Title: In Re: Standard Jury Instructions In Criminal Cases – Report No. 2010-01 And Standard Jury Instructions In Civil Cases – Report No. 2010-01
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC10-51
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: October 21, 2010

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC10-51 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—
REPORT NO. 2010-01 AND STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CIVIL 
CASES—REPORT NO. 2010-01. 
 
[October 21, 2010] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Supreme Court Committees on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal 
Cases (SJI-Criminal Committee) and on Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases 
(SJI-Civil Committee) have submitted proposed changes to the standard jury 
instructions and ask that the Court authorize the new and amended instructions for 
publication and use.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
Arising from the Court’s concerns over the expansive use of electronic 
devices and their potential impact upon the administration of justice, the Court 
requested that the SJI-Criminal and the SJI-Civil Committees consider whether 
there existed problems relating to jurors engaging in electronic communications, 
research, or the use of technology during pending cases.  The Court further 
 
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requested that the committees jointly propose a uniform approach with uniform 
jury instructions to be used in all cases. 
 
The civil jury instructions, newly renumbered and reorganized, see In re 
Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases—Report No. 09-01 (Reorganization of 
the Civil Jury Instructions), 35 So. 3d 666 (Fla. 2010), minimally account for 
recent technological advances.  For example, instruction 202.2 – Explanation of 
the Trial Procedure, directs jurors not to conduct any work or investigation with 
respect to the case on which they are sitting, including internet research.  See id. at 
676.  Similarly, civil instruction 700 – Closing Instructions, includes a paragraph 
directing jurors not to do any research about the case, including research on the 
internet.  See id. at 802-03.  Devoid of direction on juror use of electronic devices 
or performing internet research, the criminal jury instructions provide less 
guidance to jurors.  Rather, criminal jury instruction 2.1 – Preliminary Instructions, 
authorized in 1981, see In re Use by Trial Courts of Standard Jury Instructions in 
Criminal Cases, 431 So. 2d 594, 595 (Fla. 1981), only advises jurors that they must 
not conduct their own research. 
In response to a request by the Court, the committees’ proposals include new 
and revised instructions addressing the use by jurors or potential jurors of 
electronic devices that permit communications, whether it be with other individuals 
or accessing information outside of court proceedings.  One proposal common to 
 
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both sets of standard jury instructions is a new, unnumbered qualification 
instruction, to be given in addition to and at the conclusion of the instructions 
normally read to prospective jurors.  The SJI-Civil Committee also proposes 
amendments to instruction 201.2 – Introduction of Participants and Their Roles; 
instruction 201.3 – Explanation of the Voir Dire Process; instruction 202.2 – 
Explanation of the Trial Procedure; and instruction 700 – Closing Instructions.   
The SJI-Criminal Committee also proposes amendments to instruction 1.1 – 
Introduction; instruction 2.1 – Preliminary Instructions; and instruction 3.13 – 
Submitting Case to Jury. 
Upon review of the committees’ joint report, the Court published the 
proposals for comment in the February 15, 2010, edition of The Florida Bar News.  
Three comments were received.  Upon consideration of the proposals and the 
comments, we hereby authorize for publication and use the instructions, either as 
proposed by the committees or with the modifications discussed below.  In 
addition, upon the Court’s own motion, we amend the Model Jury Instructions of 
the Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases consistent with the amendments to the 
civil instructions authorized here. 
 
