Jur-E Bulletin

Jur-E Bulletin is a weekly email "newsletter published by the Center for Jury Studies and the National Center for State Courts' Knowledge and Information Services Division and Jury Community of Practice. It contains information on the weekly happenings in the jury world, including media coverage, prominent court decisions, and important developments on all things jury."

The articles are very short -- usually just a quick summary with a link. For example, this week's issue includes:

• A summary of an article reviewing studies try to evaluate the quality of jury verdicts by comparing them with judges' verdicts. It links to Brian H. Bornstein, Judges v. Juries, Court Review, Summer 2006, at 56. (This is newer than the date might suggest: it's the latest issue of the magazine; our library received our copy Feb. 1, 2008.)
• A news item from yesterday about a mistrial in Spokane, with a link to the Spokesman Review. Because of "a clerical error" a jury was given a criminal defendant's record of 20 prior convictions. New trial ordered after jury sees suspect's rap sheet, Spokesman Review, Feb. 7, 2008. The Spokesman Review has posted the courtroom minutes from the trial as well as Judge
  Greg Sypolt's order for a new trial.
• An item about the trial in Georgia of the man who escaped from a courthouse where he was being tried for rape, shooting a judge, a court reporter, and a sheriff's deputy. Jeffrey Toobin had an article about it in the New Yorker (Death In Georgia: The high price of trying to save an infamous killer’s life, Feb. 4, 2008). And now the judge has recused himself because of "unguarded comments" he made to Toobin.
• An item about a public defender in Kentucky who was punched by his client during a pretrial hearing.
• A new flyer from a trial court in Virginia: Overcoming the Stress of Jury Duty.

How can you get this neat little newsletter? Just go here and type in your information.