The influence of technology is now reaching the legal system in the United States. In this week’s article we look at some of the problems that have been created in trials because of technology. Go to the link below and read the article. Write a reflective comment that shows you have read the article, expresses your views, and addresses my questions.
What is your opinion about the way in which technology is being used by jurors? How would you solve the problem? If you were serving on a jury and learned of another juror doing one of the things described in the article, how would you react?
Jurors Article
13 comments:
I really think this is very disrespectful, and should not be allowed to happen. Obviously, the Jurors own their phones, and can do what they want with them, but the courtroom is a place where you respect the rules. I’ve been in a courtroom, and I’ve seen hardened criminals being very respectful towards the judge. I guess that is what this is what this about; respect. Updating your twitter during a court hearing is plain disrespectful, and shows that you don’t really care about the hearing, or you are using information from the Internet to help condemn the defendant. If I was the judge, and I saw a juror messing around on his blackberry, I would kick him out of the courtroom. There are of course, emergencies where you have to take a call immediately, and that is not what I’m talking about at all. Instances like that are totally acceptable. If I were a juror, I would tell him to put it away, and do his job (listen).
I do not see it as much of a problem for the jurors because they are taking time out from their own to do what they are doing. I do not consider this as much of a problem although out of respect it should not be done. If I was another juror and saw a member of the jury using his phone or something like that I would not care and just mind my own business. I see this article as an article that is making a big deal out of something that is not really that much of a problem.
Frankly speaking, I would like to say that it is disrespectful to use such technologies by jurors, and off course they should be stopped and not allowed to do this. Although the court has its own rules, but we may expect that some obvious things might occur. I do know the rules, but I’m never been to a courtroom before. If I was a judge or a juror, and I saw a juror messing with his mobile phone, I would kick him out of the court in front of all people to make him feel ashamed and by placing a comment to the government representative to fire him from his job or by giving him a warning. Off course, if it was an emergency I would let him to do that, because everyone has his own privacy. At last but not least I would like to suggest that mobile phones must be turned off before entering the court room.
They are breaking the law, if they were trying to defend a case, they were defendants they wouldn't want their jury doing what they are doing. The problem could be solved by confining jurors while they are coming to a decision. If I was on a jury and found out that another juror was breaking the rules I would feel obligated to tell the judge. Just as it would be my duty to come to be unbiased, it is my duty to also make sure others are unbiased as well.
Courtroom is a place where a person's consequences are determined. That is why that place should be kept holy and respected. Juries surfing the net during a trial can lead to serious misjudgments because that will make the juries be dependent on their own opinions. Also, information from the net might be opinionated or incorrect so the people who research on the case might get wrong ideas. There's only one solution for this occasion, which is forbidding Internet use using any kind of electronic devices during a trial. If I were a jury and saw another jury doing one of the things described in the article, I would recommend him to stop right away what he/she is doing because he/she is violating the basic rules of the court that might hinder you to consider the case wisely. What is the use of a trial and a judge when everybody bases their answers on their own information that might be inappropriate?
I think that what the jurors are doing is wrong under the law. The point of the Judicial branch is to implement their sense of justice on the basis of the evidence given in court. The jury is the group who give the final verdict on the suspect and if they get more evidence from the internet, it would cloud their judgment. They should only make a judgment on the suspect based on the evidence given in court. To solve this problem, I would ban all cell-phones, computer, and internet access to the jurors until the trial is over. This insures that they can't get any outside information on the trial. I would act in the same way as the judges; shocked. Jurors should make a judgment on the people based on the evidence given in court, not from an outside source. This completely undermines the Judicial system.
Personally I think that it is wrong, for many reasons, one being it is very disrespectful. If mistrials keep popping up that is wrong, people are being accused of doing something when they didn't. If I knew a juror that was doing this I would tell him to stop to avoid mistrials. Over all i think that this is wrong.
Certainly, jurors have violated the law if they did research on the case in the Internet. Since the law prohibits finding information during the case, the law should be upheld. However, personally, I do not think there is a problem in jurors doing further research on their case. Rather than prohibiting to research, the law should allow gathering more information on the case. Jurors’ objective is to have the best judgment possible. If jurors can decide better with more information in the Internet, why should they not be allowed using the Internet? In fact, I admire the technology that enables the Internet on the phone. My solution is, in fact, to abolish the law that prohibits doing research through the Internet for the jurors. However, if I were to see a juror who is using the Internet for his case, I probably wouldn’t like him very much, because the law is still present.
It’s not allowed and it’s very unfair. When people tend to break the rules it is not good at all and I think they should be sentenced to community service or jail. I would put them in jail. I would deal with the person separately and give him a warning.
I find it disrespectful to do that in a courtroom, I mean if criminals respect the judge then the jurors should. Especially when updating you twitter during a hearing, that’s very disrespectfull to everybody in the court. If I were the judge, or anyone else in that courtroom and someone was using their phone while I talked I would be so offended. I would kick whoever is doing this out of the courtroom. If I was sitting and i saw another juror doing this I would tell him to stop and tell him respect the court.
Noor Mansur.
I find it disrespectful to do that in a courtroom, I mean if criminals respect the judge then the jurors should. Especially when updating you twitter during a hearing, that’s very disrespectfull to everybody in the court. If I were the judge, or anyone else in that courtroom and someone was using their phone while I talked I would be so offended. I would kick whoever is doing this out of the courtroom. If I was sitting and i saw another juror doing this I would tell him to stop and tell him respect the court.
Noor Mansur.
I think it's like really sad and disappointing to read about, it shouldn't be allowed to happen!
Well it's ironic that you'd break rules in a courtroom! Like Jeremy said, EVEN CRIMINALS respect the judge, so what? Do the jurors think that just because their freedom isn't on the line here they can party in a court of law?!
Oh well if I was the judge witnessing this I would kick the juror out o the courtroom! AT ONCE! No seriously now I mean, the audacity! It's such a disrespectful thing to do!!
I disagree with how technology is being used by jurors, but I agree that it is difficult to control, especially if it is accessible by cellphones now. However, if jurors are made to confiscate their mobile phones before, and promised not to look up information and educated why then perhaps the problem may lessen. But there is no way to control it completely. If I were a juror I would be upset that the judicial branch was being disregarded by the American people. However, if this information is so accessible it is understandable how the jurors would see it and become interested in it.
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