However, the lawyers can request that the judge use a certain wording or emphasize select parts of the instructions. The judge makes the final decision on what the instructions will say. Deliberations After jury instructions, the panel goes behind closed doors to begin deliberations, the most nerve-wracking part of the trial for both parties. During deliberation jurors weigh all of the evidence and decide which witnesses are believable. Jurors will sometimes ask the judge to clarify a point in the law or ask for testimony to be reread.
Deliberation can last as little as a few hours or take as long as several days to complete.
In some states, if a jury consists of 12 people, then only nine need to reach the same verdict. If there are six jurors, then only five need to be in agreement. In this case a judge declares a mistrial. If the jury does reach a verdict, the jurors file back into the courtroom to announce their decision. At this point the trial ends.