Civil trials ballot measures

Issues
Measures by topic
Measures by year
Measures by state

As a state ballot measure topic, civil trials include measures regarding civil trials, which are legal proceedings about disputes between individuals or entities. The topic is grouped within the criminal justice and law enforcement policy area.

This page provides information on:

• upcoming ballot measures and
• a comprehensive list of ballot measures by year and state.

Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2025 ballot measures and 2026 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to civil trials, certified for this year and future elections:

2026

1. Ohio Right to Sue Government Actors and Eliminate Immunity Defenses for Constitutional Violations Initiative (2026) - Potential

2025

1. Maine Question 2, Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative (2025) - On the ballot

List of state ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to civil trials, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2026

1. Ohio Right to Sue Government Actors and Eliminate Immunity Defenses for Constitutional Violations Initiative (2026) - Potential

2025

1. Maine Question 2, Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative (2025) - On the ballot

2018

1. New Hampshire Question 1, Taxpayer Standing to Bring Legal Actions Against Government Amendment (2018)

2016

1. Hawaii Threshold of Financial Damage Required to Establish the Right to a Trial by Jury, Amendment 1 (2016)
2. Washington Increased Penalties for Crimes Against Vulnerable Individuals, Initiative 1501 (2016)

2010

1. Maryland Civil Jury Trials, Question 2 (2010)

2006

1. Alaska Measure 2, Cruise Ship Taxes, Fees, and Environmental Regulations Initiative (August 2006)
2. Maryland Civil Jury Trials, Question 3 (2006)

2000

1. California Proposition 30, Third-Party Unfair Claim Lawsuits Referendum (March 2000)
2. California Proposition 31, Limits on Third-Party Claimant Lawsuits Referendum (March 2000)

1998

1. Iowa Offenses Tried Without a Jury, Amendment 2 (1998)

1997

1. Oregon Measure 49, State Prisoner Employees' Rights and Interstate Commerce for Prison-Made Products Measure (May 1997)

1996

1. California Proposition 201, Requiring Losing Parties to Pay Legal Fees in Shareholder Lawsuits Initiative (March 1996)
2. California Proposition 211, Laws Governing Retirement Savings Securities Fraud Initiative (1996)
3. North Dakota Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity, Measure 2 (1996)
4. Oklahoma State Question 670, Signatures for Grand Juries Amendment (1996)

1995

1. Louisiana Liability Limits Amendment (October 1995)

1994

1. Alabama Barbour County Trial Fee Amendment (1994)
2. Virginia Question 1, Extend Statutory Time for Civil Lawsuits Involving Intentional Injuries to Minors Amendment (1994)

1992

1. Maryland Civil Jury Amount, Question 3 (1992)
2. Maryland Civil Jury Amount, Question 4 (1992)
3. Maryland Civil Jury Size, Question 1 (1992)
4. Maryland Civil Jury Size, Question 2 (1992)

1990

1. Oklahoma State Question 623, Modifying Jury Trials Amendment (August 1990)

1988

1. Alaska Measure 2, Civil Liability and Proportional Fault in Lawsuits Initiative (1988)
2. Hawaii Right to a Jury in Civil Cases, Amendment 1 (1988)
3. Minnesota Juries for Civil Cases, Amendment 3 (1988)
4. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1988)

1986

1. Arkansas Civil Jurisdiction Increase, Proposed Amendment 64 (1986)
2. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1986)

1984

1. New Hampshire Civil Case Jury Trial Threshold Amount Amendment (1984)
2. Oklahoma State Question 571, Damages for Injuries Resulting in Death Amendment (1984)
3. Oklahoma State Question 576, Petitions for Grand Juries Amendment (1984)

1980

1. California Proposition 5, Prohibit Contempt Citations for Media Refusing to Disclose Information Sources Amendment (June 1980)
2. Georgia Amendment 10, Default Judgment in Tort Actions Measure (1980)
3. Maryland Removal of Cases from Court, Question 3 (1980)

1978

1. Hawaii Jury Numbers and Civil Case Amounts, Amendment 1 (1978)
2. Mississippi Court Defendant Rights, Amendment 6 (1978)

1976

1. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1976)

