The delay seems bizarre, but perhaps the delay is common in a Bench Trial. I found this:
Answer (1 of 5): As Ms. Ellis says, it can vary quite a bit. Perhaps my experience has been a bit out of the ordinary, but here are some examples of unusually quick or delayed rulings I have experienced. I had an uncontested disciplinary case (uncontested because the respondent lawyer had done a...
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How long does it take a judge to make a decision on a bench trial?
Steven Haddock
LL.B. degree, 25 years in litigation, administrative law, collections, bankrupty and professional regulationAuthor has 24.5K answers and 307.4M answer views
7y
It can vary quite widely, but a few months is not out of the ordinary. A lot depends on the complexity of the case.
In a bench trial, the judge has to prepare written reasons (unlike a jury trial, where the jury just makes up its mind). In an easy case, this can run a few pages and might only take a couple of weeks. In a very complex case, it's not unheard of for a decision to run over 100 pages and take months to prepare.
Bryce Noble
Studied Law
4y
Well it depends on the case. If it is obvious that the accused has committed the crime, then it will most likely only take a few days.
However, if it is a complicated trial with lots of evidence presented by both sides of the case, then it will most likely take a few months for the judge to decide the outcome, as he judge cannot make a decision and then present it to the court. They have to come up with a report stating why the have decided the outcome they did. If they decide guilty, then they have to state why they have reached this conclusion and this report could be over 100 pages long and takes months, as they have to comment on the evidence presented and decide its relevance to the case.
Brad Jackson
JD in Law, SMU Dedman School of Law (Graduated 1989)Author has 83 answers and 92.3K answer views
3y
It varies widely. Some judges in state court, at least sometimes, rule immediately or almost immediately. And then I’ve known of judges sitting on their decision for over a year, although that is rare.