Juries

Cross-section: Pandemic-era challenges spur civil litigators to shift approach to representative juries

The coronavirus pandemic’s strain on the jury system is clear to civil trial lawyers. Some are even tailoring their trial strategies to account for how the threat of disease could be changing jurors’ attitudes toward serving and cutting into the pool of available jurors in ways that could sway their cases.

Apr 1, 2022 2:30 AM CDT

Kentucky clerk who denied marriage licenses to same-sex couples can’t avoid liability for civil rights violations, judge rules

A federal judge in Kentucky has ruled that a former Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk who denied marriage licenses to same-sex couples cannot duck liability for violating their civil rights. But the court left it up to a jury to decide whether she should pay damages.

Mar 24, 2022 8:52 AM CDT

May jurors see 3D defense reenactment of alleged crime? Judge appears reluctant to allow it

A Florida judge on Friday appeared reluctant to allow jurors to wear virtual reality goggles that illustrate the findings of an expert witness for the defense in an attempted murder case.

Mar 14, 2022 9:38 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of shooting arrows, gun at ex-girlfriend’s law office loses civil appeal

A disbarred California lawyer accused of shooting a crossbow and gun into his ex-girlfriend’s law office building has failed to overturn a $2.2 million judgment against him.

Mar 7, 2022 12:33 PM CST

Convicted Boston Marathon bomber got a fair trial, Supreme Court rules in reinstating his capital sentence

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday reinstated the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people, wounded 260 others and led to the fatal shooting of a police officer.

Mar 4, 2022 10:39 AM CST

Sarah Palin didn’t meet ‘high standard’ for proving defamation in suit against New York Times, judge says

Updated: A federal judge in New York told lawyers on Monday that he will dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against the New York Times by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Feb 15, 2022 9:08 AM CST

Lawyer Michael Avenatti is convicted of stealing money from Stormy Daniels

Jurors in Manhattan, New York City, convicted lawyer Michael Avenatti on Friday for diverting to himself nearly $300,000 in book-deal payments intended for his client, adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Feb 4, 2022 4:37 PM CST

Can the true-crime genre help attorneys with their jury trials?

It’s good to be back. After my usual holiday break, I now find myself staring straight into the eyes of my fifth full year writing this column for the ABA Journal. It has been a privilege and an honor to have such a far-reaching platform for my thoughts on law and pop culture, and I look forward to continuing the content.

Jan 31, 2022 3:21 PM CST

As omicron COVID-19 cases surge, several courts pause jury trials

A California federal court said Wednesday it would suspend in-person jury trials following similar announcements by other state and federal courts amid the surge in omicron COVID-19 cases.

Jan 6, 2022 11:59 AM CST

Defense attorney convicted in $1M federal money laundering case

A Baltimore defense attorney, who allegedly helped a longtime client and convicted drug trafficker funnel money through his law firm, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Jan 4, 2022 2:47 PM CST

Jury finds Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of blood-testing company Theranos, guilty of fraud

A jury on Monday found Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO and founder of failed blood-testing startup Theranos, guilty on four of 11 federal charges related to fraud and conspiracy.

Jan 4, 2022 9:36 AM CST

Do federal jurors still care whether a witness is caught in a lie? Not as much, say 2 veteran litigators

Physical aspects aren’t the only changes in federal litigation, according to two veteran litigators featured in this month’s Asked and Answered podcast, which is looking at how litigation has changed over the years.

Dec 27, 2021 9:12 AM CST

Some states seek to eliminate racial bias in jury selection with peremptory-challenge changes

Some states are changing the rules for peremptory challenges—and in one case, eliminating them altogether—in an effort to eliminate racial bias in jury selection.

Dec 22, 2021 3:32 PM CST

Lawyer is fined after her process server delivers subpoena to another attorney during murder-trial break

A lawyer in Mobile, Alabama, has been held in contempt after her process server delivered a subpoena to a criminal defense attorney in front of jurors during a break in his client’s murder trial.

Dec 21, 2021 3:54 PM CST

Kramer Levin lawyers are sanctioned for ‘vitriolic and unsubstantiated’ anti-Semitism claims

A federal judge has sanctioned three lawyers from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel for “vitriolic and unsubstantiated allegations” that the opposing counsel resorted to anti-Semitic stereotypes to influence jurors.

Dec 20, 2021 4:13 PM CST