Question 1

Byron is on trial for robbing a bank.The judge issues a limiting instruction so that information regarding the defendant's prior record can be used to gauge the defendant's credibility.Byron takes the stand during the trial and the prosecutor asks him about a previous conviction for a robbery committed 15 years ago.How might the jurors react to this information?

Accepted Answer

C

Question 2

Juries in civil cases must decide

Accepted Answer

Juries in civil cases must make a determination of both liability (who is responsible) and damages (what compensation should be awarded). Intent is not typically a factor in civil cases.

Question 3

Jury trials have been incorporated into the legal system of

Accepted Answer

All the mentioned countries have incorporated jury trials into their legal systems, although the extent and nature of their use may vary.

Question 4

Jurors should decide liability on the basis of defendant

Accepted Answer

Jurors should decide liability on the basis of the defendant's conduct or actions, not necessarily their intent or guilt. Neglect may be a factor in certain cases, but it ultimately ties back to the defendant's conduct.

Question 5

Evidence of a defendant's prior conviction

Accepted Answer

Evidence of a defendant's prior conviction is generally admissible at trial to show motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. It can increase the likelihood of a conviction on a subsequent charge by indicating a pattern of criminal behavior. Courts must balance the probative value of the evidence against its prejudicial effect on the defendant, however, and may exclude it if its potential for unfair prejudice substantially outweighs its relevance. The prosecution typically introduces evidence of a defendant's prior conviction, but the defense may also seek to use it for impeachment or other purposes.

Question 6

Dual-process models of information processing propose that people

Accepted Answer

Dual-process models propose that people use both rational, deliberate evaluation of information (System 2 processing) and quick, intuitive reactions to information (System 1 processing). Therefore, both A and B are correct.

Question 7

Character evidence can be used to provide evidence on guilt when it is relevant to

Accepted Answer

Character evidence can be used to provide evidence on guilt when it is relevant to any of the parties involved, including the alleged victim, witness, or defendant. Therefore, the best choice is D.

Question 8

According to Chapter 13, what is likely the most important determinant of jurors' verdicts in criminal trials?

Accepted Answer

According to Chapter 13, evidentiary strength is likely the most important determinant of jurors' verdicts in criminal trials. Other factors such as pretrial publicity and a defendant's demeanor may also have an impact, but the strength of the evidence presented is the primary factor.

Question 9

Approximately _____________ of American adults have been called to jury duty.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Approximately _____________ of American adults have been...

Question 10

According to Kalven and Zeisel's (1966) liberation hypothesis, jurors are most likely to consider extralegal evidence when the prosecution's evidence is

Accepted Answer

The liberation hypothesis suggests that jurors are more likely to consider extralegal evidence in weak cases, when the legal evidence is not strong enough to provide a clear verdict. When the prosecution's evidence is weak, jurors may feel liberated to consider other factors, including extralegal evidence.

Question 11

According to Chapter 13, jurors place considerable weight on ________________ when determining verdicts in civil trials.

Accepted Answer

According to Chapter 13, jurors place considerable weight on the severity of the plaintiff's injury when determining verdicts in civil trials.

Question 12

Which of the following would be considered extralegal information?

Accepted Answer

Extralegal information refers to information that is not directly relevant to the case, but may still affect the outcome of the trial. A defendant's background and appearance fall under this category because they are not necessarily related to the specific charges they are facing. Pretrial publicity can also be extralegal information because it can create a bias in the minds of potential jurors before they even hear the evidence presented in court. Therefore, all of the choices (A, B, and C) are considered extralegal information.

Question 13

The liberation hypothesis suggests that, when faced with ambiguous evidence, jurors

Accepted Answer

The liberation hypothesis posits that when evidence is ambiguous, jurors are more likely to rely on their personal biases and assumptions to make a decision.

Question 14

Which of the following is a decision made in a civil case?

Accepted Answer

In a civil case, a decision may include both liability (whether the defendant is responsible for the harm or injury caused to the plaintiff) and damages (the amount of money awarded to the plaintiff as compensation for their losses). Guilt is a decision made in a criminal case, not a civil case.

Question 15

The right to trial by jury for criminal cases is provided by state constitutions and which amendment to the U.S.Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The right to trial by jury for criminal cases is provided by the 6th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Question 16

According to Chapter 13, why does evidence of a prior conviction increase the likelihood of conviction on a subsequent charge?

Accepted Answer

All three options are mentioned in Chapter 13 as possible reasons why evidence of a prior conviction may increase the likelihood of conviction on a subsequent charge.

Question 17

__________________is typically inadmissible because of its potential for prejudice.

Accepted Answer

Propensity evidence refers to evidence that suggests a person has a propensity, or inclination, to commit a certain type of crime or act in a specific manner. This type of evidence is typically inadmissible because it can create prejudice against the defendant and may be used to convict them on the basis of character rather than evidence of the specific crime they are being charged with. Prior record evidence and character evidence may also be inadmissible for similar reasons, but propensity evidence is specifically tied to the defendant's likelihood to commit a crime.

Question 18

Maurice has recently died from lung cancer.He smoked for 37 years and after his death, his family sued the cigarette manufacturer for elevating the nicotine level in their cigarettes.The jurors in this case need to determine the parties' respective responsibility for the harm that Maurice suffered.What kind of decision is this?

Accepted Answer

The decision the jurors need to make is to determine who is responsible, or liable, for Maurice's harm. The other options (guilt, damages, verdict) are not relevant to this type of legal decision.

Question 19

Approximately what percentage of American adults have served as jurors?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 25% of American adults have served as jurors. This statistic reflects the relatively small proportion of the population that gets called and selected for jury duty.

Question 20

In 1999, the California Supreme Court in People v.Falsetta ruled on the issue of propensity evidence.They

Accepted Answer

The California Supreme Court in People v. Falsetta upheld the right of prosecutors to present evidence about a defendant's history of committing sex crimes to jurors hearing sex offense cases. This decision is specific to cases involving sex crimes and does not allow for the introduction of propensity evidence in all circumstances.

Quiz 13: Jurors and Juries