Art. 819 Separate verdict for each count

When someone is charged with more than one crime in the same case, each charge is called a "count." This rule says the jury has to decide a separate verdict for each count. They can't lump everything together into one decision.

For example, if a person is charged with both theft and assault in the same case, the jury must say whether the person is guilty or not guilty of the theft, and separately, whether they are guilty or not guilty of the assault.

The only exception is if the jury simply cannot agree on one of the counts. In that situation, the jury can still give verdicts on the counts they agree on, and the count they're stuck on may need to be handled separately, often through a new trial on just that charge.