3-11-13 assignment

The definition of a jury is: “A body of people (typically twelve in number) sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court” (Google search). Being a jury member today is a pretty hard job. There are many different courts to serve as well. So what exactly does a jury do? Well their main job is to decide whether a defendant is guilty or not based solely upon facts and evidence. Common sense, knowledge and experience are all allowed to help make a justified decision. Things that aren’t allowed are guessing and being prejudice. Making a decision can sometimes be quite difficult. What all courts are there in the U.S. of A? Different courts including the U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court are all federal courts. Federal courts usually deal with cases that involve the federal law, bankruptcy, and disputes between states. Local and state courts include cases involving robberies, traffic violations, broken contracts, and family disputes. They deal with most criminals as well. Grand juries hear evidence in cases where a person has supposedly committed a crime and has to decide whether or not they should be going to court. They don’t decide guilt or innocence. In a petit jury, you will most likely hear about criminal or civil cases. They decide if the defendant is guilty or not by unanimous decision in a criminal case. During a civil case, a three quarters vote is required. In conclusion, being a member of the jury would not be very fun. You have to decide the fate of another person. Depending on which court you’re in and what type of juror you are, you could send an innocent person away for life if you make the wrong decision. There is no way to tell for sure sometimes. I personally wouldn't want to be a juror. It would be ridiculously hard for me to decide whether or not someone is innocent or guilty. I don't even like civics class, so why would I like being a part of the court system? It's not hard to think that it would be an unappetizing part of my day. I really wouldn't like it.