization under 28 U.S.C. § 1407.
2. Whether centralization would serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
3. Which federal district should serve as the transferee district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.

Disposition

other