According to preliminary research published in Criminal Law Review - a Thomson Reuters journal - 16 per cent of jurors believe they cannot use the internet at all, even to check their own emails, while 5 per cent believe there is no restriction at all on their use of the internet during a trial.

Influence

A further 2 per cent believed they could use the web to search for information about their case during the trial as long as it does not influence their judgment.
The study follows numerous cases which have thrown the spotlight on jurors’ inappropriate use of the internet, which has in turn led to a number of juries being discharged, or trials abandoned, and in two cases have resulted in prosecutions and convictions of jurors for contempt.

Confusing message

Cheryl Thomas, Professor of Judicial Studies at University College London’s Faculty of Laws, and author of the research, commented: ‘These findings show that the vast majority of jurors understand and follow the rules on how jurors can use new media during trial but the message is not getting through and is confusing to a significant minority of jurors.’