Court Opinion

ID: 9790597
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:55:41.659917+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:30.484269
License: Public Domain

DENEOKE, J.,
specially concurring.
I concur in the majority opinion that the conduct of the jurors, as disclosed by the affidavits, is not a ground for setting aside the verdict. However, I believe it is unrealistic and unnecessary to write, “Affidavits of jurors will not be received to impeach their verdict,” or that such affidavits are not to be examined or are irrelevant. In my opinion such statements hide the real process that occurs. The trial judge attempts to find out whether there was misconduct on the jury’s part.① If, judged by the precedents of this court, the misconduct “would violate ‘the plainest principles of justice’ ” the trial court will set *349aside the verdict. (State v. Imlah, 204 Or 43, 55, 281 P2d 973, which in turn quoted from McDonald v. Pless, 238 US 264, 59 L ed 1300, 35 S Ct 783.) It is the seriousness of the misconduct which is the crux of the problem and all these other statements obscure this. State v. Gardner, 230 Or 569, 371 P2d 558, merely attempts to lift the veils and reveal the true issue. I do not interpret State v. Gardner, supra, as any attempt to relax the well-established principle of this and most courts that only the most gross jury misconduct will afford grounds for setting aside a verdict.
I also cannot concur with the majority’s attempt to set out “guidelines”② outlining what misconduct is so serious as to justify setting aside a verdict. Such disagreement is not intended to indicate that any lesser misconduct should be grounds to set aside a verdict. The disagreement is because the “guidelines” are abstract without relation to the facts of this case and because I doubt that they will cover the myriad combinations of facts which will come before this court.
Sloan and O’Connell, JJ., concur.

 It is my opinion -that if the trial court believes, on the basis of the affidavits, that there may have been serious misconduct, it holds a hearing on the matter with witnesses sworn and cross-examination permitted. In light of ORS 17.615-17.625 and State v. Magers, 36 Or 38, 58 P 892, the correctness of this procedure is not free from doubt, but normally it is the only method by which the trial court can determine the facts. Affidavits are admissible evidence in only a few instances. ORS 45.120. They are admissible to support a motion for a new trial on the ground of misconduct. They are the weakest kind of evidence. 32 CJS 1075, Evidence § 1032, n 81.

 From Mr. Justice Harlan’s dissent in Sanders v. United States, No. 202, US S Ct, April 29, 1963.