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"In the class-action, the potential claimants don't have to do anything," Jacoby said. "It's designed to be an efficient way for a court to handle multiple claims of the same type." He also questioned her criticism of class-action lawyers for the fees they receive. Jacoby, who handles such cases, said lawyers who take on the multiple clients involved do extensive work
-- sometimes spanning years -- and are not in it just for money. "They're representing the underdog and they believe they are performing a public duty," he said. "Many of these people could not get lawyers to represent them individually." American Honda's offices were closed for the holidays and no one could be reached for comment. Peters said the company has tried five times to delay the trial but each effort was rebuffed. The upside of Peters' unusual move, she says, is that litigants are not allowed to have lawyers argue in small claims court in California. This means any award will not be diluted by attorney's fees. Honda would have to appoint a non-lawyer employee to argue its side in court. "If I prevail and get $10,000, they have 200,000 of these cars out there. That's a potential payout of $2 billion," she said. While she doubts that all other owners will take the same route, she suggests the penalty could be substantial for the company if a large percentage of the owners file individually. A judge in San Diego County is due to rule in March on whether to approve Honda's latest class action settlement offer. Members of the class have until Feb. 11 to accept or decline the settlement. Peters has launched a website, DontSettleWithHonda.org, urging others to take the small claims route.
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