The Importance of a Jury in our Democratic System.

Essay by cbradtHigh School, 12th gradeA+, June 2003

download word file, 2 pages 0.0

Downloaded 54 times

The Importance of a Jury in our Democratic System

As Americans, we are given the right to a jury trial, one of the most important freedoms that out judicial system has to offer us. A jury consists of anywhere between 6 and 12 registered voters who determine whether a person is guilty or innocent in the act of crime that they are being accused of. Not only do they possess this power in a trial, but they may also judge the laws themselves and whether or not is perhaps unconstitutional, unfair, or cumbersome, in which case they can declare the defendant, the person accused of the crime, not-guilty. Their responsibility is heavy and their power enormous in the outcome of a trial. It is a way of distributing the power so that not just one person has total power, and also allowing society to be involved with their government because the jury acts as the conscience of our society.

"Power corrupts sometimes, but absolute power corrupts absolutely."

-Unknown

Part of what makes a jury so fair is that not just anyone may be selected for jury duty. However, these limitations do not include pertain to race, gender, or social status, they in fact remain as anonymous as they could possibly be with numbers replacing names, and contact to outside sources limited for the sake of conducting an unbiased jury trial. Attorneys are extremely critical when deciding who will partake in a jury. Those chosen must not have any outside contact or any knowledge whatsoever of any person involved in the trial or there is the possibility of a biased vote. As much as possible, lawyers try to choose a well-rounded jury that consists of people from many different fields of work and backgrounds so as to have as...