We all have heard in the movies or the news about juries.
There are two types of juries that serve different purposes. A trial jury, which is also known as the petit jury, consists of six to twelve people. Their role in a criminal trial is to determine if the defendant is guilty of committing the crime the individual has been indicted for. However, in a civil case, the trial jury determines if they support the plaintiff or defendant on charges.
In addition, trial juries are open to the public. However, the jury deliberations on the verdict are private. Moreover, in trial cases, the defendants are permitted to testify and call witnesses to the stand on their behalf.
In contrast, grand juries usually consist of sixteen to twenty-three people. These proceedings are closed to the public and the defendants along with their attorneys don’t have the right to appear before the grand jury.
The main function of grand juries is to determine if there is enough evidence to charge the suspect with given violations. Furthermore, in grand juries, more evidence is allowed to be shown provides for more flexibility in the proceedings.
A grand jury is many times necessary in order to press criminal charges against a citizen. In general, grand juries have a high percentage of indictments. The use of jurors of their peers comes back from the times of the Magna Carta, and it is a safeguard against tyranny and misuse of the judicial system.