JURY

A jury is a body of lay men and women randomly selected to determine facts and
to provide a decision in a legal proceeding. Such a body traditionally consists of 12
people and is called a petit jury or trial jury.
The exact origin of the jury system is not known. The jury is probably of Frankish
origin, beginning with inquisition, which had an accusatory and interrogatory
function. Trial by jury was brought to England by the Normans in 1066.
In medieval Europe, trials were usually decided by ordeals.
In 1215, however, the Catholic Church decided that trial by ordeal was
superstition. As a result, a new method of trial was needed, and the jury system
emerged.
At first the jury was made up of local people who could be expected to know the
defendant. A jury was convened only to "say the truth" on the basis of its
knowledge of local affairs.
In the 14th century the role of the jury finally became that of judgment of
evidence. By the 15th century trial by jury became the dominant mode of resolving
a legal issue. It was not until centuries later that the jury assumed its modern role
of deciding facts on the sole basis of what is heard in court.
For Americans, serving jury duty has always been a dreaded chore. There is plenty
of history behind this fear. In colonial days, jurors were locked in a small room
with no ventilation and were denied food and water in an attempt to inspire a quick
verdict. If the jurors returned with the wrong decisions, they too were charged with
a crime. As more and more laws were passed, the rules of evidence expanded and
trials became longer, which resulted in more technical and increasingly boring
hours for jurors. Trial lawyers have tried to change the boredom by
replacing endless hours of testimony with computer animation, video
reconstructions, color charts and graphics to better explain the evidence.
The judicial system depends on juries. The United States Constitution guarantees
its citizens the right to a trial by jury of their peers. When summoned for jury duty,
Americans should look upon it as an opportunity to serve their country, their
community, and their fellow citizens.
Prospective jurors are chosen at random from voter registration lists. When people
are chosen for jury duty, they are often shown a video tape explaining the jury
system or given a HANDBOOK ON JURY SERVICE.
The right to trial by a jury of our fellow citizens is guaranteed by the Constitution
of the United States.
The job of a juror is to listen to all the evidence presented at trial and to 'decide the
facts' — that is, to decide what really happened. The judge, on the other hand,
'decides the law' — that is, makes decisions on legal issues that come up during the
trial. For example, the judge may have to decide whether you and the other jurors
may hear certain evidence or whether one lawyer may ask a witness a certain
question. In order to become a jury, you do not need any special knowledge or
ability. It is enough that you keep an open mind, concentrate on the evidence being
presented, use your common sense, and be fair and honest. Finally, you should not
be influenced by sympathy or prejudice: it is vital that you be impartial with regard
to all people and all ideas.
The names of people are selected at random from voter registration records and
placed on a list of potential jurors. Next, they answer to the Questionnaire for
Jurors were evaluated to make sure that they were eligible for jury service and
were not exempt from service. To be eligible, they must be over 18 years of age,
citizens of the United States, residents of the county in which they are to serve as
jurors, able to communicate in the English language and if they have been
convicted of a felony, they must have had their civil rights restored. People who
meet these requirements may be excused from jury service if they have illnesses
that would interfere with their ability to do a good job, would suffer great hardship
if required to serve, or are unable to serve for some other reason.
Jury pool is the group of people from which trial juries are chosen.