Advantages Of A Bench Trial
In a bench trial there is ample opportunity to present the court with arguments throughout the pretrial proceedings.
Advantages of a bench trial. Hopefully lawyers and clients reading this will at least consider whether a bench trial is a better choice for their clients case than a jury trial. What are the advantages of a bench trial. In criminal cases matters are almost always decided by a jury. Trial by jury may be a better choice than a bench trial when it comes time to try a case there are sometimes a few options.
So what is a bench trial hearing best for when it comes to different legal cases. One of the best reasons to choose a bench trial is having a complicated legal issue that a jury wouldnt understand. Some flat fee attorneys also charge less for bench trials in their fee agreements. Advantages of a bench trial in virginia.
While planning your defense you and your lawyer may find that a bench trial is the best choice for your specific case. I am not opposed to jury trials. This can be a good or bad thing. If you know the answer to this question please register to join our limited beta program and start the conversation.
The court is required to follow the same rules of evidence and procedure at every trial. Because bench trials are often shorter in duration than are jury trials they are cheaper if you are paying your lawyer by the hour. It is just that i must assess in every case whether a jury trial is better for my clients than a bench trial and in the last 12 13 years i have picked a bench trial in almost every case. As you can see there are some advantages of a jury trial and advantages of a bench trial.
Because a jury is not present a. As mentioned before. Trying to keep the trial short and legal costs low is another reason for this option. The judge cannot rule differently in a bench trial than he would in a jury trial.
Its important to carefully weigh the advantages or disadvantages of a bench trial. Ask your criminal defense attorney about the judge selected to preside over the case. We need you to answer this question. The judge knows the law if you truly feel that the law is on your side a bench trial may be the better option.
As noted above it is often quicker to get a bench trial than to wait for an opening for a jury trial. Some advantages that bench trials offer include.