iCitizenForum

The U.S. Constitution addresses due process of law in the Fifth Amendment, civil trials in the Sixth, and criminal prosecution in the Seventh. While most Americans recognize that jury service is a fundamental part of citizenship, there are those who look upon receipt of a jury summons in the mail with dread. Time away from our jobs, families, and other responsibilities can be disruptive. But most of us recognize that if we were accused of a crime, we would want able citizens determined to take the time both to serve and to judge our case fairly.

What rules and policies do we need to strike the right balance between an individual’s right to pursue private wealth and our society’s common wealth—in this case, its need for justice?