The defense or plaintiff’s attorney can ask the judge to poll the jury. This is done, to make sure that what the jury intended to put down on the verdict sheet is consistent with what the entire jury actually wanted to do.
Why would you poll the jury?
To “poll the jury” is to ask each juror to render his or her judgment verbally, usually in an open court setting. Judges may do this periodically to make certain judgments remain the same, and defendants will almost certainly ask for a jury to be polled when a verdict is not in their favor.
When an attorney polls a jury that means?
A.
“To poll the jury means to ascertain by questions addressed to the jurors, individually, whether each juror assented and still assents to the verdict tendered to the court.” State v.
Why do lawyers ask questions of the jurors?
Attorneys ask questions of potential jurors to determine juror attitudes, biases, and their ability to truly be an impartial juror. The attorneys will inquire about you personally, and will also ask questions about your friends, families, and acquaintances.
Can a judge tell a jury how do you vote?
The judge can direct a jury, but cannot oblige it to go along with his interpretation. … The law makes it clear that this is an offence and, assuming that the accusation is proven beyond any reasonable doubt, a judge would probably request a guilty verdict to be returned.
What does deadlocked mean in a trial?
When there are insufficient jurors voting one way or the other to deliver either a guilty or not guilty verdict, the jury is known as a “hung jury” or it might be said that jurors are “deadlocked”. … If a verdict still cannot be delivered, at some point the judge will declare a mistrial due to the hung jury.
How many jurors are on a jury?
The size of the jury varies; in criminal cases involving serious felonies there are usually 12 jurors. In civil cases many trials require fewer than twelve jurors.
How is a jury foreman selected?
When you serve as a juror on a grand jury or trial jury, there is the chance you may also be selected to serve as the foreperson. The role of foreperson is selected by the judge or is elected by the members of the jury. A foreperson serves an important role to speak on behalf of the jury.
What is a dissenting juror?
Dissenting jurors were skeptical as to whether all the relevant evidence was presented in the case, were more likely than majority jurors to feel that the evidence was difficult to understand, and believed that the legally correct outcome was unfair to the defendant.
What do they look for in jurors?
Good Jurors for the Defense
From a defense standpoint, most of the jurors that look bad for the prosecution are good for the defense. You want people who can relate to the defense, and who were on the defending end of an injury case.
What do they ask potential jurors?
The defense lawyer might attempt to determine how potential jurors will react to that trial strategy by asking questions about the right to “stand your ground,” to defend your property, to possess firearms, and to protect others from harm. Answers to these types of questions help a lawyer predict how jurors are likely …
Do jurors get paid?
You won’t be paid for doing jury service but the government will cover your expenses while you’re in court to avoid you missing out on pay. You should claim your expenses soon after your time on jury service with payment being made usually seven to ten working days after submitting your claim form.
Can jurors refuse to vote?
You should NOT discuss jury nullification with your fellow jurors. It is well-established that it is perfectly legal for a juror to vote not guilty for any reason they believe is just.
Do all the jury have to agree?
In a civil case, the judge will tell you how many jurors must agree in order to reach a verdict. In a criminal case, the unanimous agreement of all 12 jurors is required.
What happens if a jury Cannot agree on a verdict?
The jury must return its verdict to a judge in open court. The verdict must be unanimous. … If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts. The government may retry any defendant on any count on which the jury could not agree.