The list of colonial grievances against King George in the Declaration of Independence included: “For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: … He has abdicated Government here…” In Article III, the unamended Constitution provided for jury trials in criminal cases[1] as follows: “The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases […]
The Seventh Amendment: Right to a Jury in Federal Civil Trials
August 14, 2014 by
The Founding Fathers had a healthy fear of government power. They relied upon citizen juries to check that power. The suspension of jury trials was one of Declaration of Independence grievances against King George. The Constitution’s 7th Amendment reflects colonial history and beliefs. John Adams described the place of the jury in the system of […]
