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The Myth of the Presumption of Innocence
Texas Law Review See Also Volume 94 Response The Myth of the Presumption of Innocence Brandon L. Garrett* I. Introduction Do we have a presumption of innocence in this country? Of course we do. After all, we instruct criminal juries on it, often during jury selection, and then at the outset of the case and during final instructions before deliberations. Take this example, delivered by a judge at a criminal trial in Illinois: "Under the law, the Defendant is presumed to be innocent of the charges against him. This presumption remains with the Defendant throughout the case and is not overcome until in your deliberations you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the Defendant is guilty."' Perhaps the presumption also reflects something more even, a larger commitment enshrined in a range of due process and other constitutional rulings designed to protect against wrongful convictions. The defense lawyer in the same trial quoted above said in his closings: [A]s [the defendant] sits here right now, he is presumed innocent of these charges. That is the corner stone of our system of justice. The best system in the world. That is a presumption that remains with him unless and until the State can prove him guilty beyond2 a reasonable doubt. That's the lynchpin in the system ofjustice. Our constitutional criminal procedure is animated by that commitment, * Justice Thurgood Marshall Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law. 1. Transcript of Record at 13, People v. Gonzalez, No. 94 CF 1365 (Ill.Cir. Ct. June 12, 1995). 2. -
Jury Trial Primer in Civil District Court
Jury Trials in Civil District Court-- Perspectives from the bench & bar 2018 NCDCJ Summer Conference Presenters: District Court Judge Becky Tin, Attorney Walter Burton and Attorney William Corbett Right to Jury Trial—Constitutional • N.C. Constitution, Article I Section 25: In all controversies at law respecting property, the ancient mode of trial by jury is one of the best securities of the rights of the people, and shall remain sacred and inviolable. • This Constitutional provision preserves the right to trial by jury in civil cases where the prerogative for trial by jury existed at common law or by statute at the time the NC Constitution was adopted in 1868. Statutory Right to • The legislature has expanded the right to jury trial to other causes of action by statute, beyond what is protected by the Constitution • For example, parties have a statutory right to trial by jury in actions determining incompetence; allegations of marital misconduct in an alimony claim; summary ejectment actions on appeal from the magistrate; and to establish the contents of a will where the original was destroyed. If in doubt as to whether party has right to a jury trial… • Look through the pattern jury instructions; if instructions are included for the cause of action(s) alleged, then the party is entitled to trial by jury; • If you can’t find it in the pattern instructions, do further case law and statutory research; • Refer to DC Judge Rebecca Knight’s manuscript, The Right to a Jury Trial in Civil Actions in N.C., found on the SOG website that deals with whether a particular cause of action entitles a party to trial by jury; • If all else fails, ask Cheryl Howell or Dona Lewandowski. -
The Jury and the Exclusionary Rules of Evidence
THE JURY AND THE EXCLUSIONARY RULES OF EVIDENCE EDMuND M. MORGAN* "The English law of evidence, which is the child of the jury." James Bradley Thayer "The fallacy that whatever is morally convincing and whatever rea- sonable beings would form their idgments and act upon, nay be submitted to a jury." Mr. Justice Coleridge THE Anglo-Saxon trial by ordeal and trial by compurgation and the Anglo-Norman trial by battle were essentially adversary pro- ceedings, conducted under public supervision, by which the liti- gants appealed to the Deity for a decision. The institution of trial by inquest or recognition, from which trial by jury soon evolved, not only substituted a resort to reason for reliance on superstition, but also re- moved the proceeding completely from the control of the adversaries. It compelled them to submit to "the test of what a set of strangers might say, witnesses selected by a public officer."' This set of strangers was originally an investigative body chosen for the supposed capacity of its members to answer the disputed question without help from the court and without aid or hindrance from the parties. The parties were per- mitted to state what they respectively asserted to be the facts. Later they secured the privilege of presenting additional information through witnesses. By the middle of the Sixteenth Century this had become a common practice. The jury came to rely more and more upon what the parties presented in open court and less and less upon what its individual members knew or learned from other sources, so that at the beginning of the Seventeenth Century Coke could truly say that "most commonly juries are led by deposition of witnesses.' '2 Less than a century and a half later it had become established that the jury must base its verdict not upon the private knowledge or information of its members but solely upon the evidence given in open court. -
