What Are the Duties of a Jury?
Potential jurors are randomly selected from a jury pool made up of citizens' names. Jurors work with a judge to hear a criminal or civil case and determine the facts. A jury is made up of individuals who ideally possess sound judgment, a sense of fairness, open minds and honesty. It is a jury's duty to uphold justice, maintain law and order, and protect a person's constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
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Civil Petit Jury
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There are two types of petit (trial) juries: a civil petit jury and a criminal petit jury. A civil trial jury is made up of six to 12 jurors. Jurors in a civil case must listen to all of the evidence that is presented during a trial. The jury has the responsibility of deciding whether the plaintiff has proved his case with a preponderance of the evidence. The jury must then decide what the defendant's penalty will be. Jurors decide their verdict in a private room away from the courtroom and usually do not have to provide a unanimous decision.
Criminal Petit Jury
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A criminal petit jury usually consists of 12 jurors. These jurors must listen to all of the evidence presented during a trial and then determine the facts and if the defendant did indeed commit the crime. A jury's verdict is decided in a private room and the verdict must be unanimous. A jury must separately weigh each of the charges against the defendant and determine if the defendant is guilty of all the charges, none of the charges or some of the charges. In criminal cases, the judge usually determines the sentence for the defendant.
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Grand Jury
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A grand jury generally consists of 16 to 23 jurors. Unlike the trial jury, the grand jury cannot decide whether a person is guilty or innocent. It is the grand jury's duty to listen to evidence presented by a government attorney and then decide whether a person committed a federal crime. If the grand jury determines there is probable cause that a crime was committed, the jury will give an indictment -- a written statement of the charges -- to the judge and a private trial will take place.
Additional Responsibilites
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Jurors cannot converse with one another in the courtroom during a trial. A jury must be courteous and polite and not rely on private sources of information related to a trial. A jury has to protect itself from outside influences and media; the verdict a jury reaches must come only from the evidence presented in court. It is a juror's duty to report unlawful actions and inform the judge of any improper behaviors taking place in the courtroom or in private deliberations.
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