ABA Journal Blawg 100!
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Civility at work, at school, and in the courtroom
Civility has become a popular topic for researchers, business owners and human resources personnel. We know that uncivil or rude behavior at work causes stress and other physical ailments for employees.
Now, however, we are seeing that even just witnessing the rude behavior of others can harm you even if you are not the target. It’s also bad for business. Customers who see rude behavior between your employees don’t like it and they evaluate your business negatively both in the short-term and the long-term.
These issues do not only affect workplaces. They affect juries and they affect the courtroom. From reports of gang signs in the Astor trial jury room intended to intimidate a juror to a juror throwing a chair in the Fosamax trial to deliberations “turned poisonous” in the Tyco trial– it is apparent that uncivil behavior is commonplace.
Judge John DiMotto writes the Bench and Bar Experiences blog and talks about the judge/jury relationship in its many facets. He sees it as the judge’s responsibility (as courtroom host) to encourage juror civility. Judge DiMotto says the judge should not only talk to jurors about not discussing the case amongst themselves until deliberation and that they should not do internet research. He expects judges to go further and talk to jurors about how to deliberate civilly and just what that means in terms of behavior. When judges set a high bar for courtroom behavior, and jurors see civility between the attorneys during a trial, they can take that behavior forward in the jury room. If more judges did what Judge DiMotto does, perhaps we would see fewer flying chairs, gang signs and “poisonous” deliberations.
[Note: Dr. Handrich has presented workshops on “Workplace Civility” to thousands of participants and is an expert in this area—DK]
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RT @KeeneTrial: Yesterday's blog post: Civility (at work, at school, and in the courtroom) http://bit.ly/b0rJPj
Good post… Civility at work, at school, and in the courtroom http://bit.ly/dasbPG (via The Jury Room)