Litigation
Jan. 5, 2012
Bench trials are up despite growing burdens on judges
Statistics released by the Judicial Council show that the rate of civil bench trials has grown statewide, whereas the number of civil jury trials has remained relatively flat.
By Ciaran McEvoy
Daily Journal Staff Writer
When rollover crash victim Sukhsagar Pannu won a whopping $21.6 million verdict a few years ago, the dollar amount was less surprising than who did the awarding.
Rather than a jury of Pannu's peers, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert H. O'Brien handed down the civil damages award. His verdict in the 2009 bench trial, upheld on appeal, topped $25 million with added in...
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