The Sixth Amendment in the United States Constitution is where we are promised:
“the right to a speedy and public, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”
Michigan’s Constitution under Section 14 is very similar:
“The right of trial by jury shall remain, but shall be waived in all civil cases unless demanded by one of the parties in the manner prescribed by law. In all civil cases tried by 12 jurors a verdict shall be received when 10 jurors agree.”
Some people see this as a civic duty and are proud to serve because they are told to do so in the constitution. It is a very important responsibility that everyone should take seriously because the fate of another person is on his or her shoulders. Juries are there to decide “guilty” or “not guilty” based on the facts and evidence presented. This paper will
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First impressions start the moment the jury, judge, attorneys and offender are in the courtroom. This is a very influential moment. Jury selection/ deselection is a learned skill. It takes many years and trials to generate an elite list of questions that will create a perfect jury. In addition to the jury questionnaires that help attorneys get to know the jurors before they see them, it is very helpful to search their social media sites to gather information as well. It is important that each party keeps the trial moving along, juries get bored fast and most are already annoyed that they have to be there in the first place. In most cases the judges will start by questioning the jury with general questions. Then the prosecution has a