Reilly v. Wright

The centerpiece of our entire legal system is a fair and orderly trial, capped by a verdict arrived at on the basis of evidence received in a calm and rational courtroom environment. Fortunately, this describes the overwhelming preponderance of cases that go to trial. In this case, however, there was an onslaught on normal courtroom procedures; the question here is whether justice survived that onslaught.

Whether the trial that was conducted before this court and a jury can fairly be treated as a trial arises against the backdrop of two matters to be resolved by the court: (1) a post-verdict…