Opinion ID: 1280575
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reverse Bifurcation

Text: Prior to presenting our ultimate directives in this case, we are compelled to take notice of the fact that the lower court, contrary to the distinct suggestions of this Court in Crafton, ordered discovery to be conducted through the method of reverse bifurcation. Based upon our review of the intricacies of this matter and our conclusion that consolidation of the twenty-three cases constitutes an abuse of discretion, we further order that the trial [10] of the original nine plaintiffs and the subsequent discovery and trial of the remaining fourteen plaintiffs shall be conducted in traditional, unitary style without utilization of the reverse bifurcation method. [11] We find that reverse bifurcation is inappropriate for discovery and trial of these matters. Having examined the record and the progress of these cases, we believe that the lower court was not justified in its conclusion that reverse bifurcation would be effective. In light of the issues to be analyzed and the complexity of the litigation, we believe the management of this discovery and/or trial through the method of reverse bifurcation would result in significant confusion of the complex issues. Further, we do not believe that reverse bifurcation would permit the parties to present evidence in an organized and effective order. In arriving at this conclusion, this Court has carefully reviewed the lower court's order requiring utilization of the reverse bifurcation method in discovery. We have also considered the effect of our directive that consolidation is inappropriate and that the original nine cases should proceed forthwith. We are not persuaded that the benefits of reverse bifurcation which the lower court identified survive under that scenario. We believe, in fact, that the orderly trial of the original nine cases and the discovery necessary to that trial, with respect to issues of liability, causation, and damages, compels the conclusion that trials of both the original nine and the subsequent fourteen should proceed along traditional lines. We therefore prohibit continued use of reverse bifurcation in this case. [12]