Category Archives: Jurors
Juror’s Friend Fiasco Lands Him in Jail
I recently posted about a juror who was alleged to have sent a Facebook friend request to one of the defendants in the case for which he had been empaneled. The juror was dismissed as a result of his antics. … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors
Juror’s Facebook Friend Request . . . With a Twist
In December 2011, Sarasota juror Jacob Jock was removed after it was discovered that he’d sent a friend request to one of the defendants. At the time, the judge did not charge Jock with contempt, electing instead to dismiss him … Continue reading
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Illinois Supreme Ct. to Hear Blogging-Juror Appeal
In 2004, a 34-year-old man was struck and killed by a Metra train near Berwyn, Illinois. His family sued and the jury awarded them $4.7 million. After the trial, Metra learned that one of the jurors, Eve Bradshaw, kept a … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
TX Juror Convicted of Contempt for Facebook Contact
A 22-year-old juror in Texas was found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to community service for Facebook friending the defendant in the case to which the juror had been assigned, reports KDAF-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth. Jonathan Hudson had been … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
New CA Law Authorizes 6-Mo. in Jail for Jurors Who Tweet
California judges will no longer have discretion when instructing jurors about prohibited Internet use. According to the San Fransisco Chronicle, the state has passed legislation that requires trial judges to tell jurors that they are not permitted to use the … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
N.Y. Juror Fined for Texting From Deliberations
The N.Y. Post reports that a New York juror was fined $1,000 for contempt after he sent a text message to a friend about the jury’s deliberations while the deliberations were still ongoing. The friend–who is an assistant district attorney … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
U.K. Juror Sentenced to Jail for Facebook Contact
I posted previously about the UK juror who had been charged with criminal contempt for contacting one of the defendants in the trial she to which she was seated. This story is of particular interest because of the manner in … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
UK Juror Faces Contempt for Friending a Defendant
London’s High Court has approved the request of the Attorney General to bring criminal contempt charges against a juror alleged to have contacted a defendant in the case via Facebook. According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, the juror is accused … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, PDFs, Social Media
Social-Media Jury Instructions by American College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers published a comprehensive set of proposed jury instructions that are intended to deal directly with juror’s use of technology, particularly the Internet and social-networking sites. The publication, which dates back to September 2010, was … Continue reading
Filed under Jurors, Social Media
Social Media & Legal Ethics
Readers interested in the various ethical implications relating to the use (and nonuse) of social-media by legal professionals also may be interested in a just-published law review article on the topic. The article is published in the current edition of … Continue reading
Filed under For Legal Professionals, Judges, Jurors, Lawyers, Social Media
