smith et al bayer argued january decided june respondent bayer moved federal district injunction ordering west virginia state consider motion class certification filed petitioners smith plaintiffs action bayer thought injunction warranted separate case bayer persuaded federal district deny similar motion filed bayer different plaintiff george mccollins district denied mccollins certification motion fed rule civ proc granted bayer requested injunction state proceedings holding denial certification mccollins case precluded litigation certification issue smith case appeals eighth circuit affirmed first noted act act generally prohibits federal courts enjoining state proceedings found act relitigation exception authorized injunction ordinary rules issue preclusion barred smith seeking certification proposed class concluded smith invoking state rule rule civ proc sufficiently similar federal rule mccollins invoked certification issues presented two cases held smith unnamed member mccollins putative class action bound judgment mccollins case held enjoining state considering smith class certification request federal exceeded authority relitigation exception act pp act federal may grant injunction stay proceedings state except rare cases necessary protect effectuate federal judgments act specifically defined exceptions atlantic coast line locomotive engineers narrow enlarged loose statutory construction chick kam choo exxon indeed ny doubts propriety federal injunction state proceedings resolved favor permitting state courts proceed atlantic coast line exception issue case known relitigation exception authorizes injunction prevent state litigation claim issue previously presented decided federal chick kam choo exception designed implement concepts claim issue preclusion ibid deciding whether prior litigation preclusive effect usually bailiwick second west virginia every benefit doubt goes toward state see atlantic coast line injunction issue preclusion clear beyond peradventure federal determination preclude state adjudication smith motion least two conditions must met first issue federal decided must one presented state tribunal second smith must party federal suit must fall within one discrete exceptions general rule binding nonparties pp issue federal decided one presented state tribunal case little rerun chick kam choo federal dismissed suit involving singapore law forum non conveniens grounds enjoined plaintiff pursuing claim texas state however legal standards forum non conveniens differed two courts issues courts differed making injunction unwarranted smith proposed class mirrored mccollins two suits substantive claims broadly overlapped federal adjudicated mccollins certification motion federal rule whereas state poised consider smith proposed class rule state generally stated necessarily interpret rule coterminous federal rule absent clear evidence state courts adopted approach state rule tracking federal analysis mccollins case conclude interpret rule way thus tell whether certification issues two courts uncertainty preclude injunction indeed case injunction even stronger state expressly disapproved approach rule predominance requirement embraced federal district pp district injunction independently improper smith party federal suit covered exception rule nonparty preclusion generally party ne lawsuit brought ex rel eisenstein city new york become party intervention substitution practice karcher may definition party stretched far cover person like smith mccollins denied leave represent exception rule nonparty preclusion potentially relevant exception binds members properly conducted class actions judgments entered proceedings taylor sturgell mccollins suit proper class action indeed ruling bayer argues preclusive effect district decision certify class absent certification class federal rule precondition binding smith met neither proposed rejected class action may bind nonparties see bayer claims approach class actions permit class counsel try repeatedly certify class simply changing plaintiffs principles stare decisis comity among courts generally suffice mitigate sometimes substantial costs similar litigation brought different plaintiffs right approach lie binding nonparties judgment extent class actions raise special relitigation problems federal class action fairness act provides remedy involve departing usual preclusion rules pp reversed kagan delivered opinion roberts scalia kennedy ginsburg breyer alito sotomayor joined thomas joined parts keith smith et petitioners bayer corporation writ certiorari appeals eighth circuit june justice kagan delivered opinion case federal district enjoined state considering plaintiff request approve class action district earlier denied motion certify class related case brought different plaintiff defendant alleging similar claims federal thought injunction appropriate prevent relitigation issue decided hold contrary issuing order state federal exceeded authority relitigation exception act statutory provision permits federal enjoin state proceeding rare cases necessary effectuate federal judgments standard met two reasons first issue presented state identical one decided federal tribunal second plaintiff state requisite connection federal suit bound district judgment question us involves effect former adjudication case begin statement facts lawsuit another august george mccollins sued respondent bayer corporation circuit cabell county west virginia asserting various claims arising bayer sale allegedly hazardous prescription drug called baycol bayer withdrew market month mccollins contended bayer violated west virginia statute company express implied warranties selling defective product pursuant west virginia rule civil procedure mccollins asked state certify class west virginia residents also purchased baycol case proceed class action approximately one month later suit us began different part west virginia petitioners keith smith shirley sperlazza smith short filed claims bayer similar raised mccollins suit circuit brooke county west virginia like mccollins smith asked certify west virginia rule class baycol purchasers residing state neither smith mccollins knew suit january bayer removed mccollins case district southern district west virginia basis diversity jurisdiction see case transferred district minnesota pursuant preexisting order judicial panel litigation consolidated federal suits involving baycol numbering tens thousands single district judge see bayer however remove smith case federal smith sued several west virginia defendants addition bayer suit lacked complete diversity see smith suit thus remained state courthouse brooke county next six