How is a jury selected for a court trial?

How is a jury selected for a court trial?

Jury lists are compiled from voter registrations and driver license or ID renewals. A panel of jurors is then assigned to a courtroom. The prospective jurors are randomly selected to sit in the jury box. At this stage, they will be questioned in court by the judge and/or attorneys in the United States.

What happens if the jury Cannot reach a verdict?

If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts. A hung jury does not imply either the defendant’s guilt or innocence. The government may retry any defendant on any count on which the jury could not agree.”

Does hung jury mean not guilty?

When there are insufficient jurors voting one way or the other to deliver either a guilty or not guilty verdict, the jury is known as a “hung jury” or it might be said that jurors are “deadlocked”. In the event of a mistrial, the defendant is not convicted, but neither is the defendant acquitted.

What does a judge do in a jury trial?

In a trial, the judge — the impartial person in charge of the trial — decides what evidence can be shown to the jury. A judge is similar to a referee in a game, they are not there to play for one side or the other but to make sure the entire process is played fairly.

Is it better to have a judge or jury trial?

A bench trial is also faster and the judge often returns a “finding” (the functional equivalent of a verdict) much quicker than in a jury trial. Both the defendant and the People have the right to a jury trial in misdemeanor and felony trials (California Constitution, Article I, § 16 and Penal Code § 699).

Who decides sentencing judge or jury?

In most states and in the federal courts, only the judge determines the sentence to be imposed. (The main exception is that in most states juries impose sentence in cases where the death penalty is a possibility.)

How many cases actually go to trial?

The conservative estimate seems to be that over 90% of cases end in guilty pleas. The United States Courts website estimates that more than 90% of federal cases resolve this way. A 2012 New York Times article reported that 97% of federal cases and 94% of state cases end via plea bargain.

How much does the average trial cost?

How Much Does a Typical Trial Cost? each case are different and therefore what is needed to bring or defend a case vary so much. However, more importantly, an inexpensive trial – i.e. a simple case, with few or no experts required – usually costs $25,000+ just in terms of lawyer, court, transcription, copying, etc.