What happens at trial?

Most civil cases that go to trial are decided by juries, which serve as the “finders of fact.” The size of juries in civil trials varies from state to state, with some providing a full 12 person jury plus alternates, and others providing for a small number of jurors, frequently 6 members. At the conclusion of the trial, the judge instructs the jury, providing it with specific questions that it must answer based on the applicable law. The average jury trial lasts about four days, but complex trials can go significantly longer.