In legal terms, a sealed verdict is the decision made by a jury during a criminal trial that remains confidential until it is publicly disclosed. The term originated in the mid-19th century when jurors would affix their personal seals to their written findings and not release them until the judge ratified them. Judges continue to order juries to not make their decisions public until the verdict is read and accepted in open court.
The purpose of a sealed verdict is to ensure that the jurors’ decision is final and free of outside influence. It also prevents the public from being influenced by the jury’s deliberations before the verdict is officially announced. In some high-profile cases, a sealed verdict may also protect jurors from being harassed or intimidated by the media or public.
Modern Examples
The most recent example of a sealed verdict was in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. In April 2021, after 11 hours of deliberations, the jury returned a sealed verdict. Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over the case, immediately ordered the sealed verdict to be kept secret until it could be read in open court. On April 20, 2021, at 3:00 pm, the jury’s decision was finally revealed in court and Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
In another high-profile case, the jury in New York’s Harvey Weinstein trial reached a sealed verdict of guilty on two of the five counts they had been tasked with determining. The jury voted unanimously in favor of guilty on the first and third counts, predatory sexual assault and criminal sexual act in the first degree, respectively. The jury then deliberated on the other three counts until their decision was made secret.
Conclusion
A sealed verdict is the official decision made by a jury, which is kept confidential until it is publicly revealed. This practice makes sure that the verdict is final and free of outside influence. It also protects jurors’ safety if the trial has received a great deal of media attention. The judge presiding over the trial places the order for a sealed verdict, usually after the jury has reached their decision.