What type of trial is a FTCA case?

In the context of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), cases are generally tried as bench trials, meaning that they are decided by a judge rather than a jury. The FTCA allows individuals to sue the federal government for certain torts committed by federal employees in the scope of their employment.

This framework is particularly important because the FTCA operates under a specific set of statutory guidelines that govern how the federal government can be held liable. Jury trials are not typically afforded in these cases since the FTCA involves complex governmental immunity issues and the interpretation of federal law, which are matters that judges are particularly equipped to handle.

Arbitration and class actions do not apply to FTCA cases; arbitration is a private dispute resolution process while class actions involve numerous plaintiffs with common claims, neither of which fits the structure of FTCA proceedings. Thus, a bench trial provides the appropriate forum for adjudicating the disputes that arise under the FTCA, focusing on legal and factual determinations made by a judge.