To sequester a jury means to isolate the jurors from outside influences during part or all of a trial so their decision is based only on the evidence and law presented in court.
Basic idea
When a jury is sequestered, jurors are kept together under court supervision and are restricted in what they can see, read, and who they can talk to about the case. They are often housed in a hotel instead of going home, and their access to news, social media, and sometimes even phones is limited or monitored.
Purpose
The main goal is to protect the fairness of the trial by preventing jurors from being influenced by media coverage, public opinion, family, friends, or attempts to pressure or tamper with them. This is most common in high‑profile or highly publicized cases where avoiding outside information would otherwise be very difficult.
How it typically works
- Jurors stay in a designated place (usually a hotel) instead of going home, with court officers supervising them.
- They cannot watch news about the case, read related articles, or look it up online, and can only discuss the case with other jurors at permitted times (usually during deliberations).
- Courts use this sparingly because it is expensive and can be burdensome for jurors’ personal lives.
