Posted On: April 6, 2010  Courts Begin Cracking-Down on E-Savvy
Jurors  In today’s ever-evolving world of electronic
communication, the consequences of constant information exchange
are being seen in the courtroom. Mistrials, delays and the
overturning of convictions are just some of the outcomes caused
by jurors who cannot help themselves from “twittering” away on
their cell phones, PDAs and computers; both inside and outside
of the courtroom. The problem, which began several years ago but
has recently exploded, has led the Judicial Conference of the
United States, the organization which oversees administration of
the Federal Court system, to issue “Twitter instructions” to all
federal judges; federal judges are now required to read these
instructions to the jury prior the start of trial and again
prior to jury deliberation.  The goal of selecting a jury for
trial is to select a panel of impartial jurors who will listen
to the issues at hand as presented by all parties, understand
and follow the judge’s inst