Jury is a story of the power of ordinary citizens to bring fairness and justice to our legal system. Although some people fear that jury duty will be a waste of their time, it is actually a great opportunity to take a break from work (and still get paid for the day!) while learning something new and doing good in the community. And, if your employer is cool about it, you can do your normal freelance work from the waiting room while being compensated for missing a few hours of work!
After the judge gives the jury instructions, lawyers present opening statements and call and cross-examine witnesses. Then the judge calls for a closing argument from each side. Closing arguments help jurors put the evidence in a logical and easily understandable order so they can find a verdict.
Then the jury retires to discuss the case with one another in private. Jurors must not use any outside information about the case, including information they hear about in the media or from friends, unless the court allows them to do so. This is because private sources of information may be half-true, biased, or irrelevant to the case at hand.
At the end of deliberations, the jury tells the judge they have a verdict. The judge reads it into the record in open court. Jurors are free to go about their regular business after this, but most check with the jury office to make sure their service is complete.
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