#7 –– What is bifurcated trial? Under what circumstances is it used? What are two significant cases relating to bifurcated trials? A bifurcated trial is a two-stage proceeding where the first stage includes a main trial that decides one’s guilt or innocence. The purpose of the two stages is to obtain judgment on a legal issue without looking at all the aspects of the case. If the defendant is found guilty of the crime, in the second stage, the jury meets to discuss the appropriate punishment for the crime and considers whether or not the death penalty will be imposed. These types of trials also enable the jury to consider aggravating and mitigating factors. If the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors, the judge will receive
