Bill > HB4184

This bill modifies the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to expand the role of juries in criminal trials by explicitly granting them the power to judge both the facts and the law. Specifically, the bill allows juries to determine that while a defendant may be technically guilty according to the law, the law itself might be unjust or unjustly applied, thereby giving them the discretion to find the defendant not guilty or guilty of a lesser included offense. The bill also establishes that defendants have a right to inform juries about this power and to present evidence related to the law's merit, intent, constitutionality, the defendant's motives, degree of guilt, and potential punishment. Additionally, the bill prevents potential jurors from being disqualified solely for expressing a willingness to exercise this expanded judicial power. The changes will apply only to juries empaneled on or after September 1, 2025, and represent a significant shift in the traditional understanding of jury function by allowing more substantive jury nullification in criminal trials.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4184