Tyson Timbs and a 2012 Land Rover Lr2
No. 17-1091 ================================================================ In The Supreme Court of the United States --------------------------------- --------------------------------- TYSON TIMBS AND A 2012 LAND ROVER LR2, Petitioners, v. STATE OF INDIANA, Respondent. --------------------------------- --------------------------------- On Writ Of Certiorari To The Indiana Supreme Court --------------------------------- --------------------------------- BRIEF FOR PETITIONERS --------------------------------- --------------------------------- SAMUEL B. GEDGE WESLEY P. H OTTOT* SCOTT G. BULLOCK INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE DARPANA M. SHETH 600 University Street, INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE Suite 1730 901 North Glebe Road, Seattle, WA 98101 Suite 900 (206) 957-1300 Arlington, VA 22203 [email protected] (703) 682-9320 *Counsel of Record [email protected] Counsel for Petitioners ================================================================ COCKLE LEGAL BRIEFS (800) 225-6964 WWW.COCKLELEGALBRIEFS.COM i QUESTION PRESENTED Whether the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause is incorporated against the States under the Fourteenth Amendment. ii PARTIES TO THE PROCEEDINGS Petitioners are Tyson Timbs and his 2012 Land Rover LR2. Respondent is the State of Indiana. Addi- tional plaintiffs before the state trial court were the J.E.A.N. Team Drug Task Force, the Marion Police De- partment, and the Grant County Sheriff ’s Depart- ment. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ................................................ 1 OPINIONS BELOW ............................................ -
The American Jury and the Death Penaltyt Harry Kalven, Jr
The American Jury and the Death Penaltyt Harry Kalven, Jr. and Hans Zeisel* The reversal of civilized opinion on the death penalty during the past century and a half has been truly remarkable. It is an example of law in the process of radical change.1 As late as 1825 England had no less than 230 capital crimes on its law books. By the turn of the century legislative inroads had reduced the capital list to murder and treason, and, after an attempt to reduce it still further to certain types of murder, the English evolution has come to completion and the death penalty has now been abolished for all crimes. 2 Although in England the death penalty, wherever appli- cable by statute, was mandatory on the trial process, the English jury played a major role in its gradual attenuation. On many occasions the jury simply refused to convict a clearly guilty defendant in order to t Copyright 0 1966 by Little, Brown and Company. This article is a chapter from the authors' forthcoming book THE AMERICAN JURY, which is to be published by Little, Brown and Company in September, and which is an outgrowth of the work of the Uni- versity of Chicago Law School Project on Law and the Behavioral Sciences. The authors anticipate the eventual publication of two additional books describing the results of their studies of jury behavior. The reader is advised of the deletion of cross-references to other sections of the work and of citations of specific research materials of the authors. A review of THE AMERICAN JURY is to be found in this issue at p. -
The Defendant's Right to Waive Jury Trial in Criminal Cases
University of Florida Law Review VOL. IX FALL 1956 No. 3 THE DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO WAIVE JURY TRIAL IN CRIMINAL CASES RicHARD C. DONNELLY* The right of a defendant in a criminal proceeding to trial by an impartial jury' is one of several constitutional safeguards in the at- tempt to insure a fair trial and to protect the accused from oppres- 2 sion. There are times, however, when a defendant considers it de- sirable to waive this right and to elect trial by the court alone.3 The crime charged may be of a revolting nature, such as rape; the victim may have been a prominent member of the community or a public official; the crime may have received sensational press notice. He may feel the need for trial by a judge when technical or compli- cated fact situations are involved. There may be something in the defendant's past life, reputation, or appearance likely to arouse preju- dice against him in the minds of a jury. In addition, various psy- chological and strategic factors may lead defense counsel to believe that a trial without a jury would be advantageous, such as an intuitive lining up of the jury as a prosecution jury, a feeling that the judge's policy or attitude in regard to certain offenses is favorable, or fear of the professional juror's subservience to the prosecutor's office. *Ph.B. 1936, Washburn College; LL.B. 1938, Washburn Municipal University; J.S.D. 1949, Yale University; Professor of Law, Yale University. "'In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed ... -
