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This also oversimplifies how things work. Typically what happens in the US is, the judge presents the jury a list of mostly Y/N questions that is essentially a flow chart, which they must answer. This list is determined based on the arguments and evidence provided, and something that the judge works with both, the plaintiff and defense lawyers, to draft.

Jurors cannot deviate from that flowchart. For instance, there may be only one set of questions to which you must answer Yes or No to reach the question that says "What damages do you award?"

But if your answers do not lead you down to the conclusion that you'd like, too bad, the law and the facts don't support your preference.

Juries could return any verdict that is not supported by the instructions, but I'd guess that is grounds for a mistrial.



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