Definition

Noun: A type of jury verdict that is reached through an improper averaging or compromise method, rather than through proper deliberation on each claim or defendant. It is considered legally invalid and unacceptable.

Usage

A quotient verdict occurs when jurors agree in advance to be bound by the average of their individual proposed damage amounts, or when they use a similar averaging formula to determine liability, without properly considering the evidence for each separate issue.

Examples

• The judge threw out the award and ordered a new trial after discovering the jury had reached a quotient verdict.
• Appellate courts consistently overturn quotient verdicts because they undermine the integrity of the deliberation process.
• The attorney argued that the damages figure was a quotient verdict, as it was the exact mathematical average of the jurors' initial positions.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: The term is almost exclusively used in legal settings, particularly in civil litigation concerning jury misconduct during deliberations. A verdict may be set aside as a quotient verdict if there is evidence jurors agreed to a specific averaging procedure before voting.

Variants and Related Words

• Compromise Verdict: A broader term for a verdict reached through concession, which may or may not be improper. A quotient verdict is a specific, prohibited type of compromise verdict.
• Jury Misconduct: The general category of improper juror behavior, which can include arriving at a quotient verdict.

Synonyms

• Averaged verdict
• Gambler's verdict (archaic/less common)

Notes

This is a technical legal term. It does not have related phrasal verbs or idioms in general usage. Its meaning is fixed within the context of judicial procedure and jury trials.

Noun

1. an improper and unacceptable kind of compromise verdict