Trial by Jury in Federal Criminal Procedure
TRIAL BY JURY IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LESTER B. ORFIELD* ARTICLE III of the United States Constitution provides that "The Trial of all Crimes except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by jury.. .. " Further, the sixth amendment provides that "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial; by an impartial jury... " This right to jury trial has traditionally been one of the most important rights of the criminal defendant. Rule twenty-three of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, governing jury trial in the federal courts, implements these constitu- tional jury trial requirements. Although the Federal Rules of Crim- inal Procedure are comparatively young, there have been suggestions for serious change in rule twenty-three. In order to better evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the present rule twenty-three, this article will examine the constitutional and historical background of the rule, its interpretation by the courts, and possible reforms. THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO JURY TRIAL A. Grand Jury and Petty Jury Compared There may be cases in which a defendant is entitled to trial by petty jury where he is not entitled to indictment by a grand jury. It has been so held as to assault and battery in the District of Columbia.' The word "crime" in article three as to trial by jury has been held to embrace more than the "infamous" crimes which under the fifth amend- ment require "presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury."2 Never- theless, in i866, the Supreme Court held that the "framers of the Con- stitution doubtless meant to limit the right of trial by jury in the sixth * Professor of Law, Indiana University. -
The Decision Between a Jury Trial and a Bench Trial in Federal Civil Litigation Can Have Significant Implications for the Procedure, Timing, and Outcome of a Case
CIVIL JURY TRIALS IN FEDERAL COURT The decision between a jury trial and a bench trial in federal civil litigation can have significant implications for the procedure, timing, and outcome of a case. Although bench trials have certain perceived advantages over jury trials, such as greater efficiency, there are various reasons why parties might want a jury trial if it is available. Counsel expecting to resolve a dispute at trial should carefully examine the unique procedural and practical features of jury trials and how jury trials may be preferable to bench trials. 26 June/July 2019 | Practical Law © 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. HAROLD P. NORMAN C. SIMON SAMANTHA V. ETTARI WEINBERGER PARTNER SPECIAL COUNSEL AND PARTNER KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & E-DISCOVERY COUNSEL KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL LLP KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL LLP FRANKEL LLP Norm maintains a diverse Harold represents plaintiffs litigation practice with a Samantha maintains a and defendants in false focus on advertising law diverse litigation practice advertising disputes under the federal Lanham and is co-chair of the firm’s Advertising Litigation with an emphasis on advertising litigation, Act and is co-chair of the firm’s Advertising group. He represents global brands in false contract and licensing disputes, business tort Litigation group. He also represents clients advertising disputes under the federal Lanham litigation, securities and regulatory defense, in other complex intellectual property and Act and class actions brought pursuant to and bankruptcy litigation. She also serves as commercial litigations and arbitrations, class consumer fraud statutes, as well as in challenges the firm’s e-discovery counsel, guiding clients actions brought pursuant to consumer fraud before the NAD and the NARB. -
EJT-010-INFO* Expedited Jury Trial Information Sheet
EJT-010-INFO Expedited Jury Trial Information Sheet This information sheet is for anyone involved in a civil Does the jury have to reach a lawsuit who is considering taking part in an expedited 3 unanimous decision? jury trial—a trial that is shorter and has a smaller jury than a traditional jury trial. Taking part in this type of No. Just as in a traditional civil jury trial, only three- trial means you give up your usual rights to appeal. quarters of the jury must agree in order to reach a Please read this information sheet before you agree to decision in an expedited jury trial. With 8 people on the have your case tried under the expedited jury trial jury, that means that at least 6 of the jurors must agree procedures. on the verdict in an expedited jury trial. This information sheet does not cover everything you 4 Is the decision of the jury binding may need to know about expedited jury trials. It only on the parties? gives you an overview of the process and how it may Generally, yes, but not always. A verdict from a jury in affect your rights. You should discuss all the points an expedited jury trial is like a verdict in a traditional covered here and any questions you have about jury trial. The court will enter a judgment based on the expedited jury trials with your attorney. If you do not verdict, the jury’s decision that one or more defendants have an attorney, you should consult with one before will pay money to the plaintiff or that the plaintiff gets agreeing to an expedited jury trial. -
