Jur-E Bulletin

2024 Newsletters

September 6Red Juries and Blue Juries
August 16Virginia Appeals Court Vacates Multibillion-Dollar Verdict Due to Improper Jury Instructions
August 9The Better Business Bureau Warns Long-Running Jury Duty Scam Persists
August 2Spotlight: Massachusetts's Juror Counseling Program
July 26Amid Tumultuous Election Year, Jurors Are Fearful
July 19Appellate Panel: SCOTUS Should Reconsider Right to Jury Trial for Petty  Offenses
July 12Announcing NCSC's New Podcast: "Jury Talk"
June 28 SCOTUS: Sentence Enhancement Must Go to Jury
June 21 ABOTA Foundation Webinar on Jury Selection Strategies
June 14 Argentine Supreme Court Province Protects Finality of Jury Verdicts
June 7 New York and New Jersey Bills Aim to Allow Most Convicted Felons to Serve on Juries
May 31 SCOTUS Declines to Hear Appeal Arguing That 12-Person Juries Are Constitutionally Required for Felony Cases
May 16 Veteran Trial Consultant Reflects on Being a Prospective Juror
May 10 Jur-E Bulletin Editor Moves Onward
May 3 Compendium of "Mixed Juries" Receives Book Award
April 26 Juror Failed to Disclose Her Sister Works for Defendant's Attorney – Legal Impact?
April 19 Jury Appreciation Ideas
April 12 Judge Publishes Detailed Jury Selection Procedures in High-Profile Case
April 5 ABA Releases Revised "Principles for Jury & Jury Trials"
March 29 Dear Jur-E Bulletin readers
March 22 How to Handle Juror Questions: Considerations for Counsel
March 15 Appellate Panel Approves Jury's Power to Scrutinize Corp. Timing of Product Development
March 8 Juror Support Programs in Spotlight in British Columbia, Canada
March 1 Survey Finds High Confidence in Juries Relative to Other Public Institutions
February 23 SCOTUS Declines to Hear Case Challenging Dismissal of Jurors Based on Religion
February 16 New Report Highlights Consequences of Failing to Collect Juror Demographic Data
February 9 D.C. Circuit Weighs Whether Jury Bias Influenced Jan. 6 Conviction
February 2 Judge Rejects Alex Murdaugh's Jury Tampering Allegations in Bid for New Trial
January 26 California High Court Clarifies Proper Voir Dire Questioning for "Death Qualifying" Prospective Jurors
January 19 COSCA Policy Statement: It's Time to Improve Juror Experience from Summoning to Verdict
January 12 Federal Panel Finds Exclusion of Unvaccinated Jurors Not 6th Amendment Violation

2023 Newsletters

December 22 In observance of the year-end holidays
December 15 Does Jury Verdict Offer Big Tech Critics a Path to Victory?
December 8 Save the Date for the NCSC Jury System Management Workshop
December 1 Is It Lawful to Vacate a Jury Acquittal That’s Combined with an “Inconsistent” Guilty Verdict?
November 24 Happy Thanksgiving!
November 17 Are Juries More Likely to Award Higher Damages to Deceased Plaintiffs?
November 10 Washington State Appeals Court Interprets New General Rule to Enforce Batson
November 3 Iowa Supreme Court Blesses Use of "Verdict Urging Instruction" to Deadlocked Jury
October 27 Mark Cuban and Elon Musk Join Amicus Brief in Right to Jury Trial Case
October 20 We Have a 2023 Munsterman Award Winner
October 13 Unclear Whether Trump Entitled to Jury in Civil Fraud Case
October 6 Could Pennsylvania Voir Dire Rule Change Slow Down Dockets?
September 29 Massachusetts High Court Approves Excusal of Jurors for Inability to Understand Legal Principles
September 22 Judges Issue Press Release to Encourage Jury Service
September 15 D.C. Circuit Hears 6th Amendment Challenge to Jury Pools Generated During Pandemic
September 8 Alaska Supreme Court Retains Some Pre-Pandemic Jury Trial Innovations
August 25 Alabama Appellate Court Finds Juror Unanimity Not Required for Death Sentence
August 18 Teaching Them Young — Mom Brings Triplets and 4-Year-Old to Jury Duty
August 11 AI Analysis of Court Transcripts Shows Jury Selection Bias
August 4 Defense Team Seeks Indictment Dismissal Based on Improper Jury Instruction
July 28 Juror Privacy in the Spotlight as Potential Indictment Looms Over
Former President Trump
July 14 Jury Innovation—Round #2
July 7 The Role of Juries in Prosecutorial Discretion
June 23 The Virtues of a Jury Trial in a Politically Charged Case
June 9 Deselected Juror in Tree of Life Synagogue Trial Reflects on (Draws Pictures About) the Experience
June 2 Ohio Appellate Judge Advocates for Jury Trials as Integral to Procedural Fairness
May 19 Federal 7th Circuit Hosts Complimentary Jury Program - Not Too Late to Participate
May 12 New Empirical Research: Racial Bias in Jury Selection Hurts Jurors, Not Just the Parties
May 5 Federal Panel Faults Trial Judge for Not Holding Hearing on Juror Bias Claim
April 28 Is Granting a Four-Cause Strike Without Movant Proffering a Reason Equivalent to an Extra Peremptory Strike?
April 21 Removing Unvaccinated Citizens From Jury Pool Is Lawful
April 14 New TV Series Spoofs Jury Duty
March 31 Judge Orders Anonymous Jury in Trump Civil Trial
March 24 Judging the Jury: A Global Perspective
March 17 ABOTA Foundation Hosting "A More Perfect Jury: Seating a Fair and Diverse Panel"
March 10 Federal Court in D.C. Faulted on Jury Representativeness
March 3 Jury Selection in a Post-Pandemic World: A Discussion of Preliminary Findings in "State of the States Survey 2.0"
February 24 Federal Panel Reconciles Reasonable Doubt Instruction with Jury Nullification Power
February 17 Windsor Canada Jurors to Receive $120/Day Stipend
February 10 Florida Political Leaders Want to Eliminate Unanimous Verdicts in Capital Cases
February 3 Voir Dire in Young Thug Trial Demonstrates Many Juror Hardships. How Can Policy-Makers Respond?
January 27 Prosecutor's Argument to Jury - "Beyond a Reasonable Is Not Beyond All Doubt" = Legal Error (But Harmless)
January  20 D.C. Expands Categories of Jury-Demandable Cases
January 13 Allowing One Juror to Participate Virtually Is Not Legal Error

