The California Second District Court of Appeals ruled against a judge who ordered a defense attorney to refrain from posting information relating to a trial. Her adversaries, Ford and Volkswagen, were concerned that in a digital age posting verdicts against the automakers in other trials could prejudice jurors even though they were warned not to do research on their own. (The Recorder, October 30, 201, by Scott Graham)
The appeals court said that the way to handle the issue was to instruct the jurors not to Google any information about the case and then to discipline any jurors who did. That way the proper balance could be maintained between free speech and a fair trial. (ABA Journal, November 4, 2013, by Debra Cassens Weiss)