Massachusetts General Laws ch. 234A sec. 74 – Irregularities or defects causing mistrial or verdict to be set aside
Section 74. Any irregularity in compiling any list of jurors or prospective jurors; or any irregularity in qualifying, selecting, summoning, confirming, postponing, excusing, cancelling, instructing, impanelling, challenging, discharging, or managing jurors; or any irregularity in limiting any term of juror service, in length or other incident of the term; or the fact that a juror shall be found to be not qualified under section four of this chapter; or any defect in any procedure performed under this chapter shall not be sufficient to cause a mistrial or to set aside a verdict unless objection to such irregularity or defect has been made as soon as possible after its discovery or after it should have been discovered and unless the objecting party has been specially injured or prejudiced thereby.
Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 234A sec. 74
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Juror: A person who is on the jury.
- Mistrial: An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again from the selection of the jury.
- Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.