A motion for class certification was recently denied by a federal judge, leading to the dismissal of a complaint launched by Liberty University students who were seeking a refund for the Spring 2020 semester. The students had hoped to recoup losses associated with various fees, room and board charges, which were incurred when the campus was shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three students from the Lynchburg, Virginia-based college, identified only as Student A, B, and D, initially filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in April 2020.
The students contended they had been stripped of the benefits of the services and activities they paid for as a result of how Liberty University responded to the outbreak. However, Senior U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon addressed the case in a different light, determining that the plaintiffs in question hadn’t actually suffered an injury-in-fact and thus, their claims were mooted.
In addition to this, Judge Moon further stated that the named plaintiffs did not meet the requirements necessary for class certification as per Rule 23(a), Rule 23(b)(3), Rule 23(b)(2) and Rule 23(c)(4). The decision meant a setback for the students who initiated the complaint, as their quest to gain reimbursement for their respective costs incurred during the pandemic-stricken semester was halted.
For more detailed information, take a glance at the original Law.com article.