Which type of verdict is reached by a jury that makes findings of fact by answering specific questions posed by the judge, with the judge applying the law to the facts?

• A. Judicial opinion
• B. General verdict
• C. Mixed verdict
• D. Special verdict

Answer: (D)

Special verdicts involve the jury answering a set of specific questions about the facts, as framed by the judge. Once the jurors provide those factual findings, the judge applies the relevant law to those facts to determine the outcome, including any damages. This split—fact-finding by the jury through targeted questions, followed by the judge’s application of law—keeps the legal decision grounded in clearly identified facts.

A general verdict, by contrast, asks the jury to decide liability and damages in one combined decision without laying out separate factual findings. A judicial opinion is the judge’s written reasoning in a case, not a jury verdict. A mixed verdict isn’t the standard term for this process.