2022 Newsletters

December 16 Does "Fair-Cross-Section" Requirement Apply to Civil Cases?
December 9 Ohio Supreme Court Settles Question About "Public Trial Rights"
December 2 Pennsylvania Supreme Court Criticizes Trial Judge's Effort to Explain "Reasonable Doubt"
November 18 "Death Qualification" and Judge-Panel Sentencings in Capital Cases - Okay in Nebraska
November 11 Replacing Deliberating Juror Cure for Outside Contact
October 28 District of Columbia Produces Model Jury Service Appreciation Program
October 21 2022 Munsterman Award Bestowed Upon Kansas Judge
October 7 Federal Continuing Resolution Contains Millions for Jury Trials
September 30 Boston College of Law Explores Trends in Jury Selection Reforms
September 23 American Society of Trial Consultants Takes Stand Against Elimination of Peremptory Strikes
September 16 North Carolina Murder Trial May Presage Challenge to Juror "Death Qualification" Doctrine
September 9 Judge Reverses Course to Allow News Media to Attend Jury Selection in Trial of Trump Organization
August 26 Texas Judge Listens to Jury Deliberations, Then Calls for Corrective Actions
August 19 No Reversable Error Where Peremptory Strikes Were Based on Jurors’ Ages & Judge Repeatedly Gave Preliminary Instruction Telling Jurors to Disregard their Life Experiences
August 12 Jurors Could Ask Qs to Witnesses in Alex Jones Trial
August 5 Washington Untangles “Discombobulated” Standards to Remedy Voir Dire Nondisclosures
July 29 Federal Panel Nullifies Application of Statute Curbing Jury-Nullification Demonstrators
July 22 New Jersey Supreme Court Orders New Jury Selection Procedures
July 15 Ontario High Court Rejects Trial Judge Efforts to Create a Gender-Balanced Jury
July 8 Pound Civil Justice Institute Publishes Transcript of 2021 Forum on Civil Jury Trial Reform
June 24 “Time for Minnesota Courts to Make Diversity a Priority”
June 17 Washington State Supreme Court Applies Batson Standards to Police Arrest Tactics
June 10 New Jersey Legislation Would Codify Procedures for Challenging Peremptory Strikes
June 3 Facial Action Coding Software Available for Use in Jury Selection
May 20 New Jersey Court Publish Jury Selection Reforms for Public Comment
May 13 2nd Federal Circuit Grapples with Whether Midtrial Closed Hearing Violates Public Trial Right
May 6 What to Do When a Juror's Girlfriend and His Boss Research the Case During Trial?
April 29 New Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson Cares About Jury Trials
April 22 State High Court Ignores Death Row Defendant's Ripe Claim of Racially Biased Juror - SCOTUS Takes a Pass Also
April 8 Unobjected-to Limitations on Trial Observers During the Pandemic Is Not Structural Error
April 1 To Benefit Crime Victims-Lawmaker Seeks Reform of the Timing and Notice of Jury Verdicts
March 25 Do Litigants There Have Broader Rights Than Baston Provides?
March 18 The Risks of Open-Court Voir Dire Demonstrated in Second Theranos Fraud Trial
March 11 The Case of the Juror Who Punches Himself During Deliberations
March 4 Congress Asked to Update Jury Stipends and Summoning in D.C.
February 25 Alaska Case Demonstrates Legal Perils of Livestreaming Jury Trials
February 18 North Carolina Supreme Court Finds a Batson Violation - For the First Time Since 1986
February 11 Efforts Are Afoot to undo Arizona Supreme Court's Abolition of Peremptory Strikes
February 4 Defense Attorney's Interjection of Racial Stereotypes During Jury Selection Leads to Conviction Reversal
January 28 Judge Requires a Juror to Serve After Unsuccessful Efforts to Rehabilitate
January 21 New Jersey Ethics: Lawyers Can Face Discipline for Discriminatory Jury Selection Practices
January 14 When Jury Foreperson Discloses Prior Contact with Victim's Family During Deliberations, Trial Court Mus Pursue Details
January  7 Aussie Lawyer Criticizes the Influence of Media on Ghislaine Maxwell Verdict

