| Case | Braun v. Dolgencorp, LLC d/b/a Dollar General, No. MID-L-00950-25 (shelf price vs. register price settlement, $15 million total value) |
| Court | Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Middlesex County |
| Status | Closed, no longer accepting claims |
| Claim deadline | April 13, 2026 |
| Estimated payout | $10 or the actual overcharge per documented overcharge, up to two per household (usually $20 max), plus a $3 in-store discount for all class members |
| Proof required | Yes |
| How to file | Official settlement website (claims closed) |
The main class action lawsuit Dollar General settled is closed. Braun v. Dolgencorp, the $15 million shelf price case, stopped taking claims on April 13, 2026, and its $3 in-store discount ran June 1 and 2, 2026. As of September 29, 2026, no other settlement is accepting claims, so a search for a “class action lawsuit dollar general” claim form today will not turn up an open one. Shoppers who filed on time are waiting on payment from the administrator.
Below is the full timeline, how the payout math actually worked, why the state cases didn’t send checks, and what to save if you get overcharged again.
Timeline: Dollar General Overcharge Cases, 2016 to 2026
Most of the legal activity against the chain since 2022 comes from one complaint: the price advertised on the shelves didn’t match the charge that rang up at the register. Here is how it unfolded.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Oct. 10, 2016 | Start of the national class period in the Braun settlement |
| 2021 | Final approval of the separate $28.5 million DG Auto motor oil settlement |
| Oct. 2023 | Ohio’s AG settles its pricing suit for $1 million, paid to food banks |
| 2023 | Missouri’s AG sues after 92 of 147 inspected stores fail price checks |
| Feb. 12, 2025 | Jennifer Braun files her suit in New Jersey state court |
| Dec. 9, 2025 | Pennsylvania announces a $1.55 million settlement (penalties and costs) |
| Dec. 15, 2025 | Braun settlement gets preliminary approval |
| Mar. 19, 2026 | Final fairness hearing; the settlement is reported approved |
| Apr. 13, 2026 | Claim and in-store benefit registration deadline |
| June 1 and 2, 2026 | $3 in-store discount redemption window |
| July 27, 2026 | Missouri case settles before trial; terms not yet public |
What the Dollar General Overcharge Settlement Paid
The Dollar General overcharge settlement paid $10 per documented overcharge, or the actual overcharge if higher, for up to two overcharges per household. The total is $15 million: an $8.5 million cash fund plus $6.5 million valued as pricing fixes. It covered all consumers in the United States who paid more or less for merchandise than the advertised price on the shelf at a store from October 10, 2016, through November 19, 2025. If you shopped there in that window, you may qualify as a class member even if you never kept a receipt.
A cash payment required proof. To be eligible, the official notice accepted two kinds:
- A complaint made at the time to a government agency or to the company about a specific product, and not already resolved by the store.
- Objective evidence made at the time, such as a receipt paired with a photo of the shelf tag.
So the math is small for most people. Two documented 50 cent overcharges pay $20, because the $10 floor applies to each. Only someone with larger documented overcharges gets more than $20. Everyone else in the group could register for the in-store benefit with no proof at all: $3 off a purchase of $10 or more (pretax), once, through a myDG account or the registration form.
Two details most coverage skipped. The $3 discount excluded tobacco, alcohol, milk, propane, gift and prepaid cards, and prepaid phones, and it couldn’t be stacked with other store coupons (manufacturer coupons were fine). And settlement checks expire 60 days after mailing. Uncashed money goes to a national food bank charity, not back to shoppers.
Class counsel, The Dann Law Firm and Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, asked for up to 33.3% of the fund, paid out of the $8.5 million before claimants.
Missed the April 13 Deadline? What’s Left
Nothing, if you didn’t file. This class action settlement is finished taking claims. The claim window, the opt-out deadline (March 2, 2026), and the $3 redemption days have all passed, and you’re bound by the release even if you never filed. If you did file, watch your mail and email for a check or digital payment, and cash it inside 60 days.
