Forget high tech, jurors and judge communicate the way sneaky high school kids do: with notes

Forget high tech, jurors and judge stick to notes

CHICAGO — In an age when palm-sized computers can fire off electronic messages, judges communicate with deliberating jurors as teenagers used to do in homeroom: They pass paper notes to each other.

Except sometimes they appear not to be using the same language. With judges using stilted legalese and jurors writing in awkwardly formal English, miscommunication can be common.

Jurors in former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s corruption case return to court Monday for their 13th day of deliberations after their attempts to communicate with the judge left people scratching their heads.

While seemingly archaic, the note passing is actually a modern practice that evolved as judges sought to limit appeals based on what they tell juries.