A juror shall not act on his or her private knowledge respecting the facts, witnesses, or parties.
§ 9-10-6.Juror’s private knowledge
Chapter 10. Civil Practice and Procedure Generally · Article 1. General Provisions · Last amended 2011 · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceA juror may not decide a case based on personal knowledge about the facts, witnesses, or parties that was never introduced as evidence at trial.
Full Text of § 9-10-6
Plain-English Summary
Jurors decide cases on what comes out in the courtroom, not on what they happen to know from their own lives. This section states that plainly: a juror cannot act on private knowledge of the facts, the witnesses, or the parties.
The rule protects the trial process itself. If a juror brings in outside information nobody had a chance to test through cross-examination or rebut with other evidence, the parties lose the ability to respond to it. The rule keeps the jury’s verdict tied to the record built in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a juror prohibited from doing under this section?
A juror may not act on private knowledge respecting the facts, witnesses, or parties in the case.
Why would a juror’s outside knowledge be a problem?
The section does not explain the reasoning itself, but by barring reliance on private knowledge, it confines the juror’s decision to what was presented at trial.
Does this section apply to knowledge about any of the three categories — facts, witnesses, or parties?
Yes, it covers private knowledge respecting any of the three: the facts of the case, the witnesses, or the parties.
Is there an exception allowing jurors to use personal knowledge in limited circumstances?
The text states the prohibition without carving out an exception.
Does this section relate to jury deliberation on collateral issues?
It applies to jurors generally in acting on the facts, witnesses, or parties before them, which includes the collateral issues jurors are assigned to try.
Amendment History
Civil Code 1895, § 5337; Civil Code 1910, § 5932; Code 1933, § 110-108; Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 9/HB 24.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, published by the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Georgia Code Revision Commission / LexisNexis. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: juror personal knowledge prohibited georgiajuror outside knowledge rule georgiajury verdict based on evidence only georgiageorgia rule against juror private facts