The oldest predecessor to the class action rule in the United States was Equity Rule 48, promulgated in 1833, which allowed for representative suits in situations where there were too many individual parties (which now forms the first requirement for class action litigation, numerosity).
The oldest predecessor to the class action rule in the United States was in the Federal Equity Rules, specifically Equity Rule 48, promulgated in 1842. This allowed for representative suits in situations where there were too many individual parties (which now forms the first requirement for class action litigation, numerosity).