The Court modifies the proposed amendments to preliminary jury 
instructions given prior to the start of voir dire, i.e., instruction 201.2 – 
Introduction of Participants and Their Roles, in civil cases, and instruction 1.1 – 
 
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Introduction, in criminal cases—to include language in each of the instructions 
explaining the rationale behind prohibiting the use of electronic devices throughout 
the time of jury selection and juror service.1 
In authorizing the publication and use of the new, amended, and model 
instructions as set out in the appendix, we express no opinion on their correctness 
and remind all interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither 
requesting additional or alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness 
of the instructions.2  We further caution all interested parties that any comments 
associated with the instructions reflect only the opinion of the relevant committee 
and are not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness 
                                          
 
1.  The Court also modifies the SJI-Civil Committee’s proposals to amend, 
as necessary, based upon the language of instructions most recently authorized in 
the renumbering and reorganization case.  Therefore, because the language from 
instruction 201.1 is not being amended at this time, the Court does not include that 
instruction in the appendix to this opinion.  See In re Standard Jury Instructions in 
Civil Cases—Report No. 09-01 (Reorganization of the Civil Jury Instructions), 35 
So. 3d at 672.  In addition, because the SJI-Civil Committee’s proposal to amend 
instruction 201.2 includes language previously authorized in instruction 201.3, see 
id. at 673, we modify proposed instruction 201.2 accordingly, and on the Court’s 
own motion, amend instruction 201.3.  The Court also made technical, non-
substantive modifications as required. 
 
 
2.  With respect to the criminal jury instructions, the amendments as 
reflected in the appendix are to the instructions as they appear on the Court’s 
website at www.floridasupremecourt.org/jury_instructions/instructions.shtml.  We 
recognize that there may be minor discrepancies between the instructions as they 
appear on the website and the published versions of the instructions.  Any 
discrepancies as to instructions authorized for publication and use after October 25, 
2007, should be resolved by reference to the published opinion of this Court 
authorizing the instruction. 
 
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or applicability.  New language is indicated by underlining and deleted language is 
indicated by struck-through type.  The instructions as set forth in the appendix 
shall be effective when this opinion becomes final. 
 
It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, POLSTON, LABARGA, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur. 
 
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE 
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS. 
 
Original Proceedings – Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions 
 
Judge Lisa T. Munyon, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury 
Instructions in Criminal Cases, Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orlando, Florida; Tracy 
Raffles Gunn, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in 
Civil Cases, of The Gunn Appellate Practice, Tampa, Florida; Judge James M. 
Barton, II, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida; Joseph H. Lang, Jr., of 
Carlton Fields, P.A., Tampa, Florida; Joseph L. Amos, Jr., of Fisher, Rushmer, 
Werrenrath, Dickson, Talley, and Dunlap, P.A., Orlando; Florida, and Rebecca 
Mercier Vargas, of Kreusler-Walsh, Compiani and Vargas, P.A., West Palm 
Beach, Florida, 
 
for Petitioners 
 
Traci Waybright, Assistant Court Direcor, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Citrus 
County; Sylvia H. Walbolt of Carlton Fields, P.A., Tampa, Florida; Peter D. 
Webster, First District Court of Appeal, Tallahassee, Florida; and Michael 
Ufferman, Chair, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Tallahassee, 
Florida, 
 
Responding with comments 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
[Amendments to both the Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases and 
the Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases] 
 
QUALIFICATIONS INSTRUCTION 
 
Many of you have cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices.  
Even though you have not yet been selected as a juror, there are some strict 
rules that you must follow about using your cell phones, electronic devices and 
computers.  You must not use any device to search the Internet or to find out 
anything related to any cases in the courthouse.   
 
Between now and when you have been discharged from jury duty by the 
judge, you must not provide or receive any information about your jury 
service to anyone, including friends, co-workers, and family members.  You 
may tell those who need to know where you are that you have been called for 
jury duty.  If you are picked for a jury, you may tell people that you have been 
picked for a jury and how long the case may take.  However, you must not 
give anyone any information about the case itself or the people involved in the 
case.  You must also warn people not to try to say anything to you or write to 
you about your jury service or the case. This includes face-to-face, phone or 
computer communications.   
 
In this age of electronic communication, I want to stress that you must 
not use electronic devices or computers to talk about this case, including 
tweeting, texting, blogging, e-mailing, posting information on a website or 
chat room, or any other means at all.  Do not send or accept any messages, 
including e-mail and text messages, about your jury service.  You must not 
disclose your thoughts about your jury service or ask for advice on how to 
decide any case.   
 
