Opinion ID: 883136
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Did the District Court err when it bifurcated Sullivan's discrimination claim from his wrongful discharge claim, and disallowed Sullivan's demand for a jury trial of the discrimination claim?

Text: We will uphold a district court's decision to bifurcate issues absent a clear abuse of discretion. See In re Marriage of Geertz (1988), 232 Mont. 141, 144, 755 P.2d 34, 36. We have recognized that a party who pleads legal and equitable claims is entitled to have legal claims heard by a jury. Gray v. City of Billings (1984), 213 Mont. 6, 689 P.2d 268. In Gray, we stated that liberal rules of civil procedure permit joinder of claims and recognized that the same rules permit severance of claims and issues. Gray, 689 P.2d at 272. Sullivan argues that the claims should not have been bifurcated and that he is entitled to a jury trial of the discrimination claim. At the time the initial bifurcation order was entered, and when Judge Warner reaffirmed it on December 30, 1993, Montana case law held that there is no right to a jury trial of discrimination claims based on the Montana Human Rights Act. See Vainio v. Brookshire (1993), 258 Mont. 273, 277, 852 P.2d 596, 599; Romero v. J & J Tire (1989), 238 Mont. 146, 151-52, 777 P.2d 292, 295-96. Since Montana law allows district courts broad discretion to segregate claims, and Montana law does not guarantee the right to a jury trial in discrimination claims, we conclude that the District Court did not abuse its discretion by severing the claims in this case.