Most personal injury and accident cases can be settled without the parties actually going to court. However, a number of cases, good and bad, are taken to trial before a jury of 8 "impartial" jurors. The Arizona courts have taken the lead in making that process as efficient as possible.
The most important change is that Arizona allows jurors to discuss the case as the case moves along so long as they are all together and the new rules also encourages the jurors to submit questions to witnesses as the case proceeds. The rule in Arizona previously was that jurors could not talk about the case until they were finished hearing all the witnesses and then they met in secret to discuss the case and make their final decision. Previously, most courts also followed the rule that jurors can only hear what the attorneys want them to hear and cannot ask any questions.
The judges and the jury members who have been in cases using these new rules have all been very much in favor of the changes and have reported that the new rules help the jury understand the case while at the same time not reaching a decision until the case is over.
The most important change is that Arizona allows jurors to discuss the case as the case moves along so long as they are all together and the new rules also encourages the jurors to submit questions to witnesses as the case proceeds. The rule in Arizona previously was that jurors could not talk about the case until they were finished hearing all the witnesses and then they met in secret to discuss the case and make their final decision. Previously, most courts also followed the rule that jurors can only hear what the attorneys want them to hear and cannot ask any questions.
The judges and the jury members who have been in cases using these new rules have all been very much in favor of the changes and have reported that the new rules help the jury understand the case while at the same time not reaching a decision until the case is over.
Many states are now considering these and other changes made in Arizona with the idea of making jury service more rewarding for all participants.
Henry Hester Board Certified Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Specialist
