W.D. Tenn. LR 47.1

(a) Size of Civil Case Juries. The Court will seat at least 8 jurors in civil cases

together with such additional jurors as the Court deems appropriate based on the

nature of the case.

(b) Challenges. Challenges to jurors shall be made in a manner that will not reveal to the

jury the identity of the party making the challenge.

(c) Relations with a Jury. Before and during the trial, parties and attorneys shall avoid

conversing or otherwise communicating with a juror on any subject, whether

pertaining to the case or not. During argument to the jury, no juror shall be addressed

individually.

(d) Juror Information. In the discretion of the Court, the following shall be permitted:

(1) Juror Note Taking. Jurors shall be instructed that they may take notes during

the trial and deliberations. The Court shall provide suitable materials for this

purpose. Jurors shall have access to their notes during deliberations, but not

during recesses. After the jury has rendered a verdict or been dismissed, the

notes shall be collected by the Court personnel, who shall destroy them

promptly. Juror notes shall not be regarded as evidence.

(2) Juror Notebooks. When the Court deems it helpful in a particular case, jurors

may be provided with notebooks to use in collecting and organizing

appropriate materials, including such items as jury instructions, written

exhibits, and the juror’s own notes. Counsel should be apprised of this

procedure and invited to prepare exhibits and other materials in a way that

facilitates their inclusion in the jurors’ notebooks. At the end of the trial, the

notebooks should be collected by Court personnel and their contents destroyed,

unless the Court instructs to the contrary.

(3) Interim Commentary. During the course of the trial, the Court may permit

parties to address the jury in order to assist jurors in understanding the

evidence that has been presented or will be presented. The Court may place

reasonable limits on such statements and shall permit all parties to respond to

the remarks of any one party.

(e) Post-Verdict Interrogation of Jurors. After a verdict, no attorney, party, or

representative of either may interrogate a juror without prior approval of the Court.

Approval of the Court shall be sought only by an application of counsel in open

Court, or upon written motion, either of which must state the grounds for and the

purpose of the interrogation. If a post-verdict interrogation is approved, the Court will

determine the scope of the interrogation and any limitations upon the interrogation

prior to the interrogation.

(f) After Mistrial. In the event that a mistrial is ordered due to the jurors’ inability to

agree on a verdict, any attorney or the attorney’s representative may interrogate a

juror without prior approval of the court, unless the court determines that the

interrogation should not take place or determines that appropriate limitations should

be established.