Wrongful Death Lawyers Lawsuits Cases Statistics GuideHighlights
                                    
In 2001 plaintiffs in the 75 largest counties won just over half
the 12,000 general civil cases at trial, with 442 or 4% awarded
$1 million or more

*  During 2001 a jury decided almost 75% of the 12,000 tort,
contract, and real property trials in the Nation's 75 largest
counties. Judges adjudicated the remaining 24%. Tort cases (93%)
were more likely than contract cases (43%) to be disposed of by
jury trial.

*  The 11,908 civil trials disposed of in 2001 represents a 47%
decline from the 22,451 civil trials in these counties in 1992.
 
*  In jury trials, the median award decreased from $65,000 in 1992
to $37,000 in 2001 in these counties. 

*  Two-thirds of disposed trials in 2001 involved tort claims, and
about a third involved contractual issues.
 
*  Overall, plaintiffs won in 55% of trials. Plaintiffs won more
often in bench trials (65%) than in jury trials (53%), and in
contract trials (65%) more than in tort (52%) or real property
trials (38%). 

*  An estimated $4 billion in compensatory and punitive damages
were awarded to plaintiff winners in civil trials. Juries awarded
$3.9 billion to plaintiff winners while judges awarded $368 million.
The median total award for plaintiff winners in tort trials was
$27,000 and in contract trials $45,000.