Bill Proposed to Shift Jury Costs to Losing Plaintiff Who Requests Jury Trial

The following bill was recently proposed in the General Assembly:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 17.1-605.1 as follows:
§ 17.1-605.1. Payment of jury costs; civil actions.
Except in cases where Virginia law mandates that a civil action be tried by a jury, any jury costs shall be assessed by the clerk against a plaintiff who requested a trial by jury if that plaintiff did not substantially prevail on the merits of his case.