bench trial
No jury needed
A bench trial is a legal proceeding decided by a judge alone, without a jury.
The term comes from "the bench" as a metonym for the judiciary.
Defendants may waive their right to a jury trial and opt for a bench trial, often when the case involves complex legal issues or when jury sympathy might work against them: Her attorney recommended a bench trial given the technical nature of the evidence.
One who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- adjudicateFormally decide a dispute
- chambersEnclosed functional rooms
- judicialOf courts and judges
overrule · sustain · ruling · decree · injunction · contempt · discretion · fact-finder
Official court decision
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
- rulingFormal legal determination
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- decisionSettled course of action
findings · hearing · litigation · proceedings · docket · motions · pleadings · stipulation
Licensed legal representative
- counselExpert guidance offered
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- defense attorneyLawyer representing the accused
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
opening statement · closing argument · objection · sidebar · oral argument · brief · memorandum · submission
Formal surrender of rights
- stipulatedRequired as a condition
- expeditedMade faster, prioritized
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
- efficiencyProductive without waste
complexity · technical · specialized · equitable · simplified · election · consent
Civil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- petitionerOne who formally requests
- respondentOne who gives answers
- litigantParty in lawsuit
prosecution · defense · claimant · appellant · appellee · party · pro se
Item publicly displayed
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- affidavitSworn written statement
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- admissibleAllowed to be considered
inadmissible · hearsay · circumstantial · direct · documentary · demonstrative · relevance · materiality
judge
One who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- adjudicateFormally decide a dispute
- chambersEnclosed functional rooms
judicial · overrule · sustain · ruling · decree · injunction · contempt · discretion · fact-finder · sentencing
verdict
Official court decision
- adjudicationFormal decision on disputes
- rulingFormal legal determination
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
decision · findings · hearing · litigation · proceedings · docket · motions · pleadings · stipulation · summary judgment
attorney
Licensed legal representative
- counselExpert guidance offered
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- defense attorneyLawyer representing the accused
cross-examination · opening statement · closing argument · objection · sidebar · oral argument · brief · memorandum · submission · proffer
waiver
Formal surrender of rights
- stipulatedRequired as a condition
- expeditedMade faster, prioritized
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
efficiency · complexity · technical · specialized · equitable · simplified · election · consent
plaintiff
Civil case initiator
- defendantParty facing charges
- petitionerOne who formally requests
- respondentOne who gives answers
litigant · prosecution · defense · claimant · appellant · appellee · party · pro se
exhibit
Item publicly displayed
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- affidavitSworn written statement
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
admissible · inadmissible · hearsay · circumstantial · direct · documentary · demonstrative · relevance · materiality · preponderance
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, gavel
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, prosecutor, charges, guilty
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
- courtroom dramaobjection, surprise witness, hostile witness, mistrial, confession
- trialsretrial, mistrial, dry run, practice test, pilot test
bench trialarbitration
Non-court binding dispute resolution
mediation · settlement · plea bargain · out-of-court settlement
bench, trial, trials, benches, benchmark, judgmental, courtroom, judgement, judiciary