2021 Newsletters

December 17 Case Against Minnesota Cop Prompts Concerns About Juror English Competency
December 10 Confederacy Décor in Jury Deliberation Room Causes Verdict Reversal
December 3 Do Face Mask Requirements for Jurors Violate a Defendant's Constitutional Rights?
November 19 Three-Year Old Summoned for Jury Duty
November 12 What's Happening with Juries Around the World?
November 5 Judge Rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's Requests to Exclude the Public Access to Jury Selection Particulars
October 29 Eyes on Charlottesville - Challenges in Finding Impartial  Jurors in Prosecution of "Unite the Right" Defendants
October 22 D.C. High Court Faults Trial Judge for Denying Batson Challenge
October 15 Juror Feedback: Jury Service Was Fun, but "Why Isn't My Asian Identity Listed as an Option on Jury Duty Forms?"
October 8 Free October Webinar Series Aims to Respond to Why Diverse Juries Matter
October 1 How Can We Revive Civil Jury Trials?
September 24 Ohio Counties Want Unvaxxed Jurors Out of Opioid MDL Trial
September 17 Curtis Flowers Seeks Damage Award Against State Prosecutor & Investigators
September 10 Jury's Death Penalty Verdict Against Dylann Roof Affirmed by 4th Circuit
August 27 Judge-Jury Verdict Comparisons in Termination of Parental Rights Cases
August 20 NJ Supreme Court Clarifies Jury Qualification Methods & Procedures
August 13 Georgia Supreme Court Expounds on the “Repugnant Verdict” Doctrine
August 6 NYU Law School Charts Judicial Views on Gradual Return of In-Person Jury Trials
July 30 Equal Justice Initiative Publishes Recommendations to Make Juries More Representative
July 23 New Jersey Supreme Court Finds Selective Background Check of Juror Was Discriminatory
July 16 Do Courtroom Curtains Prejudice a Jury? Federal 2nd Circuit Gives Interior Decorating Advice
July 9 Juror Fined $11,227 for Causing a Mistrial
June 25 Will Vaccine Mandate Skew Jury Composition?
June 18 Virtual Trial Advice Column – Don’t Let Voir Dire Become a Circus
June 11 Why Texas Justices Halted A Virtual Jury Trial
June 4 Why Are Civil Jury Trials Disappearing?
May 28 Georgia Country Institutes New Summoning Process and Addresses Pandemic Era Scams
May 21 Scotus Denies Retroactivity of Ramos v. Louisiana Doctrine
May 14 Ex-Fla. Rep. Gets New Trial After Removal of Faith-Inspired Juror
May 7 Pandemic Rapid Response Team Advises on Seeking Jurors' Vaccine Status
April 30 Arkansas Legislature Passes Law to Prohibit Mask Mandates  - Will This Affect Jury Summoning Yields
April 16 Federal Judge Downplays Use of Plexiglass in Courtroom
April 9 "Twenty Million Angry Men - The Case for Including Convicted Felons in Our Jury System"
April 2 April Marks the 100th Anniversary of Women Jurors in Kentucky
March 26 Live Streaming of the Derek Chauvin Trial
March 19 Arizona Begins Deep Study of Jury System; Focus on Fair Cross-section Compliance
March 12 Retired Public Defender Comments on the Pretrial Questionnaire Used in the George Floyd Murder Case
March 5 George Floyd Murder Trial Begins on Monday - Voir Dire Questioning and Security Taking Shape
February 26 New Study Indicates How  Ex-Con Exclusion Laws Affect Jury Diversity
February 19 Wisconsin Court Comes Up with Jury Summoning Questionnaire Addressing COVID Concerns
February 12 Harris County (Texas) Takes Steps to Improve Jury Diversity and Participation
February 5 Does Presence of a Witness's Emotional Support Animal Prejudice a Jury?
January 29 Best Practices to Address COVID-caused Criminal Case Backlogs
January 22 Arkansas Supreme Court Reverses Murder Conviction Where Juror Signed Petition to Reelect the Prosecutor
January 15 California Judges Seek Early Vaccination Status
January 8 Pretrial Jury Selection Questionnaire in George Floyd Murder Case  - A Model for Determining Bias?