Weighing Two Western Modes of Justice
Presumption of Innocence or Presumption of Mercy?: Weighing Two Western Modes of Justice James Q. Whitman* American criminal law has a deep commitment to the presumption of innocence. Yet at the same time, American criminaljustice is, by international standards, extraordinarilyharsh. This Article addresses this troubling state of affairs. The Article contrasts the American approach with the approach of the inquisitorial tradition of continental Europe. Inquisitorialjustice, it argues, has a less far-reachingpresumption of innocence than American justice does. Yet if continentaljustice puts less weight on the rights of the innocent, it puts more on the rights of the guilty: while its presumption of innocence is comparatively weaker, it has what can be called a strong presumption of mercy. The continental approach produces forms of criminal procedure that can shock Americans. Continental trial in particularoften seems to American observers to operate on a disturbing de facto presumption of guilt; the most recent example is the high-profile trial of Amanda Knox. Yet the continental approach has contributed to the making of a significantly more humane criminaljustice system than ours. Moreover, the continental approach is better suited to cope with the rise of new forms of scientific investigation. The Article pleads for a shift away from the American culture of rights for the innocent toward a greaterconcern with continental-style rightsfor the guilty. I. Introduction Imagine two contrasting ideas of how to build a just system of criminal justice. The first is oriented toward the presumption of innocence. It starts from the belief that the gravest danger we face in criminal justice is the danger that innocent persons will be arrested, prosecuted, and convicted. -
State Court Jury Trial Plan June 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021
The State Court Jury Trial Plan June 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021 Contents Continuation of Petit Jury Trials in the NH Superior Court ................................................................................ 2 Trial Details ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Timeline/Deadlines ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Summonses for Prospective Jurors ................................................................................................................ 3 Jury Selection .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Trial Protocols ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Courtroom Setup ............................................................................................................................................ 8 Protective Measures Taken for Jury Trials ..................................................................................................... 9 Appendix A: Selecting Cases for Jury Trials ...................................................................................................... 11 Appendix C: Supplemental Jury Questionnaire ............................................................................................... -
Jury Trial in Civil Actions in North Carolina
THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL IN CIVIL ACTIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA Rebecca B. Knight District Court Judge 28th Judicial District May 2007 “The right of trial by jury as declared by the Constitution or statutes of North Carolina shall be preserved to the parties inviolate.” 1 This statement set forth in Rule 38 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, that litigants in North Carolina have the right to a jury trial if that right is created by the constitution or by statute is not as simple as it appears. It has been the topic of many court opinions and legal writings. The rule which “neither diminishes nor enlarges the right to a trial by jury”2 leaves the trial judge with the duty to determine whether or not there is a right to a trial by jury in cases before the court. In order to determine if there is a right to a trial by jury in a particular case, the trial judge must answer three questions. First, is there a constitutional right or a statutory right for a jury trial in the case at hand? Second, if there is a right to a jury trial, was a demand made for a jury trial? Third, was there a waiver of the right to a trial by jury? The purpose of this presentation is to assist the trial judge in answering those three questions. As a practical matter, the first place for the trial judge to look if a question arises as to whether or not there is a right to a trial by jury is the North Carolina Pattern Jury Instructions.