Jury Service – An Important Job and a Rewarding Experience

The right to trial by a jury of our fellow citizens is one of our most important rights and is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. By serving on a Jury, then, you are helping to guarantee one of our most important freedoms.

Your job as 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. You should not try to decide these legal issues, sometimes you will even be asked to leave the courtroom while they are being decided. Both your job and that of the judge must be done well if our system of trial by jury is to work. 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 [3].

Task IV. Choose the alternative to answer the question.

1. What is the importance of the trial by jury to the American people?

1. it helps solve the problem of employment;

2. it is one of the important freedoms guaranteed;

3. it is one of the ways of running a business.

2. What is the job of a juror during the trial?

1. to ask questions;

2. to discuss the case with other jurors;

3. to sit quietly and to listen to the evidence presented.

3. What is the job of a judge?

a) to instruct the jury before letting them retire;

b) to return a verdict;

c) to consider a verdict.

Task V. Read the following text to learn about the selection of a jury in the USA.

How You Were Chosen

Your name was selected at random from voter registration records and placed on a list of potential jurors. Next, your answers to the Questionnaire for Jurors were evaluated to make sure that you were eligible for jury service and were not exempt from service.

To be eligible, you must be

1. over 18 years of age;

2. a citizen of the United States, a resident of the county in which you are to serve as a juror;

3. able to communicate in the English language;

4. and if you have been convicted of a felony, you must have had your 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.

You are here because you were found to be eligible for jury duty and were able to serve. You are now part of the “jury pool”, the group of people from which trial juries are chosen [3].

Task VI. Answer the following comprehension questions on the text.

1. Who is eligible for jury service in America?

2. What people may be excused from jury service?

3. How are jurors selected?