Published
October 20, 2026
People who bought an 18- or 20-count box of nine Bigelow teas labeled “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned” at a California retail store between October 17, 2017 and July 31, 2023 can claim $0.50 a box from a $6.5 million settlement, up to $10 without a receipt or $20 with one. The claim form is not open yet; claims are due February 8, 2027.
Current Status
The claim form is not open yet. Judge Stephen V. Wilson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted preliminary approval on October 5, 2026 and ordered notice to begin by October 27, 2026; claims are due February 8, 2027, postmarked or submitted electronically. The final approval hearing is May 17, 2027 at 1:30 p.m., and class counsel estimate payments in mid-2027 if the settlement is approved.Free settlement alerts
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Status
Claim Form Not Yet Open
preliminary approval Oct. 5, 2026 · final approval hearing May 17, 2027
Claim Deadline
February 8, 2027
claim form not open yet · notice begins by Oct. 27, 2026
Estimated Payout
$0.50 a box
up to $10 without a receipt · up to $20 with proof of purchase · one cap per household
Proof Required
Not Yet Determined
claim form not open · proposed form: sworn statement, no receipt, for up to $10
What Changed Recently?
Judge Stephen V. Wilson granted preliminary approval on October 5, 2026 in Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc., No. 2:20-cv-06208, a case filed in 2020 that went to trial. On April 8, 2025, a jury found that Bigelow violated California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act, breached an express warranty and made a false representation by labeling the teas “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned,” and awarded $2,360,744 to the plaintiffs and the class. The court entered judgment on May 29, 2025.Bigelow appealed to the Ninth Circuit in September 2025. After the parties accepted a mediator’s proposal on June 9, 2026, the Ninth Circuit dismissed the appeal on July 22, 2026 without prejudice to reinstatement if the settlement is not approved. Bigelow continues to deny wrongdoing, and the court’s order says the settlement is not a finding or admission of liability by Bigelow.
Who Qualifies?
The class is all natural persons who bought at least one 18- or 20-count box of the following Bigelow teas, labeled “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned,” at a retail store in California from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023: Earl Grey Black Tea, Green Tea, Constant Comment Black Tea, Green Lemon Tea, Vanilla Chai Black Tea, English Tea Time Black Tea, Spiced Chai Black Tea, French Vanilla Black Tea and Vanilla Caramel Black Tea.Purchases online or outside California are not covered. Bigelow, its distributors and retailers, the court and its staff, the mediator, counsel of record and their immediate families are excluded, as are people who opted out.
How Much Can You Get?
Each valid claim is worth $0.50 for every box bought. A claim without proof of purchase, made by a sworn statement, is capped at $10, or 20 boxes. A claim with proof of purchase, such as a receipt or paid invoice showing the place, date and quantity, is capped at $20, or 40 boxes. Claims from the same mailing address are paid together up to one household cap.Bigelow will pay $6,500,000 in total, and none of it goes back to the company. At least $2,548,187, the jury’s award plus two years of post-judgment interest, is set aside for class payments. If claims exceed that amount, payments are reduced pro rata; if claims fall short, payments increase pro rata up to $20 without proof or $40 with proof. Money left unclaimed goes to Feeding America. The rest of the $6.5 million covers attorneys’ fees of $2,746,451 and expenses of $653,756, subject to court approval, service awards of $25,000 for each of the two class representatives, and $501,605.90 in notice and administration costs. Class counsel are The Wand Law Firm, P.C. and Schneider Wallace Cottrell Kim LLP.
What Proof or Notice ID Is Required?
The claim form is not open yet, so OCA has not been able to check whether the online form will require a notice ID. Under the proposed claim form filed with the court, claimants without a receipt sign a statement under penalty of perjury, and the form includes a Unique ID field described as applying only to people who received a notice by mail or email. Claims for up to $20 require proof of purchase. Payments can be made by check, Zelle, PayPal or Venmo.What Is the Deadline?
Claims are due February 8, 2027, postmarked or submitted electronically. Requests for exclusion and objections are due January 7, 2027. Objections are filed with the court, not sent to the administrator.How Do You Take Action?
The official settlement website, run by JND Legal Administration, posts the preliminary approval order and settlement papers and is where the claim form will appear. As of October 20, 2026, parts of the site still showed dates from the 2024–2025 litigation; the court’s October 5, 2026 order sets the dates above.What Happens Next?
Notice must begin by October 27, 2026 and be completed by December 8, 2026. Class counsel’s fee application is due December 3, 2026, and the motion for final approval is due April 19, 2027. The final approval hearing is May 17, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 10A of the First Street Courthouse in Los Angeles. Payments go out within 30 days after the administrator receives the settlement money, which happens after the settlement becomes final.Sources and Verification
• Official settlement website• Order granting preliminary approval (ECF 311, October 5, 2026), motion for preliminary approval with the settlement agreement and proposed claim forms (ECF 308), judgment (ECF 276, May 29, 2025) and notice of appeal (ECF 290), Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc., No. 2:20-cv-06208-SVW-RAO (C.D. Cal.)
Questions
Which Bigelow teas are in the settlement?
Eighteen- and 20-count boxes of Bigelow Earl Grey, Green Tea, Constant Comment, Green Lemon, Vanilla Chai, English Tea Time, Spiced Chai, French Vanilla and Vanilla Caramel teas labeled “Manufactured in the USA 100% American Family Owned,” bought at a California retail store from October 17, 2017 to July 31, 2023.
How much is the Bigelow tea settlement payment?
$0.50 per box, capped at $10 for claims without proof of purchase and $20 for claims with proof. Payments can rise pro rata to as much as $20 and $40 if claims fall short of the money set aside, or fall pro rata if claims exceed it.
Can I file a Bigelow tea claim now?
Not yet. The court ordered notice to begin by October 27, 2026, and the claim form will be posted on the official settlement website. Claims are due February 8, 2027.
Did a jury find against Bigelow?
Yes. On April 8, 2025, a jury found that Bigelow violated the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, breached an express warranty and made a false representation, and awarded $2,360,744. Bigelow appealed, continues to deny wrongdoing, and settled without admitting liability.
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
$6,500,000
Case Title
Banks, et al. v. R.C. Bigelow, Inc.
Case Number
2:20-cv-06208-SVW-RAO
Court
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Final Approval Hearing
May 17, 2027 at 1:30 PM
Courtroom 10A, First Street Courthouse, Los Angeles
Administrator
JND Legal Administration
Official Website
Tea Class Action
