Matt Furman Presents Webinar on Summary Bench Trials Under Land Court Rule 14
Todd & Weld’s Matt Furman recently led a webinar hosted by the Litigation Section of the Real Estate Bar Association (REBA) titled “Advantages of Summary Bench Trials Under Land Court Rule 14.”
Joined the Honorable Lauren E. Reznick and the Honorable Robert B. Foster, both Associate Justices of the Massachusetts Land Court, the panel discussed the procedures available under Land Court Rule 14 to “make speedy and efficient the decision of matters tried” in the Court.
The panel examined how this rule permits litigants to waive written findings of fact and conclusions of law and instead submit a verdict form of special questions for the Land Court to answer, enabling decisions to issue shortly after trial. The panel also addressed the mechanics of invoking Rule 14, its impact on trial and appellate rights, and the types of cases best suited for the summary bench trial process.