The impact on juror verdicts of judicial instruction to disregard inadmissible evidence: a meta-analysis.
The effect on juror verdicts of judicial instructions to disregard inadmissible evidence was evaluated using meta-analysis. One hundred seventy-five hypothesis tests from 48 studies with a combined 8,474 participants were examined. Results revealed that inadmissible evidence (IE) has a reliable effect on verdicts consistent with the content of the IE. Judicial instruction to ignore the inadmissible evidence does not effectively eliminate IE impact. However, if judges provide a rationale for a ruling of inadmissibility, juror compliance may be increased. Contested evidence ruled admissible accentuates that information, resulting in a significant impact on verdicts. Suggestions for how the courts may mitigate the impact of inadmissible evidence more effectively are discussed.
Steblay
Nancy
N
Department of Psychology, Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. steblay@augsburg.edu
Hosch
Harmon M
HM
Culhane
Scott E
SE
McWethy
Adam
A
D003416:Criminal Law / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003657:Decision Making; D030881:Disclosure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014481:United States