Jury Deliberations
After hearing the judge's instructions, the jurors meet to decide guilty or not guilty, and then give their decision to the judge. For our purposes in Mock Trial Club, deliberations should last about ten minutes.
Judge: [The judge will read the jury their final instruction before sending them to deliberate.]
"Members of the jury, you are to decide this case solely on the evidence presented here in the courtroom. This evidence includes the testimony of witnesses and any documents that are entered into the court record. You will not use any objections made by the lawyers and arguments concerning the objections, testimony that the court tells you to disregard or anything you may have seen or heard outside the courtroom when making your decision.
You have hear all of the testimony concerning this case. It is now up to you to determine the facts of the law as I give you.
The prosecution must set out such a convincing case against the defendant that the jury believes "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant is guilty.
The law in this matter is as follows: [Judge reads the law.]
Once all the members of the jury have found a unanimous verdict, please return it to me, sealed in the envelope provided."
The members of the jury will now go into a separate room for deliberations. When they have reached a verdict, they will return with the verdict in a sealed envelope to be given to the judge. The judge will read the verdict.
Judge: [The judge will read the jury their final instruction before sending them to deliberate.]
"Members of the jury, you are to decide this case solely on the evidence presented here in the courtroom. This evidence includes the testimony of witnesses and any documents that are entered into the court record. You will not use any objections made by the lawyers and arguments concerning the objections, testimony that the court tells you to disregard or anything you may have seen or heard outside the courtroom when making your decision.
You have hear all of the testimony concerning this case. It is now up to you to determine the facts of the law as I give you.
The prosecution must set out such a convincing case against the defendant that the jury believes "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant is guilty.
The law in this matter is as follows: [Judge reads the law.]
Once all the members of the jury have found a unanimous verdict, please return it to me, sealed in the envelope provided."
The members of the jury will now go into a separate room for deliberations. When they have reached a verdict, they will return with the verdict in a sealed envelope to be given to the judge. The judge will read the verdict.