When we checked the official settlement website in September 2026, it showed the case name but no new claim option. Call the administrator at 1-844-262-4248 for payment status. For how a small refund-style payment is treated at tax time, see our guide to whether settlements are taxable.
State AG Cases Didn’t Send You a Check
State cases are brought by the government, not by a group of shoppers, so the money goes to the state or to charity. That’s the key difference from a private class action.
- Ohio: Attorney General Dave Yost, the state’s top consumer protection lawyer, sued after the Butler County Auditor found error rates of 16.7% to 88.2% at 20 stores. The $1 million deal in October 2023 went to Ohio food banks.
- Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Attorney General said stores failed more than 40% of price inspections from 2019 to 2023. The $1.55 million is penalties and costs, plus weekly shelf tag updates and two surprise audits per store each year.
- Missouri: Inspectors found an average overcharge of $2.71 per item, up to $6.50. The state asked for restitution, and the case settled July 27, 2026, days before trial. Whether any refunds reach Missouri shoppers hasn’t been disclosed.
Investor and Motor Oil Cases
Two other cases show up in searches but don’t help shoppers today. The investor suit, Washtenaw County Employees’ Retirement System v. Dollar General (No. 3:23-cv-01250, Middle District of Tennessee), claims the company hid understaffing and inventory problems. A judge dismissed it without prejudice in June 2025, and the investors were allowed to file an amended complaint. It hasn’t settled, so there’s no investor claim form.
The DG Auto motor oil settlement ($28.5 million, approved in 2021) paid buyers of obsolete 10W-30, 10W-40, and SAE 30 oil sold from 2010 to 2017. That deadline passed years ago.
How to Document an Overcharge for the Next Case
Keep evidence at the time it happens, while the tag is still on the shelves. Braun paid cash only to people with proof, and the next pricing case will likely work the same way.
- Photograph the shelf tag before you check out. The date on your phone photo helps.
- Keep the receipt, or save it in the myDG app.
- Ask for the difference at the counter. A resolved overcharge didn’t qualify in Braun, but you get your money back that day.
- If the store refuses, file a complaint with your state AG or weights and measures office. That complaint is the “contemporaneous” record a settlement looks for.
The same shelf versus register issue is behind the pending Home Depot pricing lawsuit. For other open claims with close dates, check our settlement deadlines list.
If you filed in the Dollar General class action lawsuit, your next step is to cash the payment within 60 days of the mailing date. If you missed it, save receipts and shelf photos from now on, and read how to join a class action so you’re ready when the next notice arrives.
Dollar General Settlement FAQ
Is there a lawsuit against Dollar General right now?
Yes, but none is taking claims. The investor securities case is still in federal court in Tennessee, and the Missouri pricing case settled in July 2026 with terms not yet public. The $15 million Braun settlement closed to claims on April 13, 2026.
Has the Dollar General class action lawsuit been settled?
Yes. Braun v. Dolgencorp settled for $15 million total, received preliminary approval on December 15, 2025, and had its final fairness hearing on March 19, 2026. Approved claimants are paid by the administrator after final approval and any appeals.
How much will I get from the Dollar General settlement?
Most approved claimants get $10 per documented overcharge, up to $20 per household. You get more only if your actual documented overcharges add up to more than that. Everyone in the group could also register for a one-time $3 in-store discount.
Is the Dollar General settlement legit?
Yes. It was authorized by the Superior Court of New Jersey in Middlesex County, and the official site is dgpricesettlement.com. Any site asking you to pay a fee or file a new claim for this case now is not the administrator.
Can I still file a Dollar General claim?
No. The deadline was April 13, 2026, and late claims aren’t accepted. The only remaining step is for people who already filed to watch for and cash their payment.
This page is basic information about legal cases involving Dollar General, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a licensed attorney.