The Aporia
The Aporia
Volokh, E. (2026, October 16). "If You Throw a Skunk into the Jury Box, You Can't Instruct the Jury Not to Smell It". Reason. https://reason.com/volokh/2026/10/16/if-you-throw-a-skunk-into-the-jury-box-you-cant-instruct-the-jury-not-to-smell-it/
Volokh, Eugene. “"If You Throw a Skunk into the Jury Box, You Can't Instruct the Jury Not to Smell It".” Reason, 16 Oct. 2026, https://reason.com/volokh/2026/10/16/if-you-throw-a-skunk-into-the-jury-box-you-cant-instruct-the-jury-not-to-smell-it/.
Volokh, Eugene. “"If You Throw a Skunk into the Jury Box, You Can't Instruct the Jury Not to Smell It".” Reason, October 16, 2026. https://reason.com/volokh/2026/10/16/if-you-throw-a-skunk-into-the-jury-box-you-cant-instruct-the-jury-not-to-smell-it/.
Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.
Eugene Volokh from Reason Magazine referenced a piece of colorful lawyer wisdom in an article dated October 16, 2026. The phrase "If you throw a skunk into the jury box, you can't instruct the jury not to smell it" has been used since at least 1931 and is exemplified in Dunn v. U.S.(5th Cir. 1962). This metaphor suggests that once evidence is introduced into a trial, attempts to ignore or suppress its impact are futile. Volokh notes the phrase's longevity and widespread use in legal contexts over several decades.