The governing authority of each county shall provide facilities for the impaneling of juries and for their deliberations. Jury deliberation rooms shall ensure the privacy of the jurors and include space, furnishings, and facilities conducive to reaching a fair verdict. The deliberation rooms shall be safe and secure. To the extent feasible, juror facilities shall be arranged to minimize contact between jurors and parties, counsel, and the public. While the jury is deliberating, the presiding judge may direct them to be furnished with such food and nonalcoholic beverages as the judge shall think proper.
(Laws 1831, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 554; Ga. L. 1859, p. 52, § 1; Code 1863, § 3851; Code 1868, § 3871; Code 1873, § 3947; Code 1882, § 3947; Ga. L. 1884-85, p. 43, § 1; Penal Code 1895, § 879; Penal Code 1910, § 884; Code 1933, § 59-718; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1292, § 10.)
Code Commission notes.- Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1995, "impaneling" was substituted for "empaneling" in the first sentence.
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
Coercion of jury if judge stated that the jury must pay for meals if the jury had been out all night requires a new trial. Physioc v. Shea, 75 Ga. 466 (1885).
Refreshments are to be served at court direction only. O'Barr v. Alexander & Trammell, 37 Ga. 195 (1867).
Medicine is to be furnished. O'Shields v. State, 55 Ga. 696 (1876).
RESEARCH REFERENCES
ALR.
- Use of intoxicating liquor by jurors: civil cases, 6 A.L.R.3d 934.
Use of intoxicating liquor by jurors: criminal cases, 7 A.L.R.3d 1040.
Propriety of juror's tests or experiments outside of court or jury room, 77 A.L.R.6th 251.