Jury duty is something that most people don’t look forward to attending. However, there are certain cases that may receive a lot of press and jurors actually are interested to be apart of the process. If you are ever chosen to be on a jury, make sure that you follow the rules of the court.
One of the most important rules the judge will require is for jurors to not talk about the case until it is over. If a case takes more than one day, most juries are allowed to go home for the night. In limited situations, juries are kept away from the public and housed in a hotel until the case is over. Regardless of where the jurors stay, the rule remains the same. Don’t talk about the case until the case is over. This includes not talking to fellow members of the jury until it is time for deliberations.
With technology, it is much easier to make contact with others than ever before. Most people own cell phones, and smart phones allow people to post messages on the web through Facebook and Twitter to thousands of people at a time. With these conveniences, it takes more of an effort on a juror’s part to not be tempted to talk about the case he or she is currently apart.
In Detroit, a juror posted a Facebook message talking about the trial. When the court discovered this, the juror was fined $250 and was required to write an essay on the constitutional rights to a fair trial. A fair trial, this is what the rule is trying to protect. If the fine is not enough to deter you from talking to about the case, then imagine it was you on trial and how it would feel to not receive a fair trial. It is okay to talk to others while the case is pending, just make sure the trial doesn’t enter the conversation.
For more information: visit http://www.attorneychan.com or contact me at 508-808-8902
For more information:
http://wwj.cbslocal.com/2010/09/02/juror-who-made-facebook-post-due-in-court/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/24/jurors-using-twitter-jeop_n_332648.html