47Failure to reach unanimous verdict in civil trials

47 Failure to reach unanimous verdict in civil trials S. 47(1) substituted by No. 43/2002 s. 7. (1) In this section, ***majority verdict*** means— (a) if, at the time of returning its verdict, the jury consists of 6 jurors—a verdict on which 5 of them agree; (b) if, at the time of returning its verdict, the jury consists of 5 jurors—a verdict on which 4 of them agree. S. 47(2) substituted by No. 43/2002 s. 7. (2) If the jury in a civil trial has not reached a unanimous verdict after at least 3 hours deliberation, the court may, subject to subsection (3), take a majority verdict as the verdict of the jury. S. 47(2A) inserted by No. 43/2002 s. 7. (2A) If, after deliberating for at least 6 hours, the jury in a civil trial is unable to agree on a majority verdict, the judge may discharge the jury. (3) A court must refuse to take a majority verdict if it considers that the jury has not had a period of time for deliberation that the court thinks reasonable, having regard to the nature and complexity of the trial.