Jury

Revamping Jury Duty: States Consider Higher Pay and Efficient Processes to Boost Diversity and Ease Financial Strain

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Jury duty, long considered a cornerstone of the U.S. justice system intended to reflect a broad spectrum of society, has increasingly been perceived as an onerous obligation. Across the country, from federal to local levels, the functional ideal of a jury—an equitable representation of peer judgment—faces practical hurdles. Jurors often must sacrifice income and time, raising concerns about the diverse makeup and fairness of these small bodies empowered to deliver monumental decisions. In 2023, revelations from multiple reports illuminated a jarring disparity in juror compensation, which in some cases, is as low as $4 per … Read more

Georgia Jury Hits Bayer’s Monsanto with $2.1 Billion Verdict in Cancer Lawsuit Over Roundup Weedkiller

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Marietta, GA — In a landmark jury decision, John Barnes was awarded over $2.1 billion in damages after claiming that Monsanto’s popular weed killer, Roundup, contributed to his cancer diagnosis. The Cobb County jury assigned $65 million in compensatory damages and a substantial $2 billion in punitive damages against Bayer, Monsanto’s parent company, following a three-week trial. Bayer, a German conglomerate that acquired Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion, disagreed with the jury’s findings, citing widespread regulatory assessments and scientific studies supporting the safety of glyphosate, the herbicide’s active ingredient. The company announced intentions to … Read more

Fresno Jury to Decide Groundbreaking Fentanyl Murder Case as Deliberations Begin

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FRESNO, Calif. — The fate of Cassidy Gonzalez now rests in the hands of a jury after closing arguments concluded on Monday, marking a significant moment in Fresno County’s legal history. Gonzalez faces murder charges in what has been labeled as the county’s first fentanyl-related murder trial, drawing intense scrutiny and local attention. Prosecutors argue that Gonzalez deliberately provided the fentanyl that led to the death of Jade Dreith in 2022, emphasizing her awareness of the potent drug’s lethal nature. “Cassidy Gonzalez sent that message and admitted to providing the pills that killed Jade,” stated … Read more

Georgia Jury Awards $2 Billion for Cancer Claim Against Bayer; State Considers Law to Limit Future Lawsuits

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DALTON, Ga. — A monumental $2 billion jury award to a Georgia man who attributes his cancer to prolonged Roundup herbicide use has garnered significant attention, coinciding with a proposed state law that might prevent such cases from reaching court in the future. The verdict has notably impacted Bayer AG, the parent company of Monsanto, which developed Roundup. Georgia resident John Barnes, who has battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), claimed his illness was due to using Roundup from 1999 to 2019. The jury awarded Barnes, a former Marine and family man, $2 billion in punitive damages … Read more