Court Opinion

ID: 9692523
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 15:56:34.012682+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:35.110224
License: Public Domain

Brickley, J.
I have signed and concur in the opinion of Justice Archer, but wish to express an agreement with one aspect of the dissent of Chief Justice Riley. While I do not think it was the gravamen of the juror’s bias in this case, the practice of testing the jury on specific dollar amount damage awards is not a good practice and is certainly within the court’s discretion to avoid. As the Chief Justice points out, it not only might "pledge” the jury to a verdict to the unfair detriment of the defendant, but in situations where the juror bias is less evident than in this case, it might well create an appearance of bias against a high dollar verdict that is only a reaction to a high dollar figure that is heard prior to the introduction of any evidence or instruction on the law.