years two cases proceeded along separate pretrial paths roughly pace courts preparing turn respective plaintiffs motions class certification federal district first reach decision applying federal rule civil procedure district declined certify mccollins proposed class west virginia baycol purchasers district reasoning proceeded two steps first ruled west virginia law plaintiff prove actual injury use baycol recover app pet cert held necessary showing harm vary plaintiff plaintiff individual issues fact predominate issues common members proposed class case suitable class treatment order district also dismissed mccollins claims merits light failure demonstrate physical injury use baycol mccollins chose appeal although mccollins suit concluded bayer asked district another order based upon one affecting smith case west virginia motion receipt first apprised smith mccollins suit bayer explained proposed class smith case identical one federal rejected bayer therefore requested federal enjoin west virginia state hearing smith motion certify class according bayer order appropriate protect district judgment mccollins suit denying class certification district agreed granted injunction appeals eighth circuit affirmed baycol prods litigation noted act generally prohibits federal courts enjoining state proceedings held act relitigation exception authorized injunction ordinary rules issue preclusion barred smith seeking certification proposed class according smith invoking similar class action rule mccollins used seek certification class suit alleging legal theories issue state therefore sufficiently identical one federal decided warrant preclusion ibid addition held parties two proceedings sufficiently alike smith unnamed member class mccollins proposed interests aligned smith appropriately bound federal judgment ibid granted certiorari order issued implicates two circuit splits arising application act relitigation exception first involves requirement preclusion law subsequent suit raise issue previous second concerns scope rule judgment bind think district erred grounds granted injunction reverse ii act first enacted provides may grant injunction stay proceedings state except expressly authorized act congress necessary aid jurisdiction protect effectuate judgments statute recognized necessary concomitant framers decision authorize congress decision implement dual system federal state courts chick kam choo exxon act core message one respect state courts act broadly commands tribunals shall remain free interference federal courts atlantic coast line locomotive engineers edict subject three specifically defined exceptions exceptions though designed important purposes narrow enlarged loose statutory construction chick kam choo quoting atlantic coast line alteration original indeed ny doubts propriety federal injunction state proceedings resolved favor permitting state courts proceed case involves last act three exceptions known relitigation exception exception implement concepts claim issue preclusion chick kam choo provision authorizes injunction prevent state litigation claim issue previously presented decided federal ibid applying exception taken special care keep strict narrow usually get dictate courts preclusion consequences judgment wright miller cooper federal practice procedure ed hereinafter wright miller deciding whether prior litigation preclusive effect usually bailiwick second one west virginia issuing injunction relitigation exception resorting heavy reason every benefit doubt goes toward state see atlantic coast line injunction issue preclusion clear beyond peradventure question whether federal rejection mccollins proposed class precluded later adjudication state smith certification motion federal determination class issue preclusive effect least two conditions must first issue federal decided must one presented state tribunal see wright miller second smith must party federal suit else must fall within one discrete exceptions general rule binding nonparties see fact explain issues two courts smith neither party kind nonparty bound courts erred finding certification issue precluded erred thinking injunction recent case relitigation exception chick kam choo exxon applied issue requirement preclusion law invalidate federal injunction federal dismissed suit involving singapore law grounds forum non conveniens plaintiff brought claim texas state federal issued injunction barring plaintiff pursuing relief alternate forum held district gone far essential prerequisite applying relitigation exception explained issues federal injunction insulates litigation state proceedings actually decided federal prerequisite thought satisfied issue adjudicated state one federal resolved federal considered permissibility claim federal forum non conveniens principles texas courts thought apply significantly different forum non conveniens analysis prior cases rejected strictness federal doctrine conclusion followed hether texas state courts appropriate forum plaintiff singapore law claims yet litigated ibid legal standards two courts differed issues courts differed injunction unwarranted question closely resembles one chick kam choo class smith proposed state mirrored class mccollins sought certify federal included baycol purchasers resident west virginia moreover substantive claims two suits broadly overlapped complaints alleged bayer sold defective product violation state consumer protection law company warranties far good preclusion fast critical question question applicable legal standard remains district ruled proposed class meet requirements federal rule individualized issues predominate common ones state poised consider whether proposed class satisfied west virginia rule two legal standards differ federal state forum non conveniens law differed chick kam choo federal resolved issue state event much like chick kam choo whether west virginia state cour certify proposed class action yet litigated appeals smith offer us two competing ways deciding whether west virginia federal rules differ think right path lies somewhere middle eighth circuit relied almost exclusively two rules texts see right place start end federal state courts apply identically worded procedural provisions widely varying ways state procedural provision tracks language federal rule state interprets provision manner federal courts state using different standard thus deciding different issue see wright miller stating preclusion inappropriate different legal standards masquerad behind similar legal labels extreme smith contends source law matters different sovereign must every case opportunity chooses construe procedural rule differently brief