Carol J. DeFrances, Ph.D., Steven K. Smith

February 1, 1996    NCJ 156664

This Special Report presents 1992 data on disposition of 366,000 contract cases involving 1.3 million litigants in State general jurisdiction courts in the Nation's 75 largest counties. The most frequent type of contract dispute involved the plaintiff as a seller seeking payment owed by a buyer or borrower. About half the contract cases were resolved through an agreed settlement. Less than 3% of the cases were disposed by a jury or bench trial. Businesses made up two-thirds of the plaintiffs in contract cases; individuals, about a quarter. Contract case defendants were most often businesses, followed by individuals. Almost two-thirds of the contract cases were disposed within 1 year of filing.

Part of the Contract Trials and Verdicts in Large Counties Series

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