In a groundbreaking ruling, The California Supreme Court decided that the state's judges could certify class actions without requiring plaintiffs lawyers to outline how they would identify every member of the class.

Monday's ruling, in a case involving an inflatable pool sold at Rite Aid, sets forth a more liberal definition in California of so-called ascertainability of class members—that is, to what extent plaintiffs attorneys must identify specific class members. The subject has received increased attention in the class action bar as more lawyers file cases over cheap goods for which consumers have no receipts or other records of their purchases.