Do Legal Officials Bring Civil Cases before Jury Trials in New York City?
In the case of class action lawsuits or small-scale prosecutions, you may be fully aware that cases involving, for example, vehicular homicide, premises liability, workplace accidents, or other types of criminal incidents are brought before jury trials in New York City. Ultimately, you can see why this would be beneficial for the client and his/her representative. After all, standing before a jury gives you the chance to share your story and gain sympathy from other civilians like yourself.
However, what happens when a person’s freedom is not the balancing factor of a case but is, instead, money? Can a person request that their civil case be brought before a jury trial?
Today, let’s take a closer look and find out some more information.
The Details of a Civil Case
First, let’s take a closer look at the difference between criminal law and civil law.
Simply put, criminal cases are instigated to punish a person for malicious and/or negligent actions towards one or more victims through fines, jail time, or additional limitations. Cases of this nature are showcased to deter the public from committing these kinds of crimes, which will result in a loss of freedoms.
In a civil case, the victims are seeking financial compensation as punishment for the wrongdoing of the defendant. In simple terms, the defendant will be ordered to pay for what he/she has done (literally), allowing the victim to continue living a happy life. For more information on the process of a civil case, please review the Civil Case profile on the Federal Courts website.
Your Constitutional Right to a Case
Under the Seventh Amendment of the United States Constitution, every American citizen has the right to demand that their cases should be brought before a jury in a court of law, and the same ruling stands in the New York State Constitution. The New York Bill of Rights Sections 1 and 2 delineates that government officials cannot deny a New York resident the right to trial by jury, even in civil cases.
The Importance of the “Burden of Proof”
Regardless of whether or not you demand to bring your case before a jury, the fact of the matter is that, before you can establish a strong case on your part, you must first establish the burden of proof, a list of reasons as to why the defendant must provide compensation for his/her crimes against you.
Seeking a Personal Injury Lawyer in New York State
Becoming the victim of an accident can be one of the most tragic and traumatic moments of a person’s life, and the events that follow can be nothing short of traumatizing. With each instance of a car wreck or slip-and-fall caused by negligence or malicious intent, victims may be fully prepared to create a case, but the case can be entirely different when money is the key to a person’s freedom.
With the assistance of a Syracuse personal injury lawyer who is experienced with cases of this nature, including those under the category of employment law, you can gather viable resources to create a strong case in court.
We at Gattuso & Ciotoli have more than 50 years of combined legal experience and deliver the some of the most high-quality legal services to victims of a wide variety of accidents in the vicinity of Syracuse, New York. We value your perspective on your case and your goals for the future, and we are ready to help you receive the justice you deserve. For more information on our four practice areas or your legal matter, contact us at (315) 314-8000 today.