本文在介绍集体诉讼的概念、应用范围及目标的基础上分四部分对美国集体诉讼制度进行了详细论述。第一部分阐述了集体诉讼的历史发展,介绍了美国集体诉讼制度是如何从早期英国衡平法规则逐步演变为今天的《联邦民事诉讼规则》第23条规则的。第二部分介绍了美国社会对集体诉讼的正反两种看法。支持集体诉讼的人士认为,集体诉讼在取得司法救济、遏制大公司违法行为、执行法律法规、节约司法资源、方便法院解决争议、一次性解决争议、伸张社会正义等方面发挥了不可替代的作用;反对集体诉讼的人士认为,消费者在集体诉讼中并没有真正获利,而律师却赚取了巨额律师费,同时集体诉讼不仅剥夺了个人诉讼权利,而且还滥用了司法资源、损害了司法制度的信誉。第三部分介绍了集体诉讼有别于一般民事诉讼的特殊程序。该部分从确认集体诉讼裁定、上诉、集体诉讼通知、退出权、诉讼时效、管辖问题六个方面对集体诉讼所涉及的特殊问题进行分析。这部分内容可以说是集体诉讼制度最重要的内容。第四部分分析了集体诉讼的解决方式。集体诉讼的主要解决方式是和解,该部分对集体诉讼和解中所涉及的特殊问题作了介绍。解决集体诉讼还涉及三个比较复杂的问题:第一是如何计算损害赔偿;第二是如何分配损害赔偿;第三是如何设计一个有利于集体诉讼的律师费制度。美国法院判例发展了一些具体规则以解决这些问题。 Based on the introduction of the concept, the scope of application and the target of class action law, this article discusses the class action lawsuit in detail in four parts. The first part elaborates on the historical development of class actions and introduces how the class action system in the United States has gradually evolved from the early British equitable rules to the 23rd rule of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure today. The second part introduces both positive and negative views of class action in American society. Those who support the class action lawsuit think that class action plays an irreplaceable role in obtaining judicial remedies, curbing the illegal acts of large corporations, enforcing laws and regulations, saving judicial resources, facilitating the courts to settle disputes, resolving disputes once and extending social justice. Opponents of class actions argue that consumers do not actually make money in class actions and that lawyers earn huge legal fees while class actions not only deprive individuals of legal rights but also abuse judicial resources and undermine the justice system The credibility of The third part introduces the special procedures of class actions that are different from common civil actions. This part analyzes the special issues involved in class actions from six aspects: the confirmation of class action litigation, the appeal, the notification of class action, the right of withdrawal, the limitation of action and jurisdiction. This part of the content can be said that the most important part of the class action system. The fourth part analyzes the solution to the class action lawsuit. The main solution to class actions is settlement, which introduces the special issues involved in the settlement of class actions. The solution to the class action law also involves three more complex issues: the first is how to calculate damages; the second is how to distribute damages; and the third is how to design a lawyer’s fee system conducive to class actions. American courts have developed some specific rules to solve these problems.