What does "bifurcation" refer to in civil process?

Bifurcation in civil process refers to the separation of legal issues for individual resolution. This procedural strategy is used in civil litigation where a case may involve multiple issues, allowing the court to address certain aspects separately rather than trying everything at once. By bifurcating a case, the court can streamline the legal process, reduce complexity, and improve efficiency when resolving specific questions of law or fact.

This can be particularly beneficial in cases where certain issues might be dispositive of the case, meaning that the resolution of one issue could determine the outcome of others. For instance, in a civil suit involving both liability and damages, the court might first resolve the liability before moving on to the damages portion, thereby potentially avoiding unnecessary trials on issues that may become moot based on the ruling of the liability.

Understanding bifurcation is important for legal professionals as it allows for strategic planning of cases and contributes to more effective management of court resources.