The right to a trial by jury is guaranteed by the United States Constitution, but it’s not the only type of trial you can request if you are facing criminal charges. In Minnesota, you also have the option to request a bench trial, meaning that a judge will hear your case instead of a group of your peers. While each type of trial has their own benefits and potential drawbacks, we’re going to use today’s blog to look at some of the benefits of going with a trial by jury.
Why Choose A Trial By Jury
If your case is headed to trial, your lawyer will talk to you about your trial options. Sometimes it will be evident to the lawyer which type of trial will be best for your case, and they can explain why during your consultation so that you’re on the same page. Here’s a look at a few of the benefits of a trial by jury.
1. You Have A Say In The Jurors – If you move forward with a trial by jury, you’ll have some say in which jurors will decide your case. The defense and prosecution will work to narrow down a jury from a larger pool of eligible jurors. Based on information obtained during jury selection, you may be able to add some people to the jury who you believe will be more empathetic to your case.
2. Juries May Be More Sympathetic – Juries may be more likely to be swayed by the human element of the case, compared to a judge who may be more hyper-focused on the facts. However, if the prosecution can do a better job getting the jury to sympathize with their client, this could end up hurting your case. For better or worse, juries may be more likely to be influenced by emotions and sympathy than a judge.
3. It Must Be Unanimous – A jury of your peers must come to a unanimous agreement on the verdict of your case. If even one juror does not agree with the others, it can result in the charges being dropped.
4. More Grounds For Appeal – Jury trials are more complex and stricter rules will need to be followed compared to a hearing in front of a single judge. If there is a procedural issue or it turns out that the jurors were tampered with, you may have grounds for an appeal. It may not result in dropped charges, but it can ensure that you end up with a fair trial.
5. Juries May Not Understand The Law – For better or worse, juries will be less informed about the law than a sitting judge. This can work to your advantage if you don’t have the strongest case, but it can also hurt if your defense is based on previous case law or complex legal technicalities. So while it’s not always beneficial to have a jury that doesn’t understand the law as well as a judge, it certainly can work in your favor depending on the specifics of your case.
For more information about the benefits of different types of trials, or for assistance planning your defense and winning at trial, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
