Abstract

In part because of their relative scarcity and the uniqueness of each new notorious trial, it is difficult to generalize the effects of trial notori­ety. However, a recent study by the National Center for State Courts Center for Jury Studies reveals infor­mation about the prevalence of notorious trials and their impact on trial procedures and practices. The State-of-the-States Survey of Jury Improvement Efforts collected trial reports from nearly 12,000 jury trials conducted in state and federal courts in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The vast majority of trials took place between 2002 and 2006.

In the survey, judges and lawyers were asked to describe their most recent jury trial, including the type of case, the location of the trial, and the procedures employed during voir dire and trial. One survey ques­tion asked whether the respondent's most recent jury trial was a notorious or high profile trial. Respondents identified a surprising 718 trials (6.2 percent) in the dataset as notorious. This article discusses the characteris­tics that are most often associated with those notorious trials and the trial practices most often employed by judges and lawyers in notorious trials.

This abstract has been taken from the author Introduction.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Publication Information

91 Judicature 197-201 (2008)

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