The presiding professional judge in the incoming citizen judge system will tell the lay participants to use their 'common sense' in deciding criminal cases, according to draft models of such instructions.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>The models map out what presiding judges are expected to tell the lay judges, who will be randomly chosen from the general public, before they begin examining criminal cases under the system taking effect in 2009.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Among the phrases recommended are 'Make a judgment in accordance with your common sense solely on the basis of evidence presented to the court,' 'Don't judge by information reported by the press,' 'Your opinion has the same weight as that of a –

judge," and "You are allowed to talk to others about (general) impressions you formed by serving (as a lay judge)."

The draft models will be reported May 23 to a commission on Supreme Court rules before being distributed to professional judges throughout the country.

The law setting rules on lay judges' participation in criminal trials stipulates that the presiding judge "explains their authority, obligations and other required items (to lay judges) as specified by Supreme Court regulations."

The top court is expected to lay out some basic legal concepts, such as "who shoulders the burden of proof" and "evidence-based examinations," while allowing individual courts to decide what precisely to tell lay judges.