Law school to host seminar sessions on topic of jury bias

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Jul 18, 2013

Is there bias in juries in the United States?  In recent days, that question has been underscored – especially in the wake of the Trayvon Martin case in Florida, and even in the context of the ongoing Christopher Deedy trial in Hawai‘i.

On Friday, July 19, 2013, the question of bias in juries – especially in relation to juries in East Asia – will be part of a morning mini-seminar at the William S. Richardson School of Law on the campus of UH Mānoa.

The program, “Jury Systems in East Asia and the U.S.,” brings together top legal scholars from Hawai‘i, Japan and Korea to discuss and debate the role and desirability of jury systems. The program is hosted by the law school's Culture and Jury Project, in collaboration with Seoul National University Law School.

Richardson Law Dean Avi Soifer called the seminar an important example of how legal institutions work together to create greater understanding of a topic of great importance.

“Whatever one thinks about a particular jury decision, the jury system is fascinating," said Dean Soifer.  "There is much to be learned as other legal systems have implemented variations on the important ways that juries function in the United States. We anticipate a lively discussion with our colleagues from Korea and Japan, joined by other experts from our legal community.”

The program, in Room 254, begins with an 8:30 a.m. welcome by Dean Soifer, and breakfast, followed by two sessions.

Session One, 9-10:20 a.m. Chair Justin Levinson, Richardson Law Professor:

Part 1) Participant: Jae-Hyup Lee, Seoul National University, Korea, speaking about the Korean Jury System and Reflections from the 5-Year Implementation. Discussion by Patrick Border, Judge, First Circuit of Hawai‘i, and Richardson Associate Law Professor Tae-Ung Baik.

Part 2) Participant: Syugo Hotta, Meiji University, Japan. Discussion by David Johnson, UH Department of Sociology, and Hirofumi Ito, Aichi Law School, Japan.

Session Two, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon Chair Jisuk Woo, Seoul National University, Korea:

Part 3) Participant: Justin Levinson, Empirical Examinations of Bias in U.S. Juries. Discussion by Mark Davis, Davis Levin Livingston, Honolulu.

Part 4) Roundtable Discussion with Tsun-Chen Kang, Judge, Chiai District Court, Taiwan; and Do Kyun Kim, Seoul National University.

Lunch will be served from 12 noon-1:15 p.m.

For more information, visit: https://www.law.hawaii.edu/