There are two different reasons for counsel to seek to interview jurors after a trial: to expose improper outside influence on the jurors or to obtain the jury’s evaluation of the attorney’s performance. Each has its own procedure, which must be carefully followed.
Juror contact in the Eastern District is covered by Local Criminal Rule 24.1. The rule prohibits an attorney, party, or witness from communicating prior to trial with any person who is a member of the venire from which the member may be selected to be a member of the jury. The same prohibition applies to communicating with a member of the jury during the trial of a case. After the conclusion of the trial, an attorney, witness or party are prohibited from contacting any juror without first obtaining permission from the court.
