Calif. Lawmakers Approve Bill to Allow Civil Trials with a Time Limit
California lawmakers have unanimously approved a bill that allows civil litigants to opt for trials with time limits and smaller juries.
The legislation imposes a three-hour time limit for each side to present their case, the Recorder reports. Under other provisions of the bill (PDF):
• Jury decisions are final, absent misconduct or fraud.
• A vote of at least six jurors is needed for a verdict, unless the parties agree otherwise.
• The parties could reach an advance “high-low” agreement in which the plaintiffs are guaranteed a minimum verdict and defendants a maximum payout, regardless of the jury verdict.
• Juries are made up of eight people, or fewer if the parties agree, and each side gets only three peremptory challenges.
The voluntary streamlined process is based on trial systems in New York and South Carolina, according to the Recorder and the California Bar Journal. Proponents expect litigants seeking amounts between $10,000 and $30,000 will be most likely to use the shortened system.
