By Eileen Burkhalter Smith

Check out this article where an Arkansas State Court Judge held that a juror's real time text messages about a trial did not affect the jury's verdict, and while in "poor taste" were not "improper conduct."

The Defendant, against whom a substantial verdict was entered, appealed the verdict based on the juror's text messages sent to a public website about the trial during trial. His messages referenced the name of the Defendant, the verdict entered, and the juror's feelings about it. The Court held a hearing at which the juror testified concerning his texts.