Courts Move To Ban Juror Use of Net, Social Sites

coondoggie passes along a NetworkWorld report on the pronouncement of a judicial conference committee recommending that trial judges specifically instruct jurors not to use any electronic communications devices or sites during trial and deliberations. Here's the committee report (PDF). "If you think you're going to use your spanking new iPhone to entertain yourself next time you're on jury duty, think again. Judges are going to take an even dimmer view of jury member use of Blackberry, iPhone, or other electronic devices as a judicial policy-setting group has told district judges they should restrict jurors from using electronic technologies to research or communicate. ... The instructions state jurors must not use cell phones, e-mail, Blackberry, iPhone, text messaging, or on Twitter, or communicate through any blog or website, through any internet chat room, or by way of any other social networking websites, including Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and YouTube."

And?

[OverlordQ]

This is surprising how?

Such use has resulted in mistrials, exclusion of jurors, and imposition of fines. ... The instructions state jurors must not [...] communicate through any blog or website, through any internet chat room, or by way of any other social networking websites, including Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Because we all know Facebook and YouTube are full of impartial people who know anything about case law.

Re:Good luck ever seating a jury again!

[Anonymous Coward]

Just wear a T-Shirt that says "Jury" on the front and "Nullification" on the back.

Re:No different than any other sequestering

[BrokenHalo]

If you sick your finger in a dyke, you'll get your head slapped.

Re:Good luck ever seating a jury again!

[BrokenHalo]

It occurs to me that having a T-shirt saying "GUILTY" should be a pretty good way of getting yourself excluded. ;-)

Welcome to the 21st Century!

[__aaclcg7560]

If they remake the movie "12 Angry Men" (like everything else these days), the story will be about 12 angry men who are kept locked up in a jury room with no access to their online porn.

Re:No different than any other sequestering

[theheadlessrabbit]

Exactly. That's why they give you *gasp* a pen and paper!

and how the hell am I supposed to type with a pen and paper?

Re:No different than any other sequestering

[Dan541]

They can "instruct" the jurors all they want not to go online for the length of the trial, but that's not going to stop too many people...

I don't see how they can reasonably expect people to cease existing. Without the internet there's nothing.

Re:Good luck ever seating a jury again!

[tehcyder]

I think we'll see an uptick in creative jury-avoidance strategies. I'm going to start working on mine right now!

Then you will go to prison if they catch you, and I, for one, hope they do.
Only an utter arsehole would want to undermine the jury system on the basis that it's a little bit inconvenient because you can't get your daily lolcats fix.