Technology in Court: Google Potential Jurors During Jury Selection?

US appeals court rules counsel may 'Google' potential jurors names during jury selection.

Legal Blog Watch reports on Evan Brown's Internet Cases blog which: "flagged an interesting case over the weekend coming out of Morris County, N.J. . . .  the courthouse in that county provides wireless internet access, and during jury selection, plaintiffs counsel in a medical malpractice case began using his laptop to "Google" potential jurors to gain additional information about them."

On appeal (Carino v. Muenzen, 2010 WL 3448071 (N.J.Super.A.D. August 30, 2010)), it was held that "the trial court's prohibition was unreasonable"

"There was no suggestion that counsel’s use of the computer was in any way disruptive. That he had the foresight to bring his laptop computer to court, and defense counsel did not, simply cannot serve as a basis for judicial intervention in the name of “fairness” or maintaining “a level playing field.” The “playing field” was, in fact, already “level” because internet access was open to both counsel, even if only one of them chose to utilize it."

It looks like there might be a practical reason or two for buying the latest iPad for Christmas. What do our readers think?