After you are called to the courtroom, the judge will give you specific 
instructions about these matters.  A judge will tell you when you are released 
from this instruction.  All of us are depending on you to follow these rules, so 
that there will be a fair and lawful resolution of every case. 
 
NOTE ON USE 
 
This instruction should be given in addition to and at the conclusion of the 
instructions normally given to the prospective jurors.  The portion of this 
 
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instruction dealing with communication with others and outside research may need 
to be modified to include other specified means of communication or research as 
technology develops. 
 
 
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[Amendments to the Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases] 
1.1 INTRODUCTION 
  
To be given when jurors are in courtroom, prior to voir dire. 
In order to have a fair and lawful trial, there are rules that all jurors 
must follow. A basic rule is that jurors must decide the case only on the 
evidence presented in the courtroom. You must not communicate with 
anyone, including friends and family members, about this case, the people and 
places involved, or your jury service. You must not disclose your thoughts 
about this case or ask for advice on how to decide this case. 
 
I want to stress that this rule means you must not use electronic devices 
or computers to communicate about this case, including tweeting, texting, 
blogging, e-mailing, posting information on a website or chat room, or any 
other means at all.  Do not send or accept any messages to or from anyone 
about this case or your jury service. 
 
You must not do any research or look up words, names, [maps], or 
anything else that may have anything to do with this case.  This includes 
reading newspapers, watching television or using a computer, cell phone, the 
Internet, any electronic device, or any other means at all, to get information 
related to this case or the people and places involved in this case. This applies 
whether you are in the courthouse, at home, or anywhere else. 
 
All of us are depending on you to follow these rules, so that there will be 
a fair and lawful resolution to this case. Unlike questions that you may be 
allowed to ask in court, which will be answered in court in the presence of the 
judge and the parties, if you investigate, research or make inquiries on your 
own outside of the courtroom, the trial judge has no way to assure they are 
proper and relevant to the case. The parties likewise have no opportunity to 
dispute the accuracy of what you find or to provide rebuttal evidence to it. 
That is contrary to our judicial system, which assures every party the right to 
ask questions about and rebut the evidence being considered against it and to 
present argument with respect to that evidence. Non-court inquiries and 
investigations unfairly and improperly prevent the parties from having that 
opportunity our judicial system promises. If you become aware of any 
violation of these instructions or any other instruction I give in this case, you 
must tell me by giving a note to the bailiff. 
 
 
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Comment 
 
 
The portion of this instruction dealing with communication with others and 
outside research may need to be modified to include other specified means of 
communication or research as technology develops. 
 
This instruction was adopted in 2010. 
 
 
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2.1 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: 
 
 
You have been selected and sworn as the jury to try the case of State of 
Florida v. (defendant). 
 
 
This is a criminal case. (Defendant) is charged with (crime charged). The 
definition of the elements of (crime charged) will be explained to you later. 
 
 
It is your solemn responsibility to determine if the State has proved its 
accusation beyond a reasonable doubt against (defendant). Your verdict must 
be based solely on the evidence, or lack of evidence, and the law. 
 
 
The [information] [indictment] is not evidence and is not to be 
considered by you as any proof of guilt. 
 
 
It is the judge's responsibility to decide which laws apply to this case 
and to explain those laws to you. It is your responsibility to decide what the 
facts of this case may be, and to apply the law to those facts. Thus, the 
province of the jury and the province of the court are well defined, and they 
do not overlap. This is one of the fundamental principles of our system of 
justice. 
 
 
Before proceeding further, it will be helpful if you understand how a 
trial is conducted. 
 
 
At the beginning of the trial, the attorneys will have an opportunity, if 
they wish, to make an opening statement. The opening statement gives the 
attorneys a chance to tell you what evidence they believe will be presented 
during the trial. What the lawyers say is not evidence, and you are not to 
consider it as such. 
 
