For purposes of this chapter:
§ 630.21.Definitions
Title 8. Of the Trial and Judgment In Civil Actions · Chapter 4.6. Mandatory Expedited Jury Trials in Limited Civil Cases · Enacted 2015 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 630.21 defines a mandatory expedited jury trial as a jury trial before a reduced panel and a judge conducted under this chapter, and repeats the same high/low agreement definition used for the voluntary version in § 630.01.
Full Text of § 630.21
(a) "Mandatory expedited jury trial" means a jury trial before a reduced jury panel and a judge, conducted pursuant to this chapter.
(b) "High/low agreement" means a written agreement entered into by the parties that specifies a minimum amount of damages that a plaintiff is guaranteed to receive from the defendant, and a maximum amount of damages that the defendant will be liable for, regardless of the ultimate verdict returned by the jury. Neither the existence of, nor the amounts contained in, any high/low agreements may be disclosed to the jury.
Plain-English Summary
Chapter 4.6 borrows the structure of Chapter 4.5's definitions but adapts the first one to reflect that this version isn't optional. A mandatory expedited jury trial is a jury trial before a reduced jury panel and a judge, conducted under the rules this chapter sets — the parties don't need to consent to the format the way they do under Chapter 4.5, though they can still opt out under § 630.20(b).
The high/low agreement definition carries over unchanged from § 630.01(b): a written agreement fixing a guaranteed minimum recovery for the plaintiff and a maximum liability cap for the defendant, kept hidden from the jury regardless of the verdict returned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a mandatory expedited jury trial differ from the voluntary version by definition?
It's a jury trial before a reduced panel and a judge conducted under this chapter, without requiring the parties' consent — though a party may still opt out under § 630.20(b).
Is the high/low agreement definition different under the mandatory chapter?
No, it's the same definition used in § 630.01(b) for voluntary expedited jury trials.
Amendment History
Added by Stats 2015 ch 330 (AB 555),s 5, eff. 1/1/2016.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: mandatory expedited jury trial definitions