Juries

Prosecutors excluded Jewish people from juries in one California county for decades, review suggests

Several prosecutors in Alameda County, California, excluded Jewish people from juries in past decades, according to the Alameda County district attorney.

May 14, 2024 3:16 PM CDT

‘Oh, shoot, I’m still streaming,’ judge says, after telling staffer ‘we all know’ murder defendant is guilty

A Texas judge recused herself in two cases involving a murder defendant Wednesday, after she was caught on a hot mic outside the presence of jurors saying he had killed the victim to show a woman that “he’s a man.”

Apr 25, 2024 11:07 AM CDT

Lawyers’ ‘barrage of personal attacks’ on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says

Updated: A federal appeals court saw a need for a civility lesson when it granted a new trial to a civil-fraud plaintiff because of a “barrage of personal attacks” made by opposing lawyers in a closing argument.

Mar 14, 2024 12:02 PM CDT

‘When Rape Goes Viral’ looks at why cases like Steubenville happen

After cases like in Steubenville, Ohio, where the assault of an unconscious girl at a party by two boys was filmed and spread on social media, “the question gnawing at everyone, myself included, was: What were these kids thinking?” writes Anna Gjika.

Mar 6, 2024 9:51 AM CST

NRA general counsel violated statutory duties but caused no monetary harm, jurors find; LaPierre liable for $5.4M

The general counsel for the National Rifle Association was among three senior NRA leaders found to have violated their statutory duties by jurors Friday.

Feb 26, 2024 12:41 PM CST

Defendant acquitted by reason of insanity can’t be retried, despite inconsistency, SCOTUS rules in Jackson opinion

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Georgia can’t retry a defendant who was found not guilty of malice murder by reason of insanity, even though the verdict was inconsistent with jury findings on other charges.

Feb 21, 2024 3:13 PM CST

Judge resigns after allegedly texting through toddler-death trial

As the murder trial for a man accused of beating a toddler to death began in June, the thoughts of the Oklahoma judge overseeing the case allegedly drifted to the appearance of the prosecutor: “Why does he have baby hands? … They are so weird looking,” she texted the bailiff, according to a court petition filed against her.

Feb 12, 2024 9:25 AM CST

Judge chastises Trump in defamation trial, lectures lawyers on procedural rules, says ‘this is not a tag-team lawyering’

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York, who is overseeing a new defamation damages trial against former President Donald Trump, has no patience for missteps and misbehavior.

Jan 22, 2024 11:19 AM CST

Judge acquits lawyer on insider trading charges after co-defendant found not guilty

A lawyer who was formerly on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago has persuaded a federal judge that he deserves a judgment of acquittal in an insider trading case because of inconsistent verdicts by the jury that had convicted him in January.

Dec 22, 2023 10:30 AM CST

Felony murder retrial of former Fisher Phillips partner delayed amid evidence dispute

Updated: The felony murder retrial of former Fisher Phillips partner Claud “Tex” McIver, who is accused of fatally shooting his wife, has been delayed to allow prosecutors to appeal an evidence ruling for the defense.

Dec 5, 2023 12:39 PM CST

Truth-Selective: ‘The Burial’ illustrates honesty in trial work

But even considering the sometimes-unbelievable trial sequences, The Burial offers various takeaways for practitioners, including being truthful, always, with an eye toward what can sometimes be left unsaid.

Nov 20, 2023 8:45 AM CST

Judge denies motion to interview jurors about alleged group chat in trial for murder of law prof

Updated: A judge in Leon County, Florida, has denied a motion to interview jurors about an alleged group chat before the murder conviction of a dentist accused of hiring hit men to kill a Florida State University law professor.

Nov 10, 2023 8:44 AM CST

Judge displayed photos of male lawyers in hot pink chairs, exchanged 500-plus texts during murder trial, petition says

Updated: A judge should be removed from office for exchanging more than 500 texts with a bailiff during a murder trial in which she mocked participant appearances and “displayed gross partiality,” according to a disciplinary petition filed by Oklahoma’s chief justice.

Oct 12, 2023 11:47 AM CDT

Did Trump lawyers flub by failing to request jury trial in civil fraud case?

Former President Donald Trump has told reporters that it was “very unfair” that he didn’t have a jury trial in the civil fraud case alleging that he inflated the value of his properties in statements to insurers and banks.

Oct 4, 2023 10:36 AM CDT

Collateral estoppel allows jurors to skip liability issue in second Trump defamation trial

A jury considering a second defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll can skip the liability issue and decide on damages, a federal judge in New York City has ruled.

Sep 7, 2023 8:59 AM CDT