Jury vs Juror
Trial by a jury is a phrase that is popular in not only legal circles but also appreciated by common people. It is a concept that has evolved with the realization that no innocent man should be punished, and there should be a fair trial of everyone. Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the US was a staunch supporter of trial by juries and considered them to be anchors of constitution. Juries back the idea of due process of law. People who are asked to serve on juries are called jurors. These are people drawn from the common population and serving a jury is considered an important civic duty. This article attempts to highlight the differences between a jury and a juror.
Jury
After the signing of Magna Carta by King John in1215 AD, what got established was a due process of law, one of the pillars of which was the establishment of trial by a jury. This was done to ensure that all people got treated equally under the law, and no innocent got punished on the whims of a judge. The concept soon spread to all English colonies, and in the US too, juries were used in both civil as well as criminal trials. The right to trial by a jury was enshrined in the Bills of Rights adopted in the constitution, in 1789. There are both petit as well as grand juries in the country’s legal system with petit juries being more common.
In general, a jury is a body of persons constituted to hear a case and give an impartial verdict. This body comprises people drawn from various segments of the society who are sworn to deliver an impartial verdict based upon the body of evidence presented in front of them.
Juror
Serving on a jury is considered an important civic duty. Contrary to what many think, it is not necessary to have any legal knowledge to be performing the role of a juror on a jury. However, there are qualifications needed to become a juror that is laid down in a process called Jury Selection. If a person gets chosen to serve as a juror, he usually gets a questionnaire that he has to complete and return to the court. The person is asked if he meets the criterion laid down to be able to serve as a juror.
The individual should be at least 18 years of age and should be a citizen of the country. Summon that is mailed to a person indicates the general term for which he is expected to serve as a juror. One can be excused form a jury service on medical grounds. A juror is entitled to payment and allowances for juror service.
What is the difference between Jury and Juror?
• A jury is a body of persons chosen to serve as jurors.
• Jurors are drawn from common public, and there is no requirement to have any legal knowledge to serve as a juror.
• To serve as a juror is an important civic duty.