# The Verdict

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-verdict/64686>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 7, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-verdict/64686 "2001-05-07T22:11:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![struct](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@struct](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/struct)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-verdict/64686/1 "2001-05-07T22:11:54Z")

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In television courtroom dramas, at the end of a trial, you almost always see the jury foreman or forewoman hand a piece of paper to a bailiff, who then hands it to the judge, who then reads it and then asks if the jury has reached a verdict. I’d like to know two things: 1) Does that actually happen at a real trial? and 2) What is (or is supposed to) be on that piece of paper?