Legal Definitions - talesman

Definition: A talesman is a person who is selected from among the bystanders in court to serve as a juror when the original jury panel has become deficient in number. They are also known as a veniremember or tales-juror.

Examples: If a trial requires 12 jurors, but only 11 are available, a talesman may be selected from the courtroom to serve as the 12th juror. Another example would be if a juror is dismissed during the trial, a talesman may be selected to replace them.

Explanation: The examples illustrate how a talesman is used to fill in for a missing juror or to replace a juror who has been dismissed during a trial. They are selected from the courtroom to ensure that the jury panel is complete and can make a fair and impartial decision.