Biggirl, thank you very much for your comments and insight from a bailiff's perspective. Very interesting! I had no idea the jury could talk to the judge, prosecutor, or family after the verdict-- I sort of pictured the jury beating feet out the back door and disappearing back into society, lol! I know next to nothing about what a bailiff overseeing a jury does, and I'd love to hear more about that job-- if you would be so kind as to share!
Does every jury get a bailiff assigned, or only if it is high profile, or a murder case?
What exactly does a bailiff "do" while the jury is deliberating? Is the bailiff in the room with the jury? If not, how does the jury contact the bailiff? Phone? Pager? Does the bailiff only assist with trial issues, such as obtaining evidence, or do they help with personal issues such as getting a message to a family member about what time they will be home? Etc? I know the jury isn't supposed to use cell phones, but with a non-sequestered jury, there must be a multitude of "real life" type issues that also must be juggled by the deliberating jury!
Is the bailiff the one to contact the judge if they jury has questions?
Thanks for any insight into this "hidden" job! It's very interesting!
And Katiecoolady (or any others), did you ever have the opportunity to talk with jurors from the trial? I guess I never imagined a victim's family being able to talk directly with jurors after a guilty verdict, but I suppose all the admonitions are finished at that point. What an intense and emotional experience that would be, for both a juror and a family member.