The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998/Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso/J/Jury/INFOTEXT

Text File | 1992-09-03 | 1KB | 30 lines

A body of lay people (usually 12, sometimes
6) sworn to reach a verdict in a court of
law. Juries, used mainly in English speaking
countries, are implemented primarily in
criminal cases, but also sometimes in civil
cases. The British jury derived from Germanic
custom. It was introduced into England by the
Normans. Originally it was a body of
neighbours who gave their opinion on the
basis of being familar with the protagonists
and background of a case. Eventually it
developed into an impartial panel, giving a
verdict based solely on evidence heard in
court. The jury's duty is to decide the facts
of a case: the judge directs them on matters
of law. The basic principles of the British
system have been adopted in the USA, most
Commonwealth countries, and some European
countries (for example, France). Grand juries
are still used in the USA at both state and
federal levels to decide whether there is a
case to be referred for trial. In England,
jurors are selected at random from the
electoral roll. Certain people are ineligible
for jury service (such as lawyers and
clergymen), and others can be excused (such
as MPs and doctors). If the jury cannot reach
a unanimous verdict it can give a majority
verdict (at least 10 of the 12).