Rule 283 Duty of Officer Attending Jury

The court officer watching over the jury has very strict rules about communication. They cannot talk to the jurors about anything, and they cannot let anyone else talk to the jurors either. The only thing the officer is allowed to ask the jury is whether they have reached a verdict.

The officer also must keep the jury's discussions private. They cannot tell anyone outside the jury room what the jurors are talking about or what decision they may have reached, until the verdict is officially announced in court.