1972

1. Connecticut Question 1, Jury Makeup and Attorneys' Rights to Peremptory Challenges Amendment (1972)
2. Oregon Measure 5, Minimum Jury Size of Six Amendment (1972)

1971

1. Pennsylvania Question 1, Five-Sixths Jury Requirement for Civil Cases Amendment (May 1971)

1968

1. Georgia Amendment 13, Justice of the Peace Jurisdiction Measure (1968)
2. Hawaii Payment for Certain Damages to Private Property, Amendment 7 (1968)
3. Oklahoma State Question 457, Petition Requirements for Grand Juries Amendment (August 1968)

1966

1. Idaho Six Man Jury, SJR 6 (1966)

1964

1. Alabama County Juries, Amendment 5 (1964)
2. South Dakota Referred Law 1, Native American Reservation Jurisdiction (1964)

1962

1. Florida Amendment 4, Civil Jury Trials in Pasco County Amendment (1962)

1960

1. Florida Amendment 5, Civil Jury Trials and Administration of the Court System Amendment (1960)
2. New Hampshire Jury Trial in a Civil Case, Question 3 (1960)

1958

1. Connecticut Adjudication of Claims Against the State, Question 2 (1958)

1956

1. New Hampshire Preserve Jury Trial in Civil Cases, Question 2 (1956)

1944

1. Colorado Amendment 1, Allow Women to Serve on Juries Amendment (1944)

1939

1. Georgia Amendment 6, Hearings During Judicial Vacation Measure (June 1939)

1935

1. New York Jury Verdicts in Civil Cases, Amendment 2 (1935)

1934

1. Michigan Proposal No. 6, Jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace Amendment (1934)

1922

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Voluntary Association Lawsuits and Member Liability Referendum (1922)

1920

1. Nebraska Amendment 1, Jury Verdicts Amendment (September 1920)

1914

1. Colorado Three-Fourths Jury Verdict and Women Jurors, Measure 3 (1914)
2. Nebraska Amendment 2, Jury Verdict Requirement Amendment (1914)

1912

1. Colorado Measure 12, Contempt of Court Definition Initiative (1912)
2. Ohio Allow Lawsuits Against the State Amendment (September 1912)

1894

1. South Dakota Define Homestead Value and Size for Exemption from Court-Ordered Seizure Amendment (1894)

1890

1. Minnesota Verdicts by Jury, Amendment 1 (1890)

Alabama

1. Alabama Barbour County Trial Fee Amendment (1994)
2. Alabama County Juries, Amendment 5 (1964)

Alaska

1. Alaska Measure 2, Civil Liability and Proportional Fault in Lawsuits Initiative (1988)
2. Alaska Measure 2, Cruise Ship Taxes, Fees, and Environmental Regulations Initiative (August 2006)

Arkansas

1. Arkansas Civil Jurisdiction Increase, Proposed Amendment 64 (1986)

California

1. California Proposition 201, Requiring Losing Parties to Pay Legal Fees in Shareholder Lawsuits Initiative (March 1996)
2. California Proposition 211, Laws Governing Retirement Savings Securities Fraud Initiative (1996)
3. California Proposition 30, Third-Party Unfair Claim Lawsuits Referendum (March 2000)
4. California Proposition 31, Limits on Third-Party Claimant Lawsuits Referendum (March 2000)
5. California Proposition 5, Prohibit Contempt Citations for Media Refusing to Disclose Information Sources Amendment (June 1980)

Colorado

1. Colorado Amendment 1, Allow Women to Serve on Juries Amendment (1944)
2. Colorado Measure 12, Contempt of Court Definition Initiative (1912)
3. Colorado Three-Fourths Jury Verdict and Women Jurors, Measure 3 (1914)

Connecticut

1. Connecticut Adjudication of Claims Against the State, Question 2 (1958)
2. Connecticut Question 1, Jury Makeup and Attorneys' Rights to Peremptory Challenges Amendment (1972)

Florida

1. Florida Amendment 4, Civil Jury Trials in Pasco County Amendment (1962)
2. Florida Amendment 5, Civil Jury Trials and Administration of the Court System Amendment (1960)

