HLS 12RS-2239 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 81
BY REPRESENTATIVE HUVAL
CIVIL/JURY TRIALS: Requests the Louisiana State Law Institute to study and make
recommendations for legislation relative to expedited jury trials
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Louisiana State Law Institute to study jury trial procedures in order2
to create an expedited or summary jury trial and to make specific recommendations3
for legislation.4
WHEREAS, courts have struggled to design procedures to provide litigants with5
speedy, inexpensive, and fair resolutions to civil cases; and6
WHEREAS, litigants frequently desire to try their cases before a jury, but choose not7
to due to the increased costs and delays involved in impaneling either a six-person or twelve-8
person jury; and9
WHEREAS, certain states, including South Carolina, New York, and California,10
have developed expedited or summary jury trial procedures which have been successful in11
more efficiently using judicial resources; and 12
WHEREAS, the expedited or summary jury trial is based on a federal model with key13
features such as short, time-limited trials, relaxed rules of evidence, smaller juries, fewer14
witnesses testifying, and more control given to the attorneys who participate by mutual15
consent; and 16
WHEREAS, expedited or summary jury trial procedures modeled after successful17
procedures employed in other states and enacted in this state could result in more efficient18
use of our judicial resources and provide greater access to juries by civil litigants.19
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby20
urge and request the Louisiana State Law Institute to study jury trial procedures in order to21 HLS 12RS-2239 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 81
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create an expedited or summary jury trial process and to make specific recommendations for1
legislation.2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted3
to the director of the Louisiana State Law Institute and that the Louisiana State Law Institute4
report its findings and recommendations in the form of specific proposed legislation to the5
Legislature of Louisiana on or before January 1, 2014.6
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Huval HCR No. 81
Requests the Louisiana State Law Institute to study jury trial procedures in order to create
an expedited or summary jury trial process and to make specific recommendations for
legislation.