California bill would allow judges to fine jurors for online misdeeds
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Legislation in California would allow judges to fine jurors for researching cases online or for discussing cases on social media during trials.
The bill authorizes fines of up to $1,500 for wayward jurors in counties participating in a five-year pilot program, the Associated Press reports.
Under the bill, judges in the pilot project would not have to rely on the contempt process to punish jurors for Internet wrongdoing.
J. Richard Couzens, a retired county judge who now rotates through courts around California, told AP that contempt proceedings are a lengthy process. A fine, on the other hand, would be similar to a traffic citation and would be easier to dispense, said Couzens, a member of the judicial committee that recommended the bill.
Hat tip to How Appealing.
