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Attacking Jury Verdicts: Paradigms For Rule Revision, Ronald L. Carlson, Steven M. Sumberg

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The rule that a juror cannot impeach his own verdict has been applied inconsistently by the courts. This article describes the majority rule, known as the Mansfield or no-impeachment rule, and examines its origin and supporting policies. It then presents minority rules, questions posed by post-verdict interviewing of jurors, and procedural problems that accompany the impeachment of verdicts. The article also analyzes the recent erosion of the Mansfield rule and suggests that an exception to the rule should be made to allow a juror to impeach his own verdict by proving that he was threatened.