A Delaware court has ruled in favor of Bloomberg L.P. in a case against Toptal, LLC, allowing for a 12-person jury trial. This decision affects how jury trials may be conducted in similar future cases.

The Superior Court of Delaware issued this ruling on August 13, 2026, in response to Bloomberg's motion for a larger jury. The court's decision is significant as it clarifies the requirements for jury trial demands in Delaware and sets a precedent for how such requests can be handled moving forward.

The case, identified by docket number N25C-01-266 FJJ, centers around a dispute between Toptal, a talent marketplace for freelancers, and Bloomberg, a global financial services and media company. The details of the underlying dispute were not available in the court filing.

Initially, both parties indicated a desire for a jury trial. However, Bloomberg's request for a 12-person jury was complicated by a technicality. The court noted that Bloomberg had failed to specify the number of jurors in its initial filings, which led to the question of whether it had waived its right to a larger jury.

The court explained that according to Delaware's Superior Court Rule 38, any demand for a jury trial must clearly state the number of jurors desired. Bloomberg's motion highlighted that it had reached out to Toptal in April 2026 to clarify its desire for a 12-person jury, but Toptal refused to agree to this stipulation, prompting Bloomberg to file the motion.

The court analyzed Bloomberg's request under the framework of Superior Court Rule 39(b), which allows the court to grant a jury trial even if a party has previously waived that right. The court considered several factors, including the timeliness of the request and whether the failure to specify the number of jurors was due to a mistake.

Ultimately, the court found that Bloomberg acted promptly once it realized its error. The judge noted, “Defendant indicates that when it first discovered its error, it was immediately brought to the attention of the Plaintiff. I find Defendant’s action timely.”

The ruling also stated that the failure to include the number of jurors in the caption was a mistake, as Bloomberg's Prayer for Relief had clearly requested a jury of 12. The judge stated, “To grant Defendant’s request would not prejudice the Plaintiff, nor substantially delay the trial or interfere with the orderly disposition of the Court.”

As a result of this ruling, Bloomberg's motion for a 12-person jury trial was granted. This decision allows for a larger jury, which could influence the dynamics of the trial and how the case is perceived by jurors.

The implications of this ruling extend beyond just this case. It clarifies the procedural requirements for jury trials in Delaware and may influence how other parties approach jury trial demands in the future. Legal experts suggest that this ruling could encourage more parties to be diligent in specifying their jury requests to avoid complications.

Looking ahead, it remains to be seen whether Toptal will appeal this ruling or if there are any related cases pending that might be affected by this decision. The court's ruling sets a clear precedent for the importance of following procedural rules when requesting a jury trial.

Details were not available in the court filing regarding any potential appeals or related cases.