9th Circuit Upholds Wal-Mart Class Certification

A split panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit today upheld a trial judge’s certification of a clas of as many as 1.6 million women in a case alleging that Wal-Mart discriminated against female employees with respect to pay and promotions. The ruling almost certainly guarantees that Wal-Mart will now be forced to mount a prolonged defense against this discrimination class action.