▁and ▁ 1 7 1 1 – 1 7 1 5 , ▁expanded ▁federal ▁subject - m atter ▁juris diction ▁over ▁many ▁large ▁class - action ▁law su its ▁and ▁mass ▁actions ▁taken ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁bill ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁piece ▁of ▁legisl ation ▁of ▁the ▁second ▁term ▁of ▁the ▁Bush ▁Administration . ▁ ▁Business ▁groups ▁and ▁tort ▁reform ▁supp or ters ▁had ▁lo bb ied ▁for ▁the ▁legisl ation , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁needed ▁to ▁prevent ▁class - action ▁law suit ▁ab use . ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁had ▁v owed ▁to ▁support ▁this ▁legisl ation . ▁ ▁The ▁Act ▁perm its ▁federal ▁courts ▁to ▁pres ide ▁over ▁certain ▁class ▁actions ▁in ▁divers ity ▁juris diction ▁where ▁the ▁aggregate ▁amount ▁in ▁controvers y ▁exceed s ▁$ 5 ▁million ; ▁where ▁the ▁class ▁compr ises ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 0 0 ▁pla int iffs ; ▁and ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁at ▁least ▁" min imal ▁divers ity " ▁between ▁the ▁parties ▁( i . e ., ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁pla int iff ▁class ▁member ▁is ▁diverse ▁from ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁def endant ). ▁The ▁court , ▁however , ▁may ▁decl ine ▁juris diction ▁under ▁certain ▁circumstances , ▁and ▁is ▁required ▁to ▁decl ine ▁juris diction ▁in ▁certain ▁others . ▁The ▁Act ▁also ▁direct s ▁the ▁Cour ts ▁to ▁give ▁greater ▁scr ut iny ▁to ▁class ▁action ▁settlement s , ▁especially ▁those ▁involving ▁corpor ations . ▁ ▁Support ▁The ▁Act ▁accomplished ▁two ▁key ▁goals ▁of ▁tort ▁reform