NJ Appeals Court Allows Googling of Potential Jurors During Jury Selection Process
As one recent New Jersey appeals decision confirms, the Internet can serve as a valuable tool for trial attorneys and litigants to research information about potential jurors. The concept of "Googling" someone's name has now become part of New Jersey trial practice. In Carino v. Muenzen, M.D. , No. 5491-08, 201 N.J. Super. LEXIS 2154 (Aug. 30, 2010), the appeals court determined that the trial court erred in prohibiting the plaintiff's lawyer from conducting Internet research on potential jurors at the counsel table. More specifically, the Carino court reasoned that there is nothing that "requires attorneys to notify the court or opposing counsel in advance of their intention to take advantage of the internet access made available by the Judiciary." Id. at *26. The Carino court determined that the fact that plaintiff's counsel "had the foresight to bring his laptop computer to court, and defense counsel did not, simply canno