Jury trial

Jury is a body of people convened to render a rational, impartial verdict (finding of a fact in question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or a judgment. A trial in which a jury decides the verdict is known as a jury trial. A person who is serving on a jury is known as juror.

The petit jury (or trial jury) hears the evidence in a trial as presented by both the plaintiff (petitioner) and the defendant (respondent). After hearing the evidence and often jury instructions from the judge, the group retires for deliberation, to consider a verdict. The majority required for a verdict varies. In some cases it must be unanimous, while in other jurisdictions it may be a majority or supermajority. A jury that is unable to come to a verdict is referred to as a hung jury. The size of the jury varies; in criminal cases there are usually 12 jurors, although Scotland uses 15. In civil cases many trials require only six.

A grand jury, a type of jury now confined almost exclusively to some jurisdictions in the United States, determines whether there is enough evidence for a criminal trial to go forward. Grand juries carry out this duty by examining evidence presented to them by a prosecutor and issuing indictments, or by investigating alleged crimes and issuing presentments. A grand jury is traditionally larger than and distinguishable from the petit jury used during a trial, with at least 12 jurors.

The first step in the selection of the trial jury is the selection of a jury panel'. When you are selected for a jury panel you will be directed to report, along with other panel members, to a courtroom in which a case is to be heard once a jury is selected. The judge assigned to that case will tell you about the case and will introduce the lawyers and the people involved in the case. You will also take an oath. The Lawyers will question you and the other members of the panel to find out if you have any personal interest in it. This process is called Voir Dire, a phrase meaning, "to speak the truth".

During Voir Dire the lawyers may ask the judge to excuse you or other members of the panel from sitting on the jury for this particular case. This is called challenging a juror. There are two types of challenges. The first is called a challenging for cause, which means that the lawyers has a specific reason for thinking that the juror would not be able to be impartial.

The second type of challenge is called a peremptory challenge, which means that the lawyer does not have to state a reason for asking that the juror be excused. Like challenging for cause, peremptory challenge is designed to allow lawyers to do their best to assure that their clients will have a fair trial. Unlike challenging for cause, however, the number of peremptory challenges is limited.

Those jurors who have not been challenged become the jury for the case. Depending on the kind of case, there will be either six or twelve jurors. The judge may also allow selection of one or more alternate jurors, who will serve if one of the jurors is unable to do so because of illness or some other reason.

Summing up, I can tell that the trial by jury is a legal proceeding in which a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact, which are then applied by a judge. It is to be distinguished from a bench trial where a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. They make decisions based on morality, which is a benefit for the society. Judges give verdict based on the law.