Amendment Seven: In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
If a case involves more than twenty dollars, the people involved have a right to a trial by jury. (Remember, $20 dollars was a lot of money in 1789.) To change a ruling of a jury, a new trial with a different jury can be held under certain circumstances, or a higher court may take a case due to a legal mistake in the initial trial.
Contrary to popular belief, only federal trials require a civil trial by jury. Trials at the local level can be settled without juries. This is an unusual system that is not used worldwide, so why does America require a civil trial for federal cases? The answer to this question can be traced back to our English roots.
England used juries in trials throughout their early history beginning in the Middle Ages. They used juries of people not trained in law to have a fair trial. Prior to the American Revolution, the need for fair trials grew. This was because Britain was forcing the Americans to pay taxes and obey laws they were not represented to enact. After the signing of the Deceleration of Independence, one of the first amendments added was civil trial by jury because this was very important to the colonists.
Many believed civil trial by juries would protect the colonists against tyranny of the government, bad laws passed by Congress, and corrupt judges.
England used juries in trials throughout their early history beginning in the Middle Ages. They used juries of people not trained in law to have a fair trial. Prior to the American Revolution, the need for fair trials grew. This was because Britain was forcing the Americans to pay taxes and obey laws they were not represented to enact. After the signing of the Deceleration of Independence, one of the first amendments added was civil trial by jury because this was very important to the colonists.
Many believed civil trial by juries would protect the colonists against tyranny of the government, bad laws passed by Congress, and corrupt judges.
