California guidance on cy pres or class action residual awards
California Code of Civil Procedure section 384 requires that unclaimed class action funds be distributed according to only one of two principles: first, the traditional cy pres principle – “to further the purposes of the underlying class action or causes of action” or second, “to promote justice for all Californians.” Section 384(a) .
The language of the statute is mandatory (“the court shall). The permitted categories are listed, and under the second principle they are “child advocacy programs, or [] nonprofit organizations providing civil legal services to the indigent.” Section 384(b)