1. Plaintive Plaintiffs: The First and Last Word in Debates
- Author:
- Elena D'Agostino and Daniel J. Seidmann
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Nottingham Interdisciplinary Centre for Economic and Political Research (NICEP)
- Abstract:
- Plainti¤s/prosecutors present their evidence before defendants in common law trials. We analyze a model of trials with the following properties. If litigants share a common pool of evidence then they never prefer to present …rst, but may prefer to present second. However, litigants may prefer to present …rst if they have di¤erent available evidence because presenting …rst replicates the follower’s ex ante optimal commitment. If litigants share available evidence then a litigant cannot prefer the option to choose the order after observing the available evidence over always presenting second; and it may prefer to always present second over having the option to choose the order.
- Topic:
- Politics, Law Enforcement, Courts, and Debates
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus and United States of America