What Do the Duties of a Foreperson Include?
A jury is a group of usually 12 citizens who are appointed, and sworn, to give an impartial verdict on a matter that a court submits to them. This can involve determining whether a defendant is guilty of a crime based on the evidence presented in a criminal trial. The word "jury" come from the Latin word "jus," which means "law." The jury elects a foreperson, who becomes the presiding member of the jury and its spokesperson.
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Leads Discussions
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One of the functions of the jury foreperson is to lead discussions among the jurors. Forepersons do this by initially asking members of the jury what their initial views are concerning the matter at hand. If any jury member does not understand a particular piece of evidence or has a question, then the foreperson must communicate this to the court and ask for guidance from the judge.
Maintains Order
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Jury deliberations must be civil and focus on the facts of the case, instead of the opinions of the individual jurors. To that end, the foreperson must steer discussions toward the facts of the case only. The foreperson must ensure that all the jurors have an opportunity to raise issues and ask questions, so no disharmony arises that could lead to chaos, friction or a general lack of order.
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Calls for a Vote
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After the jury has discussed the case and considered all the evidence, then the foreperson calls for a vote of the jury -- that is, how each person votes. In criminal cases, the vote involves each juror indicating if he believes the defendant is guilty or not guilty. If the vote is not unanimous, then the foreperson continues the debate until the jury reaches a unanimous decision.
Announces the Verdict
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When the jury has reached a verdict, then the foreperson has the job of informing the court of the jury's decision. The foreperson can do this verbally or by passing a note with the verdict written on it to the court bailiff, who in turn hands it to the judge. The judge then reads the final verdict out load.
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References
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