jury nullification

noun

: the acquitting of a defendant by a jury in disregard of the judge's instructions and contrary to the jury's findings of fact

Examples of jury nullification in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Which sounds like an argument for jury nullification. Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023 Shortly after his closing argument began, Brooks referenced jury nullification, which Opper objected to and Dorow struck from the record. Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 25 Oct. 2022 Joey Jackson, a defense lawyer and CNN legal analyst, raised the possibility of jury nullification. Ray Sanchez, CNN, 23 Dec. 2021 Thanks to a bit of jury nullification and some sharp legal work Hovind got off entirely, while Hansen was sentenced to eighteen months. Peter J Reilly, Forbes, 5 June 2021 One of the most famous cases of jury nullification occurred during the 1955 trial of two white men in Mississippi who were accused of murdering Emmett Till, a black teenager who had allegedly whistled at a white woman. John Blake, CNN, 5 Feb. 2020 The federal government eventually pressed charges, but at that point, jury nullification reared its ugly head. Nicole Hemmer, Vox, 18 May 2018 The Simpson case sparked endless chatter about policing, jury nullification and the criminal justice system’s treatment of black men. Jason L. Riley, WSJ, 1 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jury nullification.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jury nullification was in 1972

Dictionary Entries Near jury nullification

Cite this Entry

“Jury nullification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury%20nullification. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

jury nullification

noun
: the acquitting of a defendant by a jury in disregard of the judge's instructions and contrary to the jury's findings of fact

Note: Jury nullification is most likely to occur when a jury is sympathetic toward a defendant or regards the law under which the defendant is charged with disfavor. Except for a statutory requirement to the contrary, a jury does not have to be instructed on the possibility of jury nullification.

More from Merriam-Webster on jury nullification

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!