589. The representative plaintiff is deemed to retain sufficient interest to act even if that person’s personal claim is extinguished. The representative plaintiff cannot waive the status of representative plaintiff without the authorization of the court, which cannot be given unless the court is able to appoint another class member as representative plaintiff.
If the representative plaintiff is no longer in a position to properly represent the class members or if that person’s personal claim is extinguished, another class member may ask the court to be substituted as representative plaintiff or propose some other class member for that purpose.
A substitute representative plaintiff continues the proceeding from the stage it has reached; with the authorization of the court, the substitute may refuse to confirm any prior acts if they have caused irreparable prejudice to the class members. The substitute is not liable for legal costs and other expenses in relation to any act prior to the substitution that the substitute has not confirmed, unless the court orders otherwise.