District of Nevada Is Newest Federal Court to Adopt Short Trial Program

The District of Nevada adopted a Short Trial Program on March 11, 2013. The Short Trial Rules include the express purpose of expediting "civil trials (both bench trials and jury trials) through procedures designed to control the length of the trial, including, without limitation, restrictions on discovery, the use of smaller juries, and time limits for presentation of evidence." The program is voluntary and does not limit the right to appeal, unless the parties so stipulate. The program is similar to Nevada's successful Short Trial Program in state court, which has been in existence since 2000. In adopting the program, Nevada joins a handful of other federal district courts with similar short, summary, or expedited programs, including the Northern District of California, the District of Minnesota, the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Western District of Washington.