 
Following the opening statements, witnesses will be called to testify 
under oath. They will be examined and cross-examined by the attorneys. 
Documents and other exhibits also may be produced as evidence. 
 
 
After the evidence has been presented, the attorneys will have the 
opportunity to make their final argument. 
 
 
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Following the arguments by the attorneys, the court will instruct you on 
the law applicable to the case. 
 
 
After the instructions are given [the alternate juror will be released and] 
you will then retire to consider your verdict. 
 
 
You should not form any definite or fixed opinion on the merits of the 
case until you have heard all the evidence, the argument of the lawyers and 
the instructions on the law by the judge. Until that time, you should not 
discuss the case among yourselves. 
 
 
During the course of the trial, the court may take recesses, during which 
you will be permitted to separate and go about your personal affairs. During 
these recesses you will not discuss the case with anyone nor permit anyone to 
say anything to you or in your presence about the case. If anyone attempts to 
say anything to you or in your presence about this case, tell [him] [her] that 
you are on the jury trying the case and ask [him] [her] to stop. If [he] [she] 
persists, leave [him] [her] at once and immediately report the matter to the 
bailiff, who will advise me. 
 
 The case must be tried by you only on the evidence presented during the 
trial in your presence and in the presence of the defendant, the attorneys and 
the judge. Jurors must not conduct any investigation of their own. This 
includes reading newspapers, watching television or using a computer, cell 
phone, the Internet, any electronic device, or any other means at all, to get 
information related to this case or the people and places involved in this case. 
This applies whether you are in the courthouse, at home, or anywhere else.  
You must not visit places mentioned in the trial or use the Internet to look at 
maps or pictures to see any place discussed during the trial. 
 
 
Jurors must not have discussions of any sort with friends or family 
members about the case or the people and places involved.  So, do not let even 
the closest family members make comments to you or ask questions about the 
trial.  In this age of electronic communication, I want to stress again that just 
as you must not talk about this case face-to-face, you must not talk about this 
case by using an electronic device.  You must not use phones, computers or 
other electronic devices to communicate.  Do not send or accept any messages 
related to this case or your jury service.  Do not discuss this case or ask for 
advice by any means at all, including posting information on an Internet 
website, chat room or blog.Accordingly, you must not visit any of the places 
 
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described in the evidence, and you must not read nor listen to any reports 
about the case.  Further, you must not discuss this case with any person and 
you must not speak with the attorneys, the witnesses, or the defendant about 
any subject until your deliberations are finished.  
 
 
Give if defendant requests. 
 
In every criminal proceeding a defendant has the absolute right to 
remain silent. At no time is it the duty of a defendant to prove [his] [her] 
innocence. From the exercise of a defendant's right to remain silent, a jury is 
not permitted to draw any inference of guilt, and the fact that a defendant did 
not take the witness stand must not influence your verdict in any manner 
whatsoever. 
 
 
The attorneys are trained in the rules of evidence and trial procedure, 
and it is their duty to make all objections they feel are proper. When an 
objection is made you should not speculate on the reason why it is made; 
likewise, when an objection is sustained, or upheld, by me, you must not 
speculate on what might have occurred had the objection not been sustained, 
nor what a witness might have said had [he] [she] been permitted to answer. 
 
                                                     Comment 
 
           The portion of this instruction dealing with communication with others and 
outside research may need to be modified to include other specified means of 
communication or research as technology develops. 
 
 
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 2010. 
 
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3.13 SUBMITTING CASE TO JURY 
 
 
In just a few moments you will be taken to the jury room by the bailiff. 
The first thing you should do is elect a foreperson who will preside over your 
deliberations, like a chairperson of a meeting. It is the foreperson's job to sign 
and date the verdict form when all of you have agreed on a verdict in this case 
and to bring the verdict back to the courtroom when you return. 
 
