First time waiting for a jury verdict? There are two main events to watch for: 1) the jury sends a note or question for the judge to answer, which might imply what they're thinking or what direction they're leaning — although reading tea leaves is hit or miss 2) the jury says they have a verdict — then everyone gets called back to the courtroom for the verdict to be presented Typically juries deliberate during ordinary court hours, so if there's no verdict by 5 pm, they go home and continue the next day. But that depends on the judge, who can decide to keep the jury after hours if they want. In federal criminal cases, the jury has to be unanimous to render a verdict. It's either 12-0 guilty, 12-0 not guilty, or else the jury "hangs" and fails to render a decision. One juror who refuses to go along with the other 11 can hang a jury. A hung jury ends the trial without a verdict, and then the government has to decide if they want to retry the case all over again. Sometimes they do, sometimes they decide they've had enough and walk away. A hung jury is generally viewed as a win for the defense. If the jury doesn't reach a verdict for a long enough time, or says they're hung, the judge might give an "Allen charge," which is basically an instruction for the jury to try harder. Judges hate when juries hang because of how much time and resources go into a trial. They don't want to run it again if they can help it. Lawyers love to speculate about whether short or long deliberations benefit the defense or prosecution. Generally, most agree that a long deliberation is good for the defense, because it means the jury is analyzing the evidence carefully and not just condemning the defendant based on bad vibes. It also can suggest a holdout juror who refuses to go along with the pack, and a hung jury is a win for the defense. Typically the verdict is binary: either guilty or not guilty on each count in the indictment. The jury doesn't have to explain their reasoning or address any particular factual or legal issue, unless there's a special verdict form that requires them to do so. There are no cameras allowed in federal courtrooms, so all we can do is wait for people at the courthouse to report here on any new developments. Waiting for a verdict is a uniquely painful experience. Just keep breathing....