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Simple English definitions for legal terms
compromise verdict
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A quick definition of compromise verdict:
A compromise verdict is when some jurors vote differently than what they really believe in order to avoid a deadlock. This usually happens when the jury can't agree on whether someone is guilty or how much money they should get. In most cases, all the jurors have to agree on the verdict for it to count. If they can't agree, the case might have to start all over again. So, sometimes the jurors will make a deal with each other to vote a certain way, even if they don't really agree with it, just so they can avoid a mistrial. This is called a compromise verdict.
A more thorough explanation:
A compromise verdict is a decision made by a jury when they cannot agree unanimously on a verdict. It happens when some jurors vote against their true beliefs on certain issues to avoid a deadlock. This type of verdict often involves issues of guilt or proper compensation.
For example, in a personal injury case, some jurors may believe that the defendant is liable for the plaintiff's injuries, while others may not. To avoid a mistrial, the jurors may compromise by agreeing to find the defendant partially liable and awarding a lower amount of compensation than the plaintiff requested.
Another example is in a criminal case where some jurors believe the defendant is guilty of murder, while others believe they are innocent. To avoid a mistrial, the jurors may compromise by agreeing to find the defendant guilty of manslaughter, a lesser crime.
A compromise verdict is often a quid-pro-quo exchange or an agreement to meet-in-the-middle. In a quid-pro-quo exchange, one group of jurors may agree to vote that the defendant is liable in exchange for the other group agreeing to set the monetary damages low. In the meet-in-the-middle scenario, jury members who believe the defendant is completely innocent and jury members who believe the defendant is guilty of murder may agree to find the defendant guilty of manslaughter, a lesser crime.
Juries may choose to utilize a compromise verdict because it limits the possibility of a mistrial. If a mistrial occurs, the case can be refiled, and a new trial will take place. This new trial may result in a verdict that makes no one on the current jury happy, making a compromise verdict more appealing by comparison.