Explain why it is that juries cannot be smaller than six people or larger than twelve.

What will be an ideal response?


The number of jurors needed for jury trial involves a balance of expense versus fulfilling the ideal of
trial by jury. As juries deliberate as a group, a process that involves significant give-and-take, it is argued
that juries with more members will have more constructive deliberations. In addition, larger juries are
likely to have broader demographic representation and therefore be more representative of the community
they represent. On the other hand, unnecessarily large juries are an added expense to an already-burdened
system. Requiring larger juries also entails an increased number of citizens to be called in for jury duty
and increased costs in assembling and administering juries. For these reasons, the courts have made the
size requirement between six and twelve in order to balance expense with fulfilling the ideal of trial by
jury.

Criminal Justice

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What will be an ideal response?

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What will be an ideal response?

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What will be an ideal response?

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