Legal Definitions - jury stress

Jury stress is when a person who is serving on a jury feels physical discomfort and mental anxiety because of their jury duty. This stress can come from changes to their daily routine, difficult questions from lawyers, the pressure of making a decision during deliberations, and seeing disturbing evidence. Some jurors may even continue to feel sick or sad after their jury duty is over.

• A juror who is used to going to the gym every morning may feel stressed because they can't keep up their normal routine during the trial.
• A juror may feel anxious when a lawyer asks them a tough question that they don't know how to answer.
• During deliberations, a juror may feel stressed because they want to make the right decision, but they're not sure what that is.
• A juror may feel upset or disturbed after seeing graphic photos or hearing testimony about a violent crime.

These examples show how different aspects of jury duty can cause stress for jurors. It's important for courts to recognize this and try to make the experience as comfortable as possible for jurors.

Courts are working to make jury duty less stressful for jurors. They are giving jurors more notice about when they need to serve, and they are using plain language to explain the rules of the trial. Some courts also offer counseling services to jurors who are involved in high-profile cases or who are feeling particularly stressed.