One Reason You Don't Want A Jury Trial: An Inconsistent Verdict

Recently, a Queens County jury awarded a woman of Chinese-American descent, who claimed that her Flushing, Queens cooperative board had discriminated against her, $225,000. While that verdict, in and of itself, isn't particularly blog-worthy, a closer reading of the jury's finding is: the jury awarded the plaintiff money damages even though they did not believe that the plaintiff had proved that the coop board had been guilty of racism.

Not surprisingly, the coop board has indicated that they intend to appeal this verdict.

This case serves as a useful reminder that a jury's verdict is often unpredictable, and may be internally inconsistent. Consequently, a jury's verdict may not give the parties to the lawsuit the finality that they might otherwise expect; it may only lead to further appeals (and legal bills).