petitioners quoting ali principles law aggregate litigation reporters notes cmt state courts made crystal clear follow approach federal applied see need ignore determination event issues two cases indeed federal considering whether relitigation exception applies examine whether state law parallels federal counterpart suggested earlier see supra federal must resolve uncertainty score leaving question preclusion state courts approach west virginia gone way toward resolving matter us declaring independence federal courts interpretation federal rules particularly rule rezulin litigation rezulin west virginia high considered plaintiff motion certify class coincidentally enough suit allegedly defective pharmaceutical product made point complaining parties lower reliance federal cases federal rule decide certification question cases cautioned persuasive binding controlling lest anyone mistake import message went aim rule avoid legal analysis rules nothing pavlovian responses federal decisional law ibid italics omitted course state courts might still adopted approach rule tracked analysis federal used mccollins case absent clear evidence state courts done conclude interpret rule way tell whether certification issues state federal courts uncertainty preclude injunction case injunction even stronger west virginia disapproved approach rule predominance requirement federal district embraced recall federal held presence single individualized issue injury use baycol prevented class certification see supra identify common issues case balance common issues need prove individual injury determine predominated instead applied strict test barring class treatment proof plaintiff injury contrast west virginia rezulin adopted balancing inquiry interpreting rule rejecting rigid test state opined predominance requirement contemplates review many factors indeed noted common case outweigh individual questions ibid meant explained quoting termed leading treatise subject even objections certification causation typically involve showings individual injury bar predominance satisfaction ibid quoting conte newberg newberg class actions ed point point analysis set rezulin diverged district interpretation federal rule state using rezulin standard decide different question one federal earlier case indeed little rerun chick kam choo federal state apply different law means decide distinct questions federal resolution one issue preclude state determination another goes without saying federal may issue injunction act exception extend nearly far injunction issued runs another basic premise preclusion law judgment binds parties suit subject handful discrete limited exceptions see wright miller importance rule narrowness exceptions go hand hand repeatedly emphasize fundamental nature general rule parties bound prior judgments accordingly taken constrained approach nonparty preclusion taylor sturgell backdrop bayer defends decision arguing smith unnamed member proposed uncertified class qualifies party mccollins litigation see brief respondent alternatively bayer claims district judgment binds smith recognized exception rule nonparty preclusion members class actions see think neither contention merit bayer first claim proper understanding party general litigation ne lawsuit brought ex rel eisenstein city new york slip one become party intervention substitution practice karcher may held unnamed member certified class may considered particular purpos appealing adverse judgment devlin scardelletti dissent devlin noted one case willing advance novel surely erroneous argument nonnamed class member party litigation class certified opinion scalia still less argument make sense certification denied definition term party account stretched far cover person like smith plaintiff lawsuit denied leave judgment mccollins litigation indeed bind smith must principles nonparty preclusion bayer notes see brief respondent one principle allows unnamed members class action bound even though parties suit see cooper federal reserve bank richmond nder elementary principles prior adjudication judgment properly entertained class action binding class members subsequent litigation see also taylor stating nonparties bound properly conducted class actions bayer faces conundrum know one thing mccollins suit know class action indeed ruling bayer argues given preclusive effect district decision class properly certified bayer wants bind smith member class action nonparty smith situation bound determination class action logic position immediately transparent bayer attempt clarify ntil moment class denied mccollins case properly conducted class action brief respondent true according bayer mccollins interests aligned members class proposed act ed representative capacity sought class certification wishing make mccollins sought class certification failed obtain result district found individual issues predominated held action satisfy federal rule requirements class proceedings circumstances say properly conducted class action existed time litigation federal rule determines class action federal mccollins brought suit absence certification rule precondition binding smith met neither proposed class action rejected class action may bind nonparties effect class action approved rule mccollins lawsuit never made essentially points taylor sturgell terms ago question concerned propriety binding nonparties theory virtual representation based identity interests kind relationship parties nonparties rejected theory unanimously explaining effect kind class action ibid device objected authorize preclusion shorn rule procedural protections ibid otherwise stated opinion allow circumvent ion rule protections virtual representation doctrine allowed courts de facto class actions ibid hardly clear properly conducted class action binding effect nonparties come federal courts one way procedure set rule bayer attempts distinguish taylor noting party prior litigation propose class action see difference matters yes mccollins wished represent class made motion effect come pass allow mccollins suit bind nonparties adopt theory taylor bayer strongest argument comes established principles preclusion instead policy concerns relating use class action device bayer warns approach class counsel repeatedly try certify class simple expedient changing named plaintiff caption complaint brief respondent world serial relitigation class certification bayer contends defendants forced effect buy litigation peace settling see also tires prods liability litigation objecting asymmetric system class counsel win never lose ability relitigate issue certification form argument flies face rule nonparty preclusion rule perforce