There are many different ways in which a Buffalo personal injury lawsuit may be brought to a conclusion without a full blown trial. One of the newer approaches to attempting to save on the expenses of a trial, reduce court congestion, and bring lawsuits to a quicker conclusion is the summary jury trial.
A summary jury trial involves conducting a one day trial before a real judge and an actual jury. The parties present a shortened version of their case with relaxed rules of evidence. This can greatly save on costs, as it is not necessary to present witnesses just to prove, for example, that documents are authentic or to have them recite information already contained in their reports. At the conclusion of the presentations, the jury will deliberate and render a verdict.
The result of a summary jury trial may be binding or non-binding. A binding summary jury trial is essentially the same as conducting a full trial, with the parties bound by the conclusion. Even if the result in non-binding, however, the jury’s decision will usually push the case towards a resolution short of trial, as the parties now have an understanding of how a jury is likely to perceive their case.
If you have suffered a personal injury and have any questions, please feel free to call us at 716-542-5444.
{ 0 comments… add one now }