Cy pres

Cy pres refers to settlement money that is given to a nonprofit or charitable cause when it cannot practically be distributed to class members. The term comes from a French phrase meaning as near as possible.

Courts may approve a cy pres recipient when funds are left over after payments, or when the individual amounts would be too small to mail out. The chosen organization is usually related to the issue in the lawsuit.

Cy pres is meant to keep the settlement serving a purpose close to the interests of the class, rather than returning unclaimed money to the defendant.