Hung jury

A hung jury is a jury whose required majority cannot reach or agree upon a unanimous verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is deadlocked with irreconcilable differences of opinion.

Related Topics:
Jury - Verdict - Deliberation

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In the United States, the result is a mistrial, and the case may be retried.

Related Topics:
United States - Mistrial

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In jurisdictions giving the litigants a choice of jury size (as between a six-person and twelve-person jury), defense counsel in both civil and criminal cases frequently opt for the larger number of jurors, the saying being "it takes only one to hang," and a hung jury being regarded as the next best thing to a defense verdict.

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