Long-form notice
A long-form notice is the full, detailed version of a class action notice, covering the settlement terms, your options, deadlines and how to claim.
Also called: detailed notice, full notice, long form notice
A long-form notice is the full, detailed version of a class action notice, covering the settlement terms, your options, deadlines and how to claim.
What it means
A long-form notice is the complete version of a class action notice. A short notice, such as an email, postcard or published notice, gives the headline facts. The long form explains everything. That includes what the lawsuit is about, who is in the class, what the settlement offers and what the lawyers will ask for. It also covers how to claim and how to opt out or object. The Federal Judicial Center calls it the full or detailed notice.
It is usually written as questions and answers. You will usually find it on the settlement website, and the administrator can mail or email one if you ask. Judges are advised to approve every form of notice before it goes out, and the long form must still follow Rule 23's call for plain, easily understood language. The Federal Judicial Center's guide for judges says eight to eleven pages is plenty, even for a complicated case.
Read it whenever the short notice leaves a question open.
What it means for you
The long form is where the details that change your payment live. These include how the fund is split, what documents you need, what the lawyers will request and which rights you give up. Use the short notice to find the dates, then use the long form to check three things: whether you qualify, what proof is required, and what the release says. The release is the part that tells you which legal claims you give up if you stay in the class. Read it before you decide whether to opt out.
Example
Say a postcard says you may be entitled to a payment and lists a claim deadline and a website. On the website you open the long-form notice, a question-and-answer document of several pages. It explains that eligible customers can claim a set amount and that a receipt unlocks a higher amount. It also says that staying in the class means you cannot sue the company separately over the same issue. You use it to decide whether to claim, opt out or object.
FAQ
A short-form notice, such as an email, postcard or published notice, gives the key facts and tells you where to get more. The long-form notice gives the full details, including the settlement terms, the lawyers' fee request, and how to claim, opt out or object.
Usually on the settlement website, on a page with a name like Important Documents. You can also ask the settlement administrator to send one by mail or email, using the contact details printed on the short notice.
Related terms
- Federal Judicial Center, Judges' Class Action Notice and Claims Process Checklist and Plain Language Guide (2010)
- Federal Judicial Center, Illustrative Forms of Class-Action Notices
- Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 and committee notes (Cornell LII)
Updated Oct 18, 2026. Plain-English definitions for general information — not legal or tax advice.