Maria Shriver Is Seated as a Juror in Product Liability Trial

California first lady Maria Shriver was seated as a juror in a product liability trial that got underway Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court.

Shriver was one of seven jurors selected to decide the case against the Keller Corp., a Florida company that manufactured extension ladders. The plaintiff, Leon B. Hudson, 57, of Riverside, says he suffered permanent arm and back injuries when a ladder he was descending collapsed as a result of a defective locking device.

Before being seated, Shriver was asked if her views about the lawsuit might be colored by her governor-husband’s call for tort reform in California. She also was asked if there was anything in her past work as a correspondent on NBC-TV’s “Dateline” that might compromise her impartiality. Shriver replied that she believed in the civil jury system and had an open mind about the case.

The trial was expected to last about four days.