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What does it mean when a jury is hung like a horse?
There is no such expression as a "jury is hung like a horse." When a jury is hung, it means they are unable to reach a unanimous decision. There may be one juror that disagrees with the majority, the members of the jury divided 50/50 on which way to go, or they may be split somewhere in between. When a person is said to be "hung like a horse" it refers to his anatomy.
Can a jury trail have 13 jurors in a jury box?
Yes, if one is an alternate juror, meaning a juror who is there to fill in if one of the 12 jurors cannot complete their jury service.
What happens if a jury is hung?
judge can mistrila or ask the jury for more deliberation
What is an example of jury tampering?
Bribing a juror is one example. Threatening or harassing jurors are other examples.
Why do they have alternate juror?
Just in case one of the other jurors becomes sick, injured, legally compromised, or has a family emergency during the course of the trial. The "alternate" juror fully functions as a member of the jury right up until the jury 'receives' the case and goes into deliberation, at which time the 'alternate' is dismissed with the thanks of the court. The alternate juror does not participate in the final deliberations of the jury (unless they had been activated to fill a vacancy).
How long does a jury deliberate before the verdict is reached in a criminal trial?
There is no one definite answer. Some juries can reach a verdict in a matter of minutes, some can take hours, and some can take days. There are occasions when a jury cannot reach a verdict, no matter how hard they try and they are called a hung jury. In case of a hung jury, the law will decide if to try the case again, or to drop the matter completely.
Can the alternate on a trial take the place of someone?
An alternate juror will be appointed to the regular jury if one of the primary jurors falls ill and/or is excused by the judge from further attendance. If there is more than one alternate, the alternate juror chosen first will be assigned first.
Do you have to be a citizens to serve on jury duty?
If you reside in a state where the juror pool is drawn from the Motor Vehicle records this could be a factor in your being summoned for jury duty. However in a state where the juror pool is taken from the pool of registered voters this would not occur. If you are drawn form the DMV records you can advise the court of your citizenship status and you MIGHT be excused -OR- if you reach the jury selection phase one of the attorneys on the case may "challenge" you off the jury pool furing Voire Dire.
What happens if a jury cannot agree on a guilty finding?
In the case of a jury than cannot reach a verdict, they notify the judge - the judge will probably re-instruct them in the law and order them back to deliberation. If they still cannot reach a verdict and are hopelessly deadlocked, the judge may declare a MISTRIAL and dismiss the jury. The case will be given a new court date and be re-tried.
How can a juror be rejected during the selection process?
A juror can be rejected during the selection process for a variety of reasons. Some common reasons include a juror's bias or prejudice, their personal or professional connections to the case, their inability to be impartial, or if they have personal or financial interests that could affect their decision-making. Additionally, if a juror does not meet the legal requirements for jury service, such as age or residency qualifications, they may be rejected.
Why may a lawyer excuse a juror?
That is entirely up to the judgement of the judge presdiing at the jury selection process. NO ONE will be excused prior to undergoing this process. If you have a compelling reason to present to the judge, you MIGHT be excused from jury duty. No pleas to the Clerk of Court or ANY OTHER person or office will suffice.
What does motion for mistrial mean?
A motion for a mistrial is a declaration of the trial court to terminate the trial and to start over with a new jury since considering to avoid great injustice. E.G. If a juror were caught fraternizing with one of the lawyers in the case.
