Rule 606 Juror's Competency as a Witness

This rule covers whether jurors can testify about what happened during a trial or during their own deliberations.

First, a juror cannot testify as a witness in the same case they are deciding. If someone is sitting on the jury, they cannot also take the stand and give evidence in that trial. This rule applies automatically, so no one needs to object for it to take effect.

Second, once a verdict is reached, jurors generally cannot testify or give statements about what happened in the jury room. They cannot talk about what was said during deliberations, how the discussion affected anyone's vote, or what any juror was personally thinking when they reached their decision. Courts will not accept sworn statements or other evidence about these inner workings of jury deliberations, even after the trial ends.

There are three narrow exceptions to this rule. A juror can testify if outside information that should not have been considered somehow reached the jury. A juror can also testify if someone tried to improperly influence the jury from outside the deliberation room. Finally, a juror can point out if the verdict was written down incorrectly on the verdict form, such as a clerical mistake. These exceptions exist to catch outside interference or clear errors, not to let people question how jurors reasoned through their decision.