. In __________ trials, the judge is both the trier of law and the trier of fact.
A) de novo
B) bench
C) jury
D) pro se
I have a feeling it could be bench
You are correct
You are correct! In bench trials, the judge serves as both the trier of law and the trier of fact. This means that the judge is responsible for interpreting and applying the law, as well as making determinations of fact based on the evidence presented in the case.
To arrive at this answer, you can break down the options provided:
A) De novo trials refer to a type of trial where the case is retried as if it had never been heard before. In this type of trial, the judge is not automatically the trier of law and fact, so it is not the answer we are looking for.
B) Bench trials, as mentioned earlier, involve judges acting as the trier of law and fact. This means that they make decisions on both the legal interpretation and the factual findings of the case. Therefore, this could potentially be the correct answer.
C) Jury trials involve a group of individuals (the jury) serving as the trier of fact while the judge still acts as the trier of law. So, the judge is not the trier of fact in jury trials.
D) Pro se is a term used for individuals who represent themselves without legal counsel in court. It is not directly related to the judge's role in determining law and fact in trials.
By eliminating options A, C, and D, we can conclude that the correct answer is B) bench, where the judge serves as both the trier of law and the trier of fact.