UT · jury_instructions
MUJI 2d CV155
Foreperson selection and duties and jury deliberations
Among the first things you should do when you go to the jury room to deliberate is to appoint someone to serve as the jury foreperson. The foreperson should not dominate the jury's discussion, but rather should facilitate the discussion of the evidence and make sure that all members of the jury get the chance to speak. The foreperson's opinions should be given the same weight as those of other members of the jury. Once the jury has reached a verdict, the foreperson is responsible for filling out and signing the verdict form(s) on behalf of the entire jury.
In the jury room, discuss the evidence and speak your minds with each other. Open discussion should help you reach an agreement on a verdict. Listen carefully and respectfully to each other's views and keep an open mind about what others have to say. I recommend that you not commit yourselves to a particular verdict before discussing all the evidence.
Try to reach an agreement, but only if you can do so honestly and in good conscience. If there is a difference of opinion about the evidence or the verdict, do not hesitate to change your mind if you become convinced that your position is wrong. On the other hand, do not give up your honestly held views about the evidence simply to agree on a verdict, to give in to pressure from other jurors, or just to get the case over with. In the end, your vote must be your own.
In reaching your verdict you may not use methods of chance, such as drawing straws or flipping a coin. Rather, the verdict must reflect your individual, careful, and conscientious judgment
Committee Amended
3/2020
Provenance
- Source
- legacy.utcourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-22
- Edition
- 2026-08-21
- Content hash
e50a11badc237498e594d3980121c534d4ecbe9bc503fb27dd19256fdf574c32
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