Jury Duty and Law Terminology

Barb, the speaker during the mock trial training session, talked to the jury members about what to expect and rules about being on the jury.  First, a person is randomly picked and sent a questionnaire form that must be filled out and turned back in.  If you fail to do this, a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest. The process of selecting the jury is called voir dire.

She discussed the law terminology, such as; the prosecutor, which is the plaintiff (the one who initiates the lawsuit) and the defense, which is the defendant.  Barb also talked about how jury members need to understand how to identify a person’s opinion and pay attention to evidence such as; a person’s opinion, fact, hearsay and speculation.

Finally, the responsibilities for the jury are to be truthful, pay attention, and listen with an open mind. The jury is not supposed to talk about the trial outside the jury room. When the jury enters in the room they discuss the trial and come to a decision.  Then the jury has to select a jury member to stand up and read the verdict.

Article by Jennifer Sumedi, MSTC Student, Written Communication