Legal Definitions - tales

Definition: Tales (tay-leez or taylz) are a group of additional jurors who are summoned to fill a panel that has become deficient in number due to juror challenges or exemptions. They are usually drawn from the bystanders present at the courthouse. The term comes from the Latin word "talis," which means "such," and is used in the phrase "tales de circumstantibus," which means "such of the bystanders."

For example, if a trial requires 12 jurors, but only 10 are available due to challenges or exemptions, the court may summon tales to fill the remaining two spots. These tales are chosen from the people present in the courthouse who are eligible to serve as jurors.

Another example is when a judge issues a writ or order summoning tales to appear in court. This usually happens when there are not enough jurors available to form a complete panel for a trial.

These examples illustrate how tales are used to ensure that a trial has a sufficient number of jurors to make a fair and impartial decision. They are called upon only when the regular panel of jurors is insufficient, and they are chosen from the bystanders present in the courthouse to serve as additional jurors.