Bench trial

What bench trial means

In short, bench trial is a term you will meet in court papers, rules and legal research. The definition above gives its usual meaning in American civil practice. However, the exact meaning can depend on the rule, statute or court decision that uses it. So it helps to read the term in context.

Where bench trial comes up

For example, the term appears in these procedures:

• Request for Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (Fed. R. Civ. P. 52(a), 52(b)): in a case tried without a jury, the written findings of fact and conclusions of law the court must make, and a party's motion asking the court to amend or add to them.

Read the source: Jury trial.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if bench trial appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read bench trial in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

You can read the official rule text online for free.

Related legal terms

• Findings of fact: the court's written decisions about what happened, based on the evidence. In a federal bench trial, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a) requires the court to find the facts specially and state its conclusions of law separately.
• Conclusions of law: the court's rulings on how the law applies to the facts it has found. In a federal bench trial, they are stated separately from the findings of fact under Rule 52(a).
• Automobile: a self-propelled passenger vehicle designed for travel on roads. In law, an automobile is one kind of motor vehicle. Most statutes use the broader term "motor vehicle" and define it for their own purposes, so read the definition section of the law you are applying.
• Bad faith: dishonest or improper purpose, such as intentionally misleading someone, acting with a motive to harass or delay, or knowingly refusing to meet an obligation.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.