Subject Index Juries

Confronting Judge-Imposed Time Limits on Voir Dire

By Rodney R. Nordstrom
March
2006
Article
, Page 142
Here's how to make the most of the time you've granted for voir dire, no matter how limited.

Thinking Outside the Roasting Pan About Peremptories

By Hon. Ron Spears
November
2005
Column
, Page 594
Are you relying on stereotypes about jury behavior when you exercise peremptory challenges?

Check the Web before drafting jury instructions

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
October
2005
LawPulse
, Page 498
The chair of the supreme court's jury instructions committee advises litigators to check the court's website for revised IPI instructions.

A jury’s determination of first degree murder and a trial court’s imposed sentence are accorded great deference

September
2005
Illinois Law Update
, Page 446
On June 30, 2005, the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, affirmed the defendant's murder conviction, which he received following a jury trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Jury Deselection

By Hon. Ron Spears
August
2005
Column
, Page 420
You don't pick who serves on your jury – you pick who doesn't.

Giving Jurors What They Want

By Hon. Ron Spears
May
2005
Column
, Page 260
Jurors want to do a good job. Let's help them.

New IPI instructions are free on the Web

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
April
2005
LawPulse
, Page 162
Sign up with the supreme court to get notice every time a new IPI instruction is made available.

Trial court did not abuse its discretion in ordering defendant to walk in front of the jury to demonstrate a possible limp

January
2005
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
On November 12, 2004, the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District, affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court of Champaign County, which required the defendant to walk in front of the jury to show whether he had a limp when he walked. 

Breach of fiduciary duty is an equitable action for which no constitutional right to a jury trial exists

October
2004
Illinois Law Update
, Page 514
On July 8, 2004, the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District, affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court of DuPage County to strike a defendant-beneficiary's demand for a jury trial.

Trial courts have no obligation to sua sponte issue an involuntary manslaughter instruction

February
2004
Illinois Law Update
, Page 70
On November 20, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the appellate court that found that the trial court had abused its discretion when it failed to sua sponteissue an involuntary manslaughter instruction to the jury. 

Jury instruction revisions now on the Web

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2003
LawPulse
, Page 594
You'll find revisions to IPI instructions on the supreme court's Web site before they appear in hard copy.

How to Find Jury Instructions

By Phill Johnson
July
2003
Column
, Page 361
Jury instructions aren't hard to find in print, but you'll have less luck searching online.

Small juries are beautiful

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
March
2003
LawPulse
, Page 110
Six-person juries are easier to pick, more responsive to case themes, and more likely to reach a unanimous verdict, some criminal defense lawyers say.

Child abduction statute and jury instructions did not require jury to consider mother’s knowledge of child’s whereabouts in determining father’s guilt; trial court did not abuse discretion in not providing jury with common definition of word “concealed”

January
2003
Illinois Law Update
, Page 14
On October 22, 2002, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed the order of the circuit court of Cook County convicting the defendant of child abduction.

Painting a Picture for the Jury: A Juror’s Perspective

By Shelley Rice Weinberg
August
2002
Column
, Page 427
Like most lawyers called to jury duty, the author found the experience eye-opening.

Trial court committed plain error when it gave a jury instruction with “or” instead of “and” between five factors used to balance the weight given to eyewitness testimony

February
2002
Illinois Law Update
, Page 66
On November 26, 2001, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, reversed the defendant's first-degree murder and attempt (first-degree murder) convictions and remanded the case for a new trial.

Correspondence from Our Readers

December
2001
Column
, Page 614
Direct questioning by lawyers; the way it used to be.

Failure of jury instructions to specify a finding on quantity of drugs, while erroneous, was harmless error given the overwhelming evidence supporting the sentence

November
2001
Illinois Law Update
, Page 568
On September 7, 2001, the seventh circuit court of appeals affirmed the defendant's convictions for several drug-related possession and distribution charges and his prison sentence of 468 months.

Failure to give jury instruction on witness believability was an abuse of discretion when a police officer testified to material facts omitted from his written report

October
2001
Illinois Law Update
, Page 516
On August 16, 2001, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, held that the trial court abused its discretion when it refused to accept the defendant's requested jury instruction on witness believability.

Voir Dire: Do Parties Have an Absolute Right to Directly Question Prospective Jurors?

By Scott D. Lane
October
2001
Article
, Page 535
In first district civil cases, the answer is yes -- as long as the questioning is "reasonable."

The Lawyer’s Journal

By Bonnie C. McGrath
July
2001
Column
, Page 338
Golfers in the (legal) news; capital punishment and the mentally retarded; and more.

The Lawyer’s Journal

By Bonnie C. McGrath
January
2001
Column
, Page 10
Standard of review for fee suits; U.S. Supremes just say no to drug-sniffing dogs at checkpoints; employee claims rejected by 7CA; and more.

Impeaching Jury Verdicts for Juror Misconduct and Prejudicial Influence

By Hon. Denise M. O’Malley
October
2000
Article
, Page 568
A judge's perspective on how courts do—and should—respond to alleged juror misconduct and prejudice.

Former Judge’s Perspective on Voir Dire

By Randall A. Bono
September
2000
Article
, Page 520
The case for allowing lawyers to conduct their own questioning of prospective jurors.

The Case for Making Pre-Impact Fear Compensable in Survival Actions

By Jeffrey J. Kroll
August
2000
Article
, Page 462
The author argues that Illinois should follow other states and make pre-impact fear compensable.

The Lawyer’s Journal

By Bonnie C. McGrath
August
2000
Column
, Page 434
You still have the right to remain silent; UPL and in-house counsel; and more.

Trial court did not improperly dismiss potential juror in death penalty case

August
2000
Illinois Law Update
, Page 438
On June 15, 2000, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed first degree murder, attempted murder, and armed robbery convictions against Paris D. Sims, as well as a death sentence ordered by the circuit court of St. Clair County.

Effective Closing Arguments in DUI Jury Cases

By Donald J. Ramsell
May
2000
Article
, Page 285
Tried-and-true techniques for DUI "breath" and "refusal" trials.

Correspondence from Our Readers

April
2000
Column
, Page 186
More on instructing jurors before opening statements

The Lawyer’s Journal

By Mark S. Mathewson
April
2000
Column
, Page 192
What hath Tosado wrought? What do jurors think? Granny gives a gift; and more.

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