Courts Issue Revised Warnings For Misbehaving Jurors In The Age Of Twitter And Facebook

Common sense, right? Or so you’d think. But as social media continues to integrate itself into all aspects of our personal and professional lives, its misuse in the court room has caused such an increase in mistrials that new guidelines have been issued for federal judges looking to control bad juror behaviour in their courtrooms.

The revised instructions, which can be read here (PDF), outline how jurors are expected to behave in the social media era, both during and after the case.

I know that many of you use cell phones, Blackberries, the internet and other tools of technology.