Rule 3.500 Verdict of Guilty Where More Than One Count

When someone is charged with more than one crime in the same case, the jury cannot just say "guilty" as a single blanket decision. They must spell out exactly which charges they are finding the person guilty of.

This protects the defendant by making sure everyone knows the outcome of each specific charge. A person could be found guilty on some counts and not guilty on others, so the jury has to be clear about each one separately.