Georgia

1. Georgia Amendment 10, Default Judgment in Tort Actions Measure (1980)
2. Georgia Amendment 13, Justice of the Peace Jurisdiction Measure (1968)
3. Georgia Amendment 6, Hearings During Judicial Vacation Measure (June 1939)

Hawaii

1. Hawaii Jury Numbers and Civil Case Amounts, Amendment 1 (1978)
2. Hawaii Payment for Certain Damages to Private Property, Amendment 7 (1968)
3. Hawaii Right to a Jury in Civil Cases, Amendment 1 (1988)
4. Hawaii Threshold of Financial Damage Required to Establish the Right to a Trial by Jury, Amendment 1 (2016)

Idaho

1. Idaho Six Man Jury, SJR 6 (1966)

Iowa

1. Iowa Offenses Tried Without a Jury, Amendment 2 (1998)

Louisiana

1. Louisiana Liability Limits Amendment (October 1995)

Maine

1. Maine Question 2, Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative (2025) - On the ballot

Maryland

1. Maryland Civil Jury Amount, Question 3 (1992)
2. Maryland Civil Jury Amount, Question 4 (1992)
3. Maryland Civil Jury Size, Question 1 (1992)
4. Maryland Civil Jury Size, Question 2 (1992)
5. Maryland Civil Jury Trials, Question 2 (2010)
6. Maryland Civil Jury Trials, Question 3 (2006)
7. Maryland Removal of Cases from Court, Question 3 (1980)

Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Voluntary Association Lawsuits and Member Liability Referendum (1922)

Michigan

1. Michigan Proposal No. 6, Jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace Amendment (1934)

Minnesota

1. Minnesota Juries for Civil Cases, Amendment 3 (1988)
2. Minnesota Verdicts by Jury, Amendment 1 (1890)

Mississippi

1. Mississippi Court Defendant Rights, Amendment 6 (1978)

Nebraska

1. Nebraska Amendment 1, Jury Verdicts Amendment (September 1920)
2. Nebraska Amendment 2, Jury Verdict Requirement Amendment (1914)

New Hampshire

1. New Hampshire Civil Case Jury Trial Threshold Amount Amendment (1984)
2. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1976)
3. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1986)
4. New Hampshire Civil Suit Jury Trial Amendment (1988)
5. New Hampshire Jury Trial in a Civil Case, Question 3 (1960)
6. New Hampshire Preserve Jury Trial in Civil Cases, Question 2 (1956)
7. New Hampshire Question 1, Taxpayer Standing to Bring Legal Actions Against Government Amendment (2018)

New York

1. New York Jury Verdicts in Civil Cases, Amendment 2 (1935)

North Dakota

1. North Dakota Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity, Measure 2 (1996)

Ohio

1. Ohio Allow Lawsuits Against the State Amendment (September 1912)
2. Ohio Right to Sue Government Actors and Eliminate Immunity Defenses for Constitutional Violations Initiative (2026) - Potential

Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma State Question 457, Petition Requirements for Grand Juries Amendment (August 1968)
2. Oklahoma State Question 571, Damages for Injuries Resulting in Death Amendment (1984)
3. Oklahoma State Question 576, Petitions for Grand Juries Amendment (1984)
4. Oklahoma State Question 623, Modifying Jury Trials Amendment (August 1990)
5. Oklahoma State Question 670, Signatures for Grand Juries Amendment (1996)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure 49, State Prisoner Employees' Rights and Interstate Commerce for Prison-Made Products Measure (May 1997)
2. Oregon Measure 5, Minimum Jury Size of Six Amendment (1972)

Pennsylvania

1. Pennsylvania Question 1, Five-Sixths Jury Requirement for Civil Cases Amendment (May 1971)

South Dakota

1. South Dakota Define Homestead Value and Size for Exemption from Court-Ordered Seizure Amendment (1894)
2. South Dakota Referred Law 1, Native American Reservation Jurisdiction (1964)

Virginia

1. Virginia Question 1, Extend Statutory Time for Civil Lawsuits Involving Intentional Injuries to Minors Amendment (1994)

Washington

1. Washington Increased Penalties for Crimes Against Vulnerable Individuals, Initiative 1501 (2016)

See also

• List of ballot measures by topic