Happy New Year— You're a Juror

Abstract

The author, a member of the California bar, reflects on his experiences as a juror in a criminal trial in the Sacramento Superior Court, early in 1980. The criminal charges included attempted murder, and the trial experience lasted three weeks. Jury selection, the principle of judgment by peers, courtroom procedures, the nature of jury instructions, and the economics of the criminal jury trial are critically assessed. Psychological aspects of twelve hours of jury deliberations, over a two-and-one-half-day period, are probed. Recommenda tions are offered for reforming, expediting, and simplifying the use of criminal juries in California.