LAW 4122 - [Judging the Jury]

Spring. 4 credits.

Next offered 2014-2015. Enrollment limited to: undergraduates only.

V. Hans.

The American jury is praised by some as an important symbol of democracy, yet sharply criticized by others as incompetent and biased. This course evaluates claims about the strengths and limitations of the contemporary American jury. We will examine the image of the jury in popular culture, then explore the work of lawyers, legal scholars, psychologists, and other social scientists who have studied the jury in depth. Questions we’ll address during the course include: Do juries represent all segments of their communities? Can lawyers stack a jury in their favor? Are jurors influenced by the “CSI effect?” What should judges do about googling and tweeting jurors? How do jurors use trial evidence and legal rules to decide on verdicts, damage awards, or decisions to sentence a defendant to death? By the course’s end, students should be able to reach their own informed judgment about this perennially controversial institution.