Legal Psych Ch 6: Trial Jury

What are the 3 guiding principles for jury selection?

All citizens are expected to serve on juries if called, jury pool must represent cross section of the community, biased jurors who might decide cases unfairly must be excluded

What is a grand jury?

Citizens that determine whether there is enough evidence to prosecute an individual, federal level, will meet for days at a time

What is the trial Jury?

Considers evidence and arguments made by attorneys and decides on a verdict in both criminal and civil cases

What is a peremptory Challenge?

Controversial, lets a lawyer request the removal of a prospective juror without giving a reason

What is the voir dire?

Determine whether individuals of the venire are qualified to serve as jurors in a particular case, question and disqualify them from jury duty

What are the benefits/disadvantages to having a large jury?

Greater variety of skills and knowledge necessary to arrive at decision, take longer to deliberate, better memory of testimonies, better chance of minorities being represented

What are capital trials?

Involved in murders, where if the defendant is guilty and then jury needs to decide whiter should be put to death, different because in other cases the sentencing is done by the judge, not in capital cases

What is the dynamic charge?

Judge may direct the jury to reexamine their own views and to seriously consider each other's arguments with a disposition to be convinced

What is a bifurcated trial?

Jury must first decide on guilt, then in later proceeding whether to be put to death, not at same time

What is jury nullification and commonsense justice?

Jury nullification says that the trial jury can disregard evidence or judicial instructions because believe the law is wrong, nonsensical or misapplied to a particular case. Commonsense justice means they nullify the law, they are "screwing" the law, not just but what ordinary people think is fair

What are the benefits/disadvantages to having a small jury?

More active participation from all members, less inhibited in expressing opinion, inhibits disagreement, opportunity is greater to speak, more likely to give verdicts that are extreme

Explain the significance of Ballew vs. Georgia.

Must have at least 6 people on jury due to group decision making

What is the Venire?

The pool of potential jurors, must represent cross section of the community, use voting lists or driver's license lists

What is the decision rule?

The proportion of jurors needed to reach a decision, usually 10-12

What is a bench trial?

Trial by a judge rather than a jury

What is the backfire effect?

When jurors pay greater attention to info after it has been ruled inadmissible than if the judge had said nothing at all about the evidence

What is reactance?

When told not to do something, people do the opposite

What is a challenge for a cause?

Whenever it can be demonstrated that a would-be juror does not satisfy the statutory requirements for jury service and has not been eliminated from the venire, shows bias or prejudice