9.58 Questions of law

During a trial, the judge decides all legal questions that come up. This means if there's a dispute about what the law says or how it applies, that's the judge's job to figure out, not the jury's.

The jury's role is different. Once the judge makes a ruling on a legal issue, the jury has to accept it and follow it. Jurors can't decide they disagree with the judge's interpretation of the law and rule based on their own view instead. Their job is to weigh the facts and evidence, while the judge handles what the law requires.

This split keeps trials consistent and fair. It means everyone in the courtroom is working from the same legal rules, decided by someone trained to interpret them, while the jury focuses on what actually happened in the case.