I had a similar experience. After jury selection, the trial seemed to start almost immediately and I was surprised that we were not given more background information or preparation before opening statements started. During the trial I felt like there was a lot of pressure to not ask any questions or ask for any clarifications. Even when the jury asked for a repeat of the definition of reasonable doubt, the request had to be talked about by the lawyers and the judge. Then during deliberation, we had to ask permission to view different pieces of evidence, which generally added friction to the process.
