Jurors

Jurors are members of a jury who are sworn to hear evidence and render a verdict in criminal or civil cases. They are drawn from the general population and selected through a process intended to ensure impartiality and representativeness. Eligibility typically includes age limits, citizenship, residency, and language ability; disqualifications can include certain criminal convictions, mental incompetence, or conflicts of interest, and many jurisdictions allow exemptions for hardship or prior service.

Two main forms exist: grand juries and petit (trial) juries. A grand jury decides whether there is sufficient evidence to indict a suspect; a petit jury sits to hear evidence and determine guilt or liability in a specific case. In many jurisdictions, criminal juries consist of 12 members, while civil juries are often smaller.

During a trial, jurors listen to witnesses, review exhibits, and follow the judge's instructions on the applicable law. They deliberate in private and aim to reach a verdict, which is usually required to be unanimous in criminal cases and may vary in civil cases by jurisdiction. A hung jury occurs when jurors cannot agree.

Jurors must remain impartial and refrain from discussing the case outside the courtroom. They may be excused for hardship or bias and, in some cases, sequestered. The process may include challenges for cause (to exclude biased jurors) and peremptory challenges (to remove jurors without stating a reason, within legal limits, and subject to anti-discrimination rules such as Batson principles in many places).

Jurors serve as a cornerstone of due process in many legal systems by ensuring community participation and a check on governmental power.