What Happens if I get a Hung Jury in Georgia?
In Georgia, if a jury cannot agree unanimously on a verdict, they may be declared as “hung.” This actually happens quite often, but many people don’t understand the implications a hung jury can have on their criminal case.
While the best outcome after a jury trial is a not guilty verdict, if the jury is hung, it can often lead to the prosecutor working out a better plea deal or even dropping charges. This is especially true in cases where the State feels that they may have a problem getting witnesses to return to testify.
It is essential to find out what issues made the jury be hung and how many of the jurors were voting not guilty and guilty. If a jury is hung in favor of the defendant, the State may be inclined to not pursue the case any further. At the least, if you can find out what issues were causing the jury to have problems, you can fix them if the case is brought up for trial again.
If you are facing a jury trial, you need an experienced trial lawyer to guide you through it. Give us a call today to learn how we can help you win your case.