Settlement administrator
A settlement administrator is the neutral company a court approves to send notice, process claims and pay out a class action settlement.
Also called: claims administrator, class action administrator, notice administrator
A settlement administrator is the neutral company a court approves to send notice, process claims and pay out a class action settlement.
What it means
A settlement administrator is the company hired to run the practical side of a class action settlement. It sends the notices, runs the settlement website and phone line, collects and reviews claims, answers questions and pays approved claims. Firms you may see named on notices include Epiq, Kroll, Angeion, JND, Verita, Rust Consulting and Simpluris.
The administrator works under the court's supervision and the terms of the settlement agreement. It is neutral. It is not the defendant, your lawyer or a settlement app, and it does not decide who is in the class or how big the fund is. Federal Rule 23 tells judges to consider how well a proposed settlement will deliver relief to the class, including how claims will be processed.
The administrator's fees come from the settlement fund or from the defendant, depending on the agreement. Class members do not pay them, and filing a claim directly with the administrator is free.
What it means for you
The administrator is your contact for almost everything after you get a notice. That includes where to file, how to fix a deficiency notice, changing an address and asking about a missing payment. Use the contact details on the official settlement website. It cannot change who qualifies or how much you get, because those rules come from the agreement and the judge. A message that uses an administrator's name but asks for a fee or banking passwords is not from a real one.
Example
Say a judge preliminarily approves a settlement and names an administrator. It mails postcards, launches a settlement website and opens a toll-free number. You file a claim online and later get an email saying one document is missing. You upload it through the website. After the judge grants final approval, the administrator sends your payment by the method you picked.
FAQ
Established administrators are real companies hired under a court order. But scammers copy their names. Confirm the case on the official settlement website named in the court-approved notice, and never pay a fee to receive settlement money.
The settlement fund or the defendant pays, depending on the settlement agreement. Class members do not pay anything to file a claim or receive a payment.
Related terms
- FTC, Refund Programs: Frequently Asked Questions
- Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 and committee notes (Cornell LII)
- Federal Judicial Center, Judges' Class Action Notice and Claims Process Checklist and Plain Language Guide (2010)
- N.D. Cal., Procedural Guidance for Class Action Settlements
Updated Oct 18, 2026. Plain-English definitions for general information — not legal or tax advice.