What are bifurcated trials

Bifurcation usually reduces the amount of time the first trial will take since evidence of damages will not need to be and in fact is forbidden to be produced, again saving resources and money. It is conceivable that the cost of the two smaller trials will end up the same, or even less, than one longer trial. Deciding liability in the first trial will also provide a clearer perspective as to how responsible a defendant really is. Having this information before entering the damages phase will allow both parties to weigh their options in attempting a settlement before gambling on a second trial.

If the damages trial does occur, however, much of the pressure is off the plaintiff, since the defendant has already been found to be at fault. In a case with more than one defendant, deciding liability first can potentially remove a defendant from the damages portion of the case. This is again advantageous to both sides, as the plaintiff will not need to prepare a case against a defendant who was found not liable, and the defendant who was found not liable need not worry about preparing for a damages trial.

Bifurcation is not without its risks, however. Without the damages component in the liability trial, a plaintiff is not able to fully convey the toll the incident at issue has had on their life. The people providing legal help and who respond are volunteers who may not be lawyers, legal professionals or have any legal training or experience.

The law is also subject to change from time to time and legal statutes and regulations vary between states.

It is possible that the law may not apply to you and may have changed from the time a post was made. Bifurcated Trial What is a Bifurcated Trial? This field should be left blank. Related Posts. July 13th, February 13th, 0 Comments. Call Now - Free Consultation. This isn't a valid phone number.

Email Please enter your email address. This isn't a valid email address. Yes, I am a potential new client No, I'm a current existing client I'm neither. Are you a new client? Please make a selection. Message Please enter a message. Send Information.