In a courtroom, there are approximately ten relevant vital figures and one of them is the jury. According to Azcourts.org, the jury or the jurors are the center or beating heart of the US judicial system. After all, the final decision about the case relies on them as they fill out the jury verdict form that the court or the attorney of the involved parties submit. But what is a jury verdict form and why is it important?
Defining the Importance of Jury Verdict Forms
Jury verdict forms are similar to questionnaire forms in the sense that both of them contain questions with choices and an area for the finalized verdict of the responder or the juror. But the verdict form has other contents found in most legal documents that the court uses, such as the court’s address, date, and other relevant court details. Now why is this document important?
First off, a jury verdict form aids the court in deciding the outcome of the case, whether the defendant will be guilty or not. How the decision gets made is by collecting and finalizing the jurors’ answers in each question stated in the verdict form. Additionally, the form also serves as a communication method that bridges and provides clarity for the case. Specifically, it will and must focus on questions that can determine an answer of yes or no from the jury members or the jurors.
10+ Jury Verdict Form Samples in PDF | DOC
Making plans to win a case is one of the responsibilities of an attorney, including preparing all documents to use for the court. And it can become a handful if there are lots of tasks to accomplish. That’s why we are here to help anyone, including you, who needs legal documents, such as verdict forms. Just scan below to discover all our downloadable, editable, and printable jury verdict form samples:
1. Jury Verdict Form Sample
2. Jury Verdict Form Template
3. Jury Verdict Form Example
4. Jury Verdict Sample in PDF
5. Special Jury Verdict Form Sample
6. Civil Jury Verdict Form Sample
7. Simple Jury Verdict Form Example
8. Proposed Jury Verdict Form Sample
9. General Jury Verdict Form Template
10. Formal Jury Verdict Form Sample
11. Jury Verdict Form in DOC
How to Make Sure that Your Jury Verdict Form Is Efficient
When you’re in court or dealing with a legal battle, you want to make sure that you’re every move counts. So it’s essential that what you provide and submit to the court and the jury, are relevant to your case. Surely, you don’t want to fall into the same fate as Joyce Stockton, who sued the Ford Motor Company and yet got the verdict vacated due to a defective jury verdict form, right? That’s why you must keep the following tips in mind, to avoid making a problematic jury verdict form:
1. Mind Your Sequence
Don’t just randomly think of questions and simply enlist them in the form. Instead, make a draft of your questions which can be answerable with yes or no, and determine which among them should go first. Also, it would help if you first put the question that you are sure the jurors will pick a yes rather than a no. Why? Because most often, a “NO” means there’s no longer a need to proceed with the other questions since all of them are related to one another, right?
2. Check Your Grammar and Use of Words
The court randomly picks jurors, so you should use layman grammar instead of jargon and legalistic terms. That’s why you should check the terms that you are using in the jury verdict form, and if there are vague or words that needs further explaining, change them. Or else you’ll raise the possibility of confusing the jury, and you don’t want that if you aim to win the case!
3. Focus on What You Presented in Court
Your questions must not stir away from the evidence, witness statements, and every document that you presented in court. Aside from that, you should also consider the information that the opposing party provided. This way, you’ll be able to make relevant questions for the jury.
Can I use a generalized jury verdict form instead of customizing or using a special jury verdict form?
A generalized jury verdict form is also referred to as a general verdict form. And, yes, you can use it for the case, but, do note that customizing and using a special verdict form is always the best choice, especially when it comes to delivering clear questions for the jury.
Is there a need for me to submit the jury verdict form to the clerk’s office?
Yes, you must submit the jury verdict form and all other related documents to the clerk’s office. The reason for this is so that the clerk will have an updated and legal record of what you are using and will be using in court.
How many in the jury should have similar answers in the jury verdict form for the court to arrive at a decision?
There are 12 jurors in a jury, and it’s a requirement that there must be a unanimous decision between them about the verdict for the trial. That means all 12 should have similar answers to each question in the jury verdict form.
It’s challenging to navigate the legal system, more so in making sure that a case will win. Everything is relevant, including every statement and question placed in the jury verdict form. So, be wise with your questions and review them before filing it. Additionally, you can also opt to use our jury verdict sample templates and legal forms instead of making one. Just choose, download, and edit to suit your preferences, then you’re good to go!
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