jury nullification
noun
: the acquitting of a defendant by a jury in disregard of the judge's instructions and contrary to the jury's findings of fact
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Joey Jackson, a defense lawyer and CNN legal analyst, raised the possibility of jury nullification. 
Ray Sanchez, CNN, 23 Dec. 2021 Thanks to a bit of jury nullification and some sharp legal work Hovind got off entirely, while Hansen was sentenced to eighteen months. Peter J Reilly, Forbes, 5 June 2021 One of the most famous cases of jury nullification occurred during the 1955 trial of two white men in Mississippi who were accused of murdering Emmett Till, a black teenager who had allegedly whistled at a white woman. John Blake, CNN, 5 Feb. 2020 The federal government eventually pressed charges, but at that point, jury nullification reared its ugly head. Nicole Hemmer, Vox, 18 May 2018 The Simpson case sparked endless chatter about policing, jury nullification and the criminal justice system’s treatment of black men. Jason L. Riley, WSJ, 1 May 2018
Ray Sanchez, CNN, 23 Dec. 2021 Thanks to a bit of jury nullification and some sharp legal work Hovind got off entirely, while Hansen was sentenced to eighteen months. Peter J Reilly, Forbes, 5 June 2021 One of the most famous cases of jury nullification occurred during the 1955 trial of two white men in Mississippi who were accused of murdering Emmett Till, a black teenager who had allegedly whistled at a white woman. John Blake, CNN, 5 Feb. 2020 The federal government eventually pressed charges, but at that point, jury nullification reared its ugly head. Nicole Hemmer, Vox, 18 May 2018 The Simpson case sparked endless chatter about policing, jury nullification and the criminal justice system’s treatment of black men. Jason L. Riley, WSJ, 1 May 2018 Word History
First Known Use
1972, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
jury nullification
noun
: the acquitting of a defendant by a jury in disregard of the judge's instructions and contrary to the jury's findings of fact
Note: Jury nullification is most likely to occur when a jury is sympathetic toward a defendant or regards the law under which the defendant is charged with disfavor. Except for a statutory requirement to the contrary, a jury does not have to be instructed on the possibility of jury nullification.