10.04 Examination of jurors after verdict

Once a jury reaches a verdict, the losing side generally cannot question jurors afterward to try to overturn the result. Courts want jury deliberations to stay private, so lawyers can't dig around asking jurors what they were thinking or how they made their decision in hopes of finding a reason for a new trial.

There's only one narrow exception. If a jury decided the case by chance, like flipping a coin or drawing straws instead of actually weighing the evidence, that can be investigated. This is called deciding a verdict "by lot," and it's the one situation where jurors can be questioned after the trial ends.

This rule protects the finality of jury verdicts. Without it, every losing party could hunt for jurors willing to say they had doubts or made mistakes, which would make trials less final and put pressure on jurors after the fact. The rule keeps the focus on whether the jury followed a fair process, not on second-guessing their reasoning once the verdict is in.