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Originally Posted by MrSelfDestruct
Bringing up jury nullification to frivolously, selfishly, and fraudulently force your dismissal from the jury pool devalues the concept and weakens the society. Nullification is the trump card that the ordinary citizens can play against an unjust system and should be neither flaunted not taken lightly.
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Fact is, they're supposed to tell you about it anyway -- but back in the 20's (my decade may be wrong) "they" changed the wording of the law so they don't have to tell jurors about it anymore. Judges and lawmakers didn't want "average citizens" knowing that they could potentially alter the way the law is interpreted in a courtroom. Judges want that control.
My post was not meant to encourage the frivolous use of jury nullification. Most people don't even know what it is and I want to change that ... I think that whether you serve on jury duty or not you should ask about it.
It's one of the most important rights we have in the United States.
BTW -- it's NOT a sure-fire way to get out of jury duty. In fact, it can get you IN to jury duty. If you get a lawyer who is looking for someone to use it to hang the jury or even overturn a potential conviction then they'll pick you for sure.
EDIT: Looks like the wording was changed in 1969 ... I was way off.