leads relitigation many issues plaintiff plaintiff plaintiff none precluded last judgment none party last suit tries hand establishing legal principle obtaining grant relief confronted similar policy concern taylor involved litigation brought freedom act foia government cautioned unless bound nonparties number plaintiffs perhaps coordinating mount series repetitive lawsuits demanding selfsame documents rejected argument even though payoff single successful foia suit disclosure documents public trum subsum prior losses single successful class certification motion response suggests legal system generally relies principles stare decisis comity among courts mitigate sometimes substantial costs similar litigation brought different plaintiffs thought right approach except discrete categories cases recognized lies binding nonparties judgment extent class actions raise special problems relitigation congress provided remedy involve departing usual rules preclusion class action fairness act cafa ed supp iii congress enabled defendants remove federal sizable class action involving minimal diversity citizenship removal takes place federal rule governs certification federal courts may consolidate multiple overlapping suits single defendant one judicial panel litigation many actions involving baycol see finally expect federal courts apply principles comity class certification decisions addressing common dispute see cortez byrd chips bill harbert constr citing landis north american cafa may cold comfort bayer respect suits like one beginning enactment congress decision address relitigation concerns associated class actions mechanism removal provides yet another reason federal courts adhere context longstanding principles especially federal deciding whether go far enjoin state proceeding act prohibits order district entered act relitigation exception authorizes injunctions former federal adjudication clearly precludes decision said years ago consistently maintained since time ny doubts resolved favor permitting state courts proceed atlantic coast line approach close cases easy answers federal issue injunction state decide preclusion question case even strike us close issues federal state lawsuits differed relevant legal standards differed mere proposal class federal action bind persons parties reasons judgment appeals reversed footnotes justice thomas joins parts opinion class action fairness act stat postdates therefore govern lawsuit enables defendant remove federal certain class actions involving nondiverse parties see see also infra although mccollins originally sought certification west virginia rule civil procedure federal procedural rules govern case removed federal see shady grove orthopedic associates allstate ins compare baycol prods litigation case holding two cases involve issue state federal class certification rules significantly different clearwater ashland chemical holding two cases implicate different issues even state rule modeled federal rules state might well exercise discretion different manner compare denial class certification binding unnamed putative class members privity parties prior action tires prods liability litigation ford motor holding denial class certification prevents binding anyone parties appearing general motors corp truck fuel tank prods liability litigation holding putative class members parties bound ruling class pending especially injunction way correct state trial erroneous refusal give preclusive effect federal judgment noted state appellate courts ultimately review reverse ruling see atlantic coast line locomotive engineers held federal common law governs preclusive effect decision federal sitting diversity see semtek lockheed martin smith assumes federal common law incorporate west virginia preclusion law see brief petitioners whereas bayer favors looking federal rules preclusion federal interests stake case see brief respondent think question matters neither party identifies way federal state principles preclusion law differ relevant respect found divergence compare montana describing elements issue preclusion state miller therefore need decide whether general federal common law incorporate state law situations rest decision act principles issue preclusion inform consider smith argument based phillips petroleum shutts district action violated due process clause district approach predominance inquiry consistent approach employed eighth circuit see jude medical holding commercial misrepresentation cases unsuitable class treatment individual issues reliance necessarily predominate express opinion correctness approach bayer argues rezulin preclude injunction case west virginia decided common issues predominated individual issues damages individual issues liability exist see brief respondent think bayer right distinction wrong consequence point rezulin dictates answer class certification question two cases indeed dissimilar true point instead rezulin articulated general approach predominance requirement differs markedly one federal used minor variations application essence legal standard defeat preclusion state courts apply significantly different analysis chick kam choo exxon federal state courts decide different issues support claim smith counts party bayer cites two cases held putative member uncertified class may wait rules certification motion file individual claim move intervene suit see brief respondent citing airlines mcdonald american pipe constr utah cases specifically grounded policies judicial administration demonstrate person party class suit may receive certain benefits tolling limitations period related proceeding see mcdonald result consistent commonplace preclusion law nonparties sometimes may benefit even though bound former litigation see parklane hosiery shore laboratories university foundation great weight scholarly authority restatement judgments american law institute wright miller agrees uncertified class action bind proposed class members see restatement second judgments nonparty may bound interests adequately represented representative class persons similarly situated designated approval ali principles law aggregate litigation reporters notes cmt one exceptions rule nonparty preclusion extend generally situation absent class member respect denial class certification wright miller bsent certification basis precluding nonparty exception token nothing holding today forecloses legislation modify established principles preclusion congress decide cafa sufficiently prevent relitigation class certification motions opinion address permissibility change federal rules civil procedure pertaining question cf supra declining reach smith due process claim