Jury nullification occurs when a jury chooses a "not guilty" verdict even though the jury believes that the defendant committed the act with which they are charged. In effect, the jury refuses to apply the law. The Constitutional "double jeopardy" protection then prevents the same court from reconsidering the same matter after the jury returns a verdict of "not guilty."

Perform some research on jury nullification. When has it been used? Should juries be informed that they have the ability to nullify? Is jury nullification an important feature of our legal system or a damaging idiosyncrasy? Should courts seek to prevent jury nullification or encourage it as an important protection for defendants in limited circumstances? Can you think of some examples in which you would favor jury nullification? Be sure to support your arguments and conclusions with authoritative sources, and research a case that is an example of jury nullification or discusses jury nullification.