Publication Date
Spring 5-1-2018
School
School of Business
Major
Business: Management
Keywords
Law, Jury, Criminal, Trial, Duty, Voir Dire, Deliberation
Disciplines
Criminal Law
Recommended Citation
Akers, Hannah, "Aspects of the Jury in Criminal Proceedings" (2018). Senior Honors Theses. 738.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/738
Abstract
Although a trial by jury happens in only a fraction of the total criminal cases, the jury is one of the most intriguing facets of criminal proceedings. This thesis intends to delve into the various aspects of the criminal jury’s history, formulation, and processes. The different areas included are jury selection, elimination of bias, the jury’s role in criminal trials, their deliberations, determining a verdict, and potential problems with the system that is currently in place. All trials can be expected to have foundational court procedures, readings of the law, opening statements and closing arguments, and testimonies, but it ultimately comes down to what the jury decides at the end that makes all of the aforementioned practices meaningful and necessary. While hysterical witnesses can sometimes bring unexpected occurrences to the trial, the unpredictability of the jury verdict can always leave both parties wondering which way the outcome could possibly go. This thesis intends to explore deeper into these concepts, explaining what goes into the jury process and its vital role in the pursuit for justice.
