Jury of our Peers
Community education training on the importance of serving on a jury.
Using Civic Responsibilities to Fight Injustice.
Using community education to emphasize how serving on a jury can ensure a more fair trial for fellow community members.
Jury Duty is often viewed as something to try and get out of— an additional headache to deal with in people’s already busy lives. But serving on a jury can have a much bigger impact than you may think on both the people involved in the case and the justice system at large. FDLA is helping community members learn about what it means to serve on a jury, what the process looks like, and why it is so important for our diverse communities.
A lack of diverse juries isn’t just a Chicago problem.
“Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant who advises lawyers nationwide, said when a jury shares the same ethnic background, gender and overall outlook, the panel’s members are less likely to question their own biases and preconceptions heading into deliberations.”
— The Associated Press
“Attorneys are given wide latitude in determining who sits on a jury. In a legal process known as voir dire, they question prospective jurors about their backgrounds and positions on issues that might affect a juror’s ability to be impartial. Lawyers on both sides can strike jurors “for cause” if they can make the case that the person cannot deliver a fair verdict. They are also allowed a limited number of “peremptory strikes,” which allows them to eliminate jurors without explanation.”
— Mother Jones
“Silverstein says there are major obstacles that keep minorities from serving on juries... Other practices that Silverstein says need to be changed include sending a jury duty summons by mail only, rather than also sending it electronically, thereby improving the chances that the summons will be received. And the lists of potential jurors need to be drawn from multiple sources and not limited to people with driver's licenses, she adds.
Even if they do make it to the courthouse, potential jurors from minority groups can be among the first to be dismissed.”
— Voices Of America
Request a Jury of Our Peers Workshop.
Want to learn how serving on a jury works, and why it is so important? Schedule a workshop with an FDLA trainer for your organization or group.
