Jacobsen Ex Rel. Jacobsen v. Gamber

On September 26,1956, at approximately 11 a.m., the trial court submitted to the jury plaintiff’s suit for damages for personal injuries alleged to have been sustained in a collision between a pickup truck in which he was riding and an automobile owned and driven by the defendant. The jury then retired to deliberate upon its verdict. The trial judge was not a resident of Scott County and wished to leave immediately. A sealed verdict having been decided upon, the court directed the bailiff in charge of the jury to dismiss the jurors if they had not agreed by 10 p.m.

About 10:10 p.m. the bailiff…