Jury Nullification in Modified Comparative Negligence Regimes

37 Pages Posted: 29 Jun 2011 Last revised: 5 Jan 2012

See all articles by Eli K. Best

Eli K. Best

affiliation not provided to SSRN

John J. Donohue

Stanford Law School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Abstract

This paper analyzes jury findings from nearly one thousand negligence suits to determine whether juries in modified comparative negligence jurisdictions apportion percentages of negligence differently than juries in pure comparative negligence jurisdictions. We find that juries in modified comparative negligence jurisdictions are substantially less likely to find that a plaintiff was more than 50% negligent. This evidence of jury manipulation strengthens the case for pure comparative negligence, which we argue is already superior on theoretical and policy grounds.

Keywords: torts, comparative negligence, jury nullification

Suggested Citation

Best, Eli Kahn and Donohue, John J., Jury Nullification in Modified Comparative Negligence Regimes. University of Chicago Law Review, Forthcoming, Stanford Public Law Working Paper No. 1874466, Stanford Law and Economics Olin Working Paper No. 419, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1874466

Eli Kahn Best (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

John J. Donohue

Stanford Law School ( email )

559 Nathan Abbott Way
Stanford, CA 94305-8610
United States
650-575-7166 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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