American Jury System Dbq Essay

The American jury system has been around for centuries but all of a sudden, people are trying to change it. Hundreds of years ago in England, the first of the jury systems were adopted. When there was a crime, the accused was brought before a judge and jury (B.E.). The jury, a group of twelve white men, from the area the crime was committed, heard the case and all of the evidence (B.E.). Those 12 men, decided whether or not the person being accused was guilty or not. In 1733, New York, John Zenger printed a newspaper that was essential to the British government. Zenger won because his criticism was true. The king made courts that royal judges made the decisions, not the people (B.E.). In America now, we continue the jury system where 12 ordinary

In the cartoon “Jury” by Keith Robinson, many of the jurors aren’t paying attention, which is human nature. “I wonder if the defense attorney is single” (Doc E). In this example, the juror was more focused on getting a date then the actual case. Many people drift off, even the best, most educated people in the world, drift off at times. Although people are saying that a judge would be better at reaching a decision on the case, a judge is also human. The 12 jurors can work together in the back room to get any drifters caught up with the case and from that, they all can make a logical decision based upon the fact in the case. Although, if the judge drifts off, his decision is final and he may not be using all of the facts because the judge wasn't listening to the whole case. The odds are 1 judge, who may or may not have been completely focused, verses 12 people who know the facts and can make an educated decision. Any sensible person would go with the 12 up-to-date jurors. Additionally, in 2008, a 2 year old, Caylee Anthony, was killed and her mother, Casey Anthony was accused of her murder. Casey was not found guilty and the public was shocked, but also relieved. “Joe Adamson, an Orlando businessman. ‘I think it is really great that we have science, but we also have common sense,’ Adamson told the Sentinel. ‘These guys (jurors) didn’t buy into science fiction.” This everyday person meant that the jurors didn’t buy into

Americans have control over the legislative and the executive branch of government by being able to elect leaders and think up an idea for a law. Even though the people do not get to elect judges in the judicial branch, they get to be a part of it themselves. The jury system encourages citizens to show their citizenship. Furthermore, it turns ordinary people into self-governors (Doc C). By people being apart of the jury system they are “promoting self-governance and civic participation” while they decide if a person is guilty or not guilty (Doc C). Self-governance is when the people govern themselves, which is what America's democracy is all about. Additionally, civic participation is when citizens participate, which is what Americans want, civic participation is why our government is the way it is. It’s the reason why our government and our nation is so strong. “Americans later included the right to a criminal trial by jury in the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to a jury in the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Amendments for everyone in the federal court system” (B.E.). This shows that it’s our right to participate in the judicial branch and it’s in the Constitution that we are able to participate in all of the three branches of government. Being able to do so brings our country together and makes the United States, the United