Bifurcate means to divide into two parts.

Law

In law, a judge may bifurcate a trial so as to render a judgment on a set of legal issues without looking at all aspects. Frequently, civil cases are bifurcated into separate liability and damages proceedings. Corruption Jurisprudence Philosophy of law Law (principle) List of legal abbreviations Legal code Intent Letter versus Spirit Natural Justice Natural law Religious law Witness intimidation Legal research External links Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Law Look up law in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Law, Legal Definitions... A judge or justice is an appointed or elected official who presides over a court. ... A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard. ... A judgment or judgement, in a legal context, is synonymous with the formal decision made by a court following legal proceedings. ... Civil law has at least three meanings. ... In the most general sense, a liability is anything that is a hinderance, or puts one at a disadvantage. ... Damages, in law has two different meanings. ...

In some states, a defendant who has raised the defense of mental disease or defect will automatically create a bifurcated trial. In the first part, a defendant's guilt or innocense is decided. If the defendant is guilty, the issue of mental disease is presented. A defendant is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute. ... Guilt is a concept used in various ways in various contexts. ...