When you are fighting a criminal case, you might be able to resolve your case before you have to go through a trial. In fact, most criminal cases are handled through plea deals. If you are unable to resolve it in this manner, you will have to take your case to trial.
If you have to go through a trial, such as for any white collar crime, you will have to present your case before a jury. The jury is made up members of the community who will hear both sides of the case and determine whether you are guilty or not guilty. This means that these individuals play a very important role in your fate.
The jury members have to consider only what the prosecution and defense present. They can’t consider anything else. This means that facts the media brings up about the case can’t be considered unless they are officially presented in court. For this reason, jurors usually receive instructions about what to do as they deliberate.
While some people might not agree with the jury trial, it is actually a very important part of the criminal justice system. Without members of the jury to decide cases, the prosecutors and judges would essentially have unchecked power. The jury process stops them from being able to just do whatever they want.
You must plan your case carefully if it is going before the jury. Make sure that you are introducing doubt that might make the jurors question the prosecutor’s claims. The jury can only convict you if they can do so beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: FindLaw, “What is the Role of a Jury in a Criminal Case?,” accessed Feb. 01, 2018
