Chapter 18 Flashcards
The requirement for a grand jury indictment is:
A constitutional requirement only for federal cases, though many states have independently chosen to use a grand jury system.
What does the term “true bill” mean in the context of grand jury proceedings?
It is the formal charge returned by the grand jury that there is probable cause to believe a person committed a crime.
What is the role of a grand jury in the U.S. justice system?
To determine whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime was committed and a specific person or persons committed it.
Under the Seventh Amendment, civil juries:
Can comprise of as few as six persons.
How does the grand jury system in the United States trace its origins?
From the Assize of Clarendon issued by Henry II in 1166.
In the Supreme Court case Ramos v. Louisiana (2020), the Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment requires what for a conviction?
A unanimous verdict
According to the excerpt from Ramos v. Louisiana (2020), what was one of the motivations behind the implementation of nonunanimous verdicts in Louisiana and Oregon?
The rise of the Ku Klux Klan and efforts to dilute minority influence on juries
What does the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution establish in terms of the right to a trial by jury?
The right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the State and district where the crime has been committed.
The Seventh Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees:
The right to a jury in a civil case in federal court.
According to critics, what aspects make a 12-person jury the preferred choice for a jury trial?
Historical precedence, social-science studies, civic engagement, and common sense
What are the two distinct forms of modern juries in the United States and what are their respective purposes?
Trial jury: decides guilt in criminal cases or liability and monetary damages in civil cases; Grand jury: assesses evidence in criminal cases and issues a decision as to whether the prosecution may indict an individual.
The selection of a petit jury from a representative cross-section of the community is:
An essential component of the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.
