Those who are involved in the civil jury process know first-hand of the genius and value of trial by jury. Juries represent the collective wisdom and objectivity of a group of citizens who are called together to apply their common sense and agree on a verdict. It is indispensable to our system of justice, and our way of life.
At least one of the reasons for the disappearance of the jury trial is the cost of the pretrial process. More and more litigants are worn down (financially and emotionally) by the pretrial process, and decide to settle the case rather than push forward to a jury trial. To preserve and restore the civil jury trial, we must make the pretrial process faster, cheaper, and more user-friendly. The focus of this article will be to highlight a pilot project proposal under development in Colorado to do just that.
