Art. 820 Application of chapter to cases tried without a jury

If you choose to have a judge decide your case instead of a jury, the same rules about verdicts still apply to you. This means the judge has to follow the same guidelines about what counts as a proper verdict and what effect that verdict has, just like a jury would in a jury trial.

In practice, this rule makes sure you're treated fairly whether you go with a bench trial (judge only) or a jury trial. The judge can't use different standards for deciding your guilt or innocence, or for how a verdict impacts your case, just because there's no jury involved. The same protections and requirements carry over either way.