 
Your verdict finding the defendant either guilty or not guilty must be 
unanimous. The verdict must be the verdict of each juror, as well as of the 
jury as a whole. 
 
 
During deliberations, jurors must communicate about the case only 
with one another and only when all jurors are present in the jury room. You 
are not to communicate with any person outside the jury about this case. Until 
you have reached a verdict, you must not talk about this case in person or 
through the telephone, writing, or electronic communication, such as a blog, 
twitter, e-mail, text message, or any other means.  Do not contact anyone to 
assist you during deliberations. These communications rules apply until I 
discharge you at the end of the case.  If you become aware of any violation of 
these instructions or any other instruction I have given in this case, you must 
tell me by giving a note to the bailiff. 
 
 
In closing, let me remind you that it is important that you follow the law 
spelled out in these instructions in deciding your verdict. There are no other 
laws that apply to this case. Even if you do not like the laws that must be 
applied, you must use them. For two centuries we have lived by the 
constitution and the law. No juror has the right to violate rules we all share. 
 
Comment 
 
 
This instruction was adopted in 1981 and was amended in 2000, and 2003, 
and 2010.
 
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[Amendments to the Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases] 
 
201.2 INTRODUCTION OF PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR ROLES  
 
Who are the people here and what do they do? 
 
Judge/Court: I am the Judge. You may hear people occasionally refer to 
me as “The Court.” That is the formal name for my role. My job is to 
maintain order and decide how to apply the rules of the law to the trial. I will 
also explain various rules to you that you will need to know in order to do 
your job as the jury. It is my job to remain neutral on the issues of this 
lawsuit. 
 
Attorneys: The attorneys to whom I will introduce you have the job of 
representing their clients. That is, they speak for their client here at the trial. 
They have taken oaths as attorneys to do their best and to follow the rules for 
their profession. 
 
 Plaintiff’s Counsel: The attorney on this side of the courtroom, (introduce 
by name), represents (client name) and is the person who filed the lawsuit here 
at the courthouse. [His] [Her] job is to present [his] [her] client’s side of things 
to you. [He] [She] and [his] [her] client will be referred to most of the time as 
“the plaintiff.” 
 
 Defendant’s Counsel: The attorney on this side of the courtroom, 
(introduce by name), represents (client name), the one who has been sued. [His] 
[Her] job is to present [his] [her] client’s side of things to you. [He] [She] and 
[his] [her] client will usually be referred to here as “the defendant.” 
 
Court Clerk: This person sitting in front of me, (name), is the court clerk. 
[He] [She] is here to assist me with some of the mechanics of the trial process, 
including the numbering and collection of the exhibits that are introduced in 
the course of the trial. 
 
Court Reporter: The person sitting at the stenographic machine, (name), 
is the court reporter. [His] [Her] job is to keep an accurate legal record of 
everything we say and do during this trial. 
 
Bailiff: The person over there, (name), is the bailiff. [His] [Her] job is to 
maintain order and security in the courtroom. The bailiff is also my 
 
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representative to the jury. Anything you need or any problems that come up 
for you during the course of the trial should be brought to [him] [her]. 
However, the bailiff cannot answer any of your questions about the case. Only 
I can do that. 
 
Jury: Last, but not least, is the jury, which we will begin to select in a 
few moments from among all of you. The jury’s job will be to decide what the 
facts are and what the facts mean. Jurors should be as neutral as possible at 
this point and have no fixed opinion about the lawsuit. At the end of the trial 
the jury will give me a written verdict. A verdict is simply the jury’s answer to 
my questions about the case.  
 
In order to have a fair and lawful trial, there are rules that all jurors 
must follow. A basic rule is that jurors must decide the case only on the 
evidence presented in the courtroom. You must not communicate with 
anyone, including friends and family members, about this case, the people and 
places involved, or your jury service. You must not disclose your thoughts 
about this case or ask for advice on how to decide this case. 
 
