Donald Schroeder Assesses Slimmed, Efficient Juries in Massachusetts Civil Trials

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Donald Schroeder assessed the increased efficiency of Massachusetts’ state civil courts as smaller juries remain in fashion even following the lapse of pandemic-era limitations in the Bloomberg Law article, “Massachusetts Judges, Trial Bar Embrace Six-Person Juries.”

Schroeder, commenting on a case he agreed to bring to trial last year with six jurors and two alternates, highlighted the positives. “I certainly didn’t want to cause a delay in the length of the trial. Seating the jury and getting right into the opening statements and evidence was a good thing.”

Schroeder said there’s a high likelihood that courts will continue “seeking to conduct civil jury trials in a more expedited fashion with a smaller group of jurors” moving forward, though he does not see it becoming the norm.