Why are jury trials so important?

I’ve received some questions about why it’s important to have jury trials, and as I’ve enjoyed going to court since I was at Baylor Law School, I’d like to discuss criminal trials here.

As prosecutors, we’re constantly participating in investigations, evaluating evidence, preparing cases and going to court. In our county, certain weeks of the year in District Court are available for criminal trials, and we almost always have a case (or two or three) at the D.A.’s Office ready for trial.

Trials are important in many ways and are one of the two points in our American justice system where the citizens have a direct say in what they believe about a case and the individuals involved in it. The other point is the Grand Jury, which I wrote about in an earlier article. While I’m not going to get up on my soapbox now about jury duty, as a courtroom lawyer I can tell you that if people don’t show up for jury service, then we can’t have jury trials. The 6 or 12 jurors are responsible for weighing the facts in a jury trial, and deciding whether someone on trial is guilty or not.

If a defendant hasn’t previously chosen to go to the judge for sentencing, the jury will also decide the punishment. Prosecutors count on juries to act as the representatives of the public, and as the conscience of the community. The verdicts handed down in jury trials across our state help guide local prosecutors as to what a community believes is just, and in how they wish defendants to be punished.

Jury trials also give prosecutors and defense attorneys opportunities to hone their courtroom skills, and I can personally tell you that trial experience is very important when preparing a criminal case and arguing before a jury. Our Founding Fathers believed that the right to trial by jury was so vital that they placed it in the U.S. Constitution, and criminal jury trials are an important part of our justice system to this day.

I hope this has been helpful in explaining why jury trials, and experience in prosecuting cases, is so important. As always, I am available for questions or comments at daoffice@milamcounty.net.