Question 1

The grand jury is a jury of_______ and_______
A) Authority; decides if the defending party is innocent or guilty
B) Power; is the only type of jury that can enforce capitol punishment
C) Inquiry ; hears the state's evidence and decides if a trial is warranted
D) Peace; will not, under any circumstances enforce capitol punishment

Accepted Answer

A grand jury is a type of jury that conducts legal proceedings to investigate potential criminal conduct and determines whether criminal charges should be brought. It hears evidence presented by a prosecutor and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a trial, but it does not decide on the innocence or guilt of the defendant.

Question 2

According to chapter 5, the idea of trial by jury
A) Is an ancient concept in Anglo-Saxon systems of jurisprudence and evidence of these kinds of trials go as far back as 1066 in England
B) Was a concept that arose in the early Americas, with its roots being in the thirteen colonies
C) Is an ancient Greek concept that was not adopted into American law until the birth of the Salem witch trials
D) Is idealistic, but in reality, it is a faulty system that rarely administers true justice

Accepted Answer

The idea of trial by jury is indeed an ancient concept in Anglo-Saxon systems of jurisprudence, with evidence of these kinds of trials dating back to at least 1066 in England. This system was adopted and has been a fundamental part of the legal systems in countries that follow the English common law tradition, including the United States.

Question 3

In terms of the right to trial by jury, it can be noted that in the 1600's and early 1700's
A) The right to trial by jury was not explicitly recognized by American or English law systems
B) When a trial by jury was held, jurors had to meet proper qualifications to serve
C) County sheriffs selected the jurors
D) All of the above
E) Just B and C

Accepted Answer

In the 1600s and early 1700s, the right to trial by jury was indeed recognized by both American and English law systems, making option A incorrect. However, jurors had to meet certain qualifications to serve, and county sheriffs were responsible for selecting the jurors, making options B and C correct.

Question 4

When a jury comes to a verdict based on their "conscience" and not solely on the evidence brought before them, this is known as
A) Illegal
B) Nullification
C) Contempt of court
D) None of the above.

Accepted Answer

Jury nullification occurs when jurors choose to deliver a verdict based on their own conscience or beliefs, rather than strictly adhering to the law as instructed by the court, even if evidence suggests a different verdict.

Question 5

Some problems that emerge from the adversarial method of justice include
A) Sometimes the "truth" doesn't really emerge because both sides are focused on winning only
B) Encourages lawyers to use their special skills to get cases decided on the basis of technical and legal niceties rather than right or wrong
C) Both A and B
D) Neither A or B

Accepted Answer

The answer of  Some problems that emerge from the...

Question 6

Today, in relation to evidence in a court case, jurors are
A) Are chosen because they have personal information about a case
B) Are instructed to base their decision on the evidence the judge admitted in the trial
C) Can deem evidence inadmissible if they don't understand its relevancy to the case at hand
D) Ordered to research material that is relevant to the evidence presented, both by watching media coverage on the case and reading books and articles that relate to the topic

Accepted Answer

Jurors are instructed to base their decisions solely on the evidence presented during the trial and the laws as explained by the judge, not on outside information or personal knowledge about the case.

Question 7

An advantage of the unanimity rule in a jury is
A) That the rule gives all members of the jury equal weight
B) It motivates members of the jury to listen to each individual member
C) Both A and B
D) None of these

Accepted Answer

The unanimity rule in a jury ensures that all members have equal weight in the decision-making process, and it encourages jurors to listen to each other's viewpoints to reach a consensus, thus both A and B are correct.

Question 8

When analyzing the effects of jury size, research has shown that
A) The smaller the jury was, the greater the likelihood that one or more minority would be on the panel
B) Larger juries discussed trial material more accurately and fully than smaller juries
C) Smaller juries found defendants guilty more often than larger ones did
D) All of these

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that larger juries tend to discuss trial material more accurately and fully than smaller juries, due to the diversity of perspectives and the greater number of people contributing to the deliberation process.

