When facing criminal charges, you have the right to be tried by a jury of your peers. A jury trial has many advantages over a bench trial, the latter of which involves having the case heard and decided by the judge. In short, a jury’s verdict must be unanimous for prosecutors to obtain a conviction, which can be difficult to obtain. However, if you’re not careful in how you approach jury selection, then you could wind up having your case heard by a group of individuals who have already pre-judged you.
How jury selection matters
There are many aspects to jury selection that can make a difference in your case. Perhaps chief amongst them is that jurors come to the table with their own intrinsic biases. These can work against you if you’re not careful. For example, if you’ve been charged with battery and a juror with a history of being domestically abused is chosen, then you may be at a disadvantage in your case, as that juror may already be pre-disposed to decide against someone who has been accused of hitting someone else.
Fortunately, the jury selection process gives you the opportunity to uncover these biases and remove potential jurors from the jury pool. You’ll have a limited number of removals that you can request without providing a reason, but you can’t blatantly remove jurors based on discriminatory intent. Otherwise, if you have good cause to request a juror’s removal, then you can argue that to the judge.
Advocate to ensure you receive a fair trial
There are many aspects to the legal system aimed at ensuring a fair process. Yet, all too often the burden falls to accused individuals to ensure their rights are protected. This is why it’s important to go into your case knowing the law and how to protect your interests. If you’d like to learn more about how you can do that, then now is probably the best time to discuss the circumstances with your criminal defense attorney.