Rule 156 Death After Verdict or Close of Evidence

If someone is part of a lawsuit and dies after the trial ends but before the judge officially enters a final judgment, the court will still issue the judgment as normal. It does not matter that the person has passed away at that point in the process.

This rule applies in two situations: jury trials where a party dies after the jury gives its verdict, and non-jury trials where a party dies after all the evidence has been presented. In both cases, the court moves forward as if everyone is still alive.

This protects the outcome of a trial that has already been decided. The people or estate left behind can still receive or be responsible for whatever the judgment says.