Sammelklage
In short
A Sammelklage is a type of collective legal action where a group of people with similar grievances join together to sue a defendant.
In plain words
Instead of everyone fighting a single case alone, a large group acts as one unit. This makes it easier and cheaper to challenge big companies or organisations.
A simple example
If a mobile phone company overcharges thousands of customers by one pound each, those customers can file a Sammelklage to get their money back together.
Why it matters
It gives regular people more power against wealthy entities. It also saves time for the courts by handling many similar complaints in one single trial.
Easy to mix up
It is often confused with a class action, though the specific legal procedures and rules vary depending on the country's laws.