What Is a Special Master?

A special master is a person appointed by a court to help the judge with specific parts of a case, such as managing discovery, overseeing settlement claims, or making recommendations on complex issues. In federal court, their appointment and powers are governed by Rule 53 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Why it matters to you

In some settlements, a special master decides disputed claims or appeals of denied claims. If your claim is rejected and the settlement allows review, the person who reconsiders it may be a special master rather than the judge. Knowing that helps you understand who has the final say and what process applies.

What special masters commonly do

• ✓Resolve discovery disputes in large, document-heavy cases
• ✓Supervise settlement negotiations or help design allocation plans
• ✓Review contested or complex claims, especially in mass torts
• ✓Hear appeals of claim denials under a settlement's procedures
• ✓Report findings to the judge, who can adopt, modify or reject them

Special masters are often retired judges, experienced lawyers or subject-matter experts. Their fees are usually paid by the parties or from the settlement fund, as the court orders.

A simple example

A settlement pays more for claimants with documented losses. The administrator denies a claim because the receipts are unclear. The settlement allows the claimant to request review, and a special master looks at the documents and decides the claim should be paid at the documented tier.

In mass tort settlements, special masters sometimes play a larger role, such as deciding which injury category a claimant falls into or how much each claimant receives under a points system. In consumer class settlements their role is usually narrower. Whatever the setting, the court defines a special master's authority in the order appointing them, and the parties can usually object to the judge.

For most people filing a straightforward consumer claim, a special master never comes into the picture. You would usually only hear about one if your claim is disputed or the settlement assigns them a formal role in reviewing claims.

Related terms

A special master is different from the settlement administrator, which handles day-to-day notice, claims and payments. If your claim is denied, see how to appeal a denied settlement claim.

SettleScout helps you keep the details of each claim you file organized, which makes any later review easier.