A mass tort is a civil action involving numerous plaintiffs against one or a few corporate defendants. The tort may involve, for example, personal injuries suffered by numerous plaintiffs as a result of a defective product, or a mass disaster in which there were many injured persons, such as an airplane crash, or exposure of a large group of people to toxic chemicals or pharmaceuticals.
Yanceyville, first incorporated in 1833, is the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,091 at the 2000 census. It has been the county seat since 1792 (although the settlement was originally called Caswell Court House until 1833). The original Caswell County Courthouse has been renovated and provides offices for county departments. The modern court house is located a few blocks north. There remains uncertainty as to the person for whom Yanceyville is named. Some say it is named for James Yancey (1768–1829). Others claim it is named for his younger brother, Bartlett Yancey, Jr. (1785-1828). A few believe the name honored the entire Yancey family, long prominent in the area.