More Polizzi and Jury 'Rectification'

Jury instruction jurisprudence attempts to draw a “bright line” distinction between terms that have a technical, specialized legal meaning and those that are defined by their common dictionary meaning.

This presentation focuses on technology’s effect on the way Jurors receive and process information today. The presentation covers topics such as: demographics of today’s jury pool; knowing your jury; verbal persuasion techniques; effective creation of visual aids like PowerPoint and computer animations; AI’s effect on the law, and the law on admissibility when using visual aids.

Juries are an essential component of any trial. This page contains materials and information related to juries, particularly jury instructions and voir dire.

Equal Justice & the Grand Jury: Achieving Racial Fairness

The grand jury has long drawn criticism for failing to serve its purpose as a shield against unwarranted charges. Recently a new charge has been leveled: that prosecutorial influence over the grand jury permits law enforcement misconduct to go unpunished. Both facets of the issue are discussed in turn by two distinguished panels of experts.

Due Process & the Grand Jury: Protecting Targets and Witnesses

The grand jury has long drawn criticism for failing to serve its purpose as a shield against unwarranted charges. Recently a new charge has been leveled: that prosecutorial influence over the grand jury permits law enforcement misconduct to go unpunished. Both facets of the issue are discussed in turn by two distinguished panels of experts.

Presented by Eric Davis, Chief of the Felony Trial Division, Harris County Public Defender (Houston, TX)

Race Matters II: The Impact of Race on Criminal Justice
January 10-11, 2019 | Los Angeles, CA

Recording of Systemic Juror Exclusion: How States Continue to Disenfranchise Prospective Jurors Through Improper Policy Implementation, a webinar hosted by NACDL for Second Chance Month 2023.

This month Victoria Nadel reviews The Worst Thing We’ve Ever Done by Carol Menaker.

What is a criminal defense lawyer's duty when representing a client before a grand jury when the client informs the lawyer he or she will commit perjury to protect a friend or associate?

Judges repeatedly tell jurors not to search for case-relevant information on the internet. Some jurors are not complying, and the internet is playing an increasing and proactive role in courtrooms. While the internet is a formidable repository for information, it is also a source of misinformation. The authors offer suggestions to keep the internet from subverting justice.

What can you do to make sure your jury pool is actually diverse? We have all experienced white jury pools that do not reflect the demographics of our community.  In this course, you will learn the steps that you can take to file a successful 6^th Amendment challenge based on the constitutional right to a jury of peers. This on-demand, virtual program covers how to craft discovery demands to get the information you need, what you can expect at a motion hearing, and the relevant legal arguments.

“The greatest service of citizenship is jury duty.” - Abraham Lincoln

“[A]n essential component” of the right to an impartial jury is the “selection of a jury from a representative cross-section of the community.” Taylor v. Louisiana, 419 U.S. 522, 528 (1975).

Rather than a bulwark against "hasty, malicious and oppressive prosecution," today's federal grand jury is too often a rubber stamp, leading many to agree that "a good prosecutor could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich." 

NACDL calls upon Congress to halt the dangerous erosion and abuse of the federal grand jury and enact the modest proposals outlined in our Federal Grand Jury Reform Report & "Bill of Rights."