I want to stress that this rule means you must not use electronic devices 
or computers to communicate about this case, including tweeting, texting, 
blogging, e-mailing, posting information on a website or chat room, or any 
other means at all.  Do not send or accept any messages to or from anyone 
about this case or your jury service. 
 
You must not do any research or look up words, names, [maps], or 
anything else that may have anything to do with this case.  This includes 
reading newspapers, watching television or using a computer, cell phone, the 
Internet, any electronic device, or any other means at all, to get information 
related to this case or the people and places involved in this case. This applies 
whether you are in the courthouse, at home, or anywhere else. 
 
All of us are depending on you to follow these rules, so that there will be 
a fair and lawful resolution to this case. Unlike questions that you may be 
allowed to ask in court, which will be answered in court in the presence of the 
judge and the parties, if you investigate, research or make inquiries on your 
own outside of the courtroom, the trial judge has no way to assure they are 
proper and relevant to the case. The parties likewise have no opportunity to 
dispute the accuracy of what you find or to provide rebuttal evidence to it. 
That is contrary to our judicial system, which assures every party the right to 
 
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ask questions about and rebut the evidence being considered against it and to 
present argument with respect to that evidence. Non-court inquiries and 
investigations unfairly and improperly prevent the parties from having that 
opportunity our judicial system promises. If you become aware of any 
violation of these instructions or any other instruction I give in this case, you 
must tell me by giving a note to the bailiff. 
 
NOTE ON USE FOR 201.2 
 
The portion of this instruction dealing with communication with others and 
outside research may need to be modified to include other specified means of 
communication or research as technology develops. 
 
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201.3 EXPLANATION OF THE VOIR DIRE PROCESS  
 
Voir Dire: 
 
The last thing I want to do, before we begin to select the jury, is to 
explain to you how the selection process works. 
 
Questions/Challenges: This is the part of the case where the parties and 
their lawyers have the opportunity to get to know a little bit about you, in 
order to help them come to their own conclusions about your ability to be fair 
and impartial, so they can decide who they think should be the jurors in this 
case. 
 
How we go about that is as follows: First, I’ll ask some general questions 
of you. Then, each of the lawyers will have more specific questions that they 
will ask of you. After they have asked all of their questions, I will meet with 
them and they will tell me their choices for jurors. Each side can ask that I 
exclude a person from serving on a jury if they can give me a reason to believe 
that he or she might be unable to be fair and impartial. That is what is called 
a challenge for cause. The lawyers also have a certain number of what are 
called peremptory challenges, by which they may exclude a person from the 
jury without giving a reason. By this process of elimination, the remaining 
persons are selected as the jury. It may take more than one conference among 
the parties, their attorneys, and me before the final selections are made. 
 
Purpose of Questioning: The questions that you will be asked during this 
process are not intended to embarrass you or unnecessarily pry into your 
personal affairs, but it is important that the parties and their attorneys know 
enough about you to make this important decision. If a question is asked that 
you would prefer not to answer in front of the whole courtroom, just let me 
know and you can come up here and give your answer just in front of the 
attorneys and me. If you have a question of either the attorneys or me, don’t 
hesitate to let me know. 
 
Response to Questioning: There are no right or wrong answers to the 
questions that will be asked of you. The only thing that I ask is that you 
answer the questions as frankly and as honestly and as completely as you can. 
You [will take] [have taken] an oath to answer all questions truthfully and 
completely and you must do so. Remaining silent when you have information 
you should disclose is a violation of that oath as well. If a juror violates this 
 
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oath, it not only may result in having to try the case all over again but also can 
result in civil and criminal penalties against a juror personally. So, again, it is 
very important that you be as honest and complete with your answers as you 
possibly can. If you don’t understand the question, please raise your hand and 
ask for an explanation or clarification. 
 
In sum, this is a process to assist the parties and their attorneys to select 
a fair and impartial jury. All of the questions they ask you are for this 
purpose. If, for any reason, you do not think you can be a fair and impartial 
juror, you must tell us.