When Mayanne Downs took office as President of The Florida Bar in June 2010, she stated that under her watch, a special committee would examine the decline in the number of jury trials and its impact on the judicial system, the public and lawyers. Especially in the face of drastic cuts to the judiciary’s budget, both at a state and federal level, this exploration seems timely. Getting a snapshot of why trends occur helps courts, the bar, and litigants consciously plan for what lies ahead.
The resulting report, however, speaks ominously (more…)