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Medical conditions, deafness, difficult sitting for long periods, people who know the defendant or officers, people who've been victims of crimes, financial hardship, and more will be excused. Depending on the county, they might call 100 people to select just 12.

During voir dire, either attorney may ask that a prospective juror be dismissed if he or she reveals information that might indicate a bias. For example, if someone were a relative of the plaintiff or defendant.

The JI-ALL database includes all state and federal published, pattern, standard, and model civil and criminal jury instructions. To access this database, click Dockets, Trial Filings, and Jury Verdicts at the top of the page, then click Jury Instructions Combined in the Jury Instructions section.

Either before or after the closing arguments by the lawyers, the judge will explain the law that applies to the case to you. This is the judge's instruction to the jury. You have to apply that law to the facts, as you have heard them, in arriving at your verdict.

For jury instructions to be effective, they must be clear and simple. Sentences should be short; instruc- • tions should contain no more than a few sentences, cover only one topic, and be directly related to the circumstances of the case (they should not be abstract statements of the law).

Jurors swear an oath to follow those instructions and fulfill their duty impartially. Jury nullification happens when juries disregard that oath and acquit a defendant because they disagree with the law.

PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS WHICH PROVIDE A BODY OF BRIEF, UNIFORM INSTRUCTIONS THAT FULLY STATE THE LAW WITHOUT NEEDLESS REPETION ARE PRESENTED; BASIC, SPECIAL, OFFENSE, AND TRIAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED.

(1) Members of the jury, now it is time for me to instruct you about the law you must follow in deciding this case. (2) I will start by explaining your duties and the general rules that apply in every criminal case. (3) Then I will explain the elements of the crimes that the defendant is accused of committing.

Reasons for Being Excused from Jury Service Medical reasons. Public necessity. Undue hardship. Dependent care. Student Status. Military conflict. Other reason deemed sufficient by the court.