Commentary: Twitter and Tweeting During Jury Service

Summary

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In the pre-Internet days, judges and lawyers worried about jurors obtaining information not formally presented in court, but the methods for jurors to do so seem quaint in comparison to what they can now do.

In those days, an errant juror might visit the scene of an accident or crime on the way home from court, or some over-eager juror might try to slip a dictionary into the jury room to look up terms like "wanton and willful" or "proximate." Over time, stern instructions were developed that cautioned jurors to avoid outside investigation or research, and the instructions seemed to work well enough.

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Extract

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Commentary: Twitter and Tweeting During Jury Service

Today, the possibilities for juror misadventures have multiplied with the advent of the Internet and small mobile devices. The ability of judges and lawyers to keep on top of the technology is tested daily as they attempt to keep trials on a course that provides fairness to the parties.

Consider the following reports from the past few months:

* According to a New York Times article, a major federal drug trial in Florida was derailed after eight weeks when ...

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