What is the difference between a jury trial and a bench trial?

In Michigan, a jury trial and a bench trial are two different ways of deciding a civil case. A jury trial is when a case is decided by a jury of your peers – a group of people from the community. During a jury trial, both sides give their opening statements, present evidence, and make their arguments to the jury. The jury then deliberates and decides the outcome of the case. A bench trial, on the other hand, involves only a judge deciding the outcome of the case. The judge hears both sides present evidence and make their arguments, then the judge decides the outcome of the case. In a bench trial, the judge also makes the final decision about which evidence to consider and how the law applies to the case. The biggest difference between a jury trial and a bench trial is who decides the outcome. In a jury trial, the jury decides; in a bench trial, the judge decides. Jury trials are generally more unpredictable than bench trials, since the jury could decide the outcome in favor of either side. This unpredictability makes jury trials more expensive and longer than bench trials.

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What is the difference between a jury trial and a bench trial?

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