Question 9

The idea that impartiality is related to demographic representativeness is
A) A relatively new concept that came about in the twentieth century
B) An old concept that dates back to the middle ages
C) An idea that American colonists brought to the new world from King James' England
D) Foolish and bias and is a concept that has been erased from the American legal system.

Accepted Answer

The concept of linking impartiality to demographic representativeness is relatively modern, gaining prominence in the 20th century as societies became more aware of diversity and representation issues.

Question 10

The peremptory challenge
A) Is a screening process used by judge to determine if any potential jurors may have a bias
B) Is a tool used by lawyers to attempt to select favorable juries by excluding some potential jurors who may be unfavorable to their side
C) Is a questionnaire issued by court officials to potential jurors to see if they meet legal qualifications
D) None of these

Accepted Answer

The peremptory challenge is a tool used by lawyers during jury selection to exclude potential jurors without needing to state a reason, aiming to create a jury more favorable to their case's outcome. Unlike challenges for cause, where a specific bias or inability to serve must be demonstrated, peremptory challenges require no explanation.

Question 11

When lawyers are given the opportunity to exclude certain jurors, should there be guidelines about raceand gender? Should lawyers have a limit on how many minority jurors they can exclude even if they have a substantial reason besides race to do so? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When lawyers are given the opportunity to...

Question 12

Describe the development of the jury system and the right to trial by jury.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the development of the jury system...

Question 13

Juries are not the only trier of fact. A case may be heard before a single judge with the judge deciding guilt or innocence. What advantage might there be to having a single judge hear the case? What advantage to having the jury hear the case?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Juries are not the only trier of...

Question 14

Explain the importance of the cases of William Penn and John Peter Zenger for jury trials.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the importance of the cases of...

Question 15

What effect does jury size have on jury deliberations and decisions?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What effect does jury size have on...

Question 16

What practical and ethical problems may there be with the use of jury consultants?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What practical and ethical problems may there...

Question 17

Summarize Vidmar's (1997) findings on medical malpractice cases.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Summarize Vidmar's (1997) findings on medical malpractice...

Question 18

Trial by jury is a basic right and
A) a constraint on government power
B) participation as a juror is an important duty of citizenship
C) participation as a juror helps to see that justice is done in accordance with community values
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Trial by jury serves as a constraint on government power, ensures that citizens participate in the judicial process, and helps to see that justice aligns with community values, making all the options correct.

Question 19

In ancient times, trial by a jury of your peers meant that
A) a random selection of citizens of all social classes would serve as jurors
B) people of noble birth could only be tried by a jury of other nobles
C) you could be tried only by jurors from another community with no knowledge of the facts at issue
D) the defendant would be subject to a trial by ordeal

Accepted Answer

In ancient times, particularly in medieval Europe, the concept of being tried by a jury of your peers often meant that individuals were judged by others of similar social status. For example, nobles would be judged by their noble peers, reflecting the societal hierarchy and ensuring that the jurors had a similar social standing as the accused.

Question 20

After William Penn's case about religious freedom (Bushel's case),
A) judges could punish jurors if the jury brought in a "wrong" verdict
B) judges could no long punish jurors if they brought in a wrong verdict
C) jurors could only follow the judge's instructions and not find according to their own consciences
D) the oath for serving as a juror has little importance during jury deliberations

Accepted Answer

Bushel's Case established the principle that judges could no longer punish jurors for their verdicts, reinforcing the independence of the jury system and the protection of jurors from judicial retaliation.

Quiz 5: Trial by Jury

The grand jury is a jury of_ and_

According to chapter 5, the idea of trial by jury

In terms of the right to trial by jury, it can be noted that in the 1600's and early 1700's

When a jury comes to a verdict based on their "conscience" and not solely on the evidence brought before them, this is known as

Some problems that emerge from the adversarial method of justice include

Today, in relation to evidence in a court case, jurors are

An advantage of the unanimity rule in a jury is

When analyzing the effects of jury size, research has shown that

The idea that impartiality is related to demographic representativeness is

The peremptory challenge