Law Week 2005 ‘The American Jury: We the People in Action’

The Houston Bar Association and the Houston Young Lawyers Association celebrated Law Week 2005 with numerous activities centered around Law Day, May 1. This year’s celebration focused on the theme, “The American Jury: We the People in Action.” Activities emphasized the importance of the jury system in American society and appreciation for responsible jurors.
Activities included presentations of “Dialogue on the American Jury” in 20 senior high classrooms; readings of the book “Serving on a Jury” in 13 elementary classrooms; a Lawyers Against Waste Trash Bash that planted 300 trees in MacGregor Park; Java with the Judges in five Harris County court buildings; a poster contest in elementary and middle schools and an essay contest in high schools on the Law Week theme; an extended LegalLine program that gave the public the opportunity to get free legal advice over the telephone; and a Law Day Luncheon that featured Robert Grey, president of the American Bar Association, as keynote speaker. Following his talk at the HYLA Law Day Luncheon, the HBA hosted an informal reception for local bar leaders that gave Grey the opportunity to answer questions about his American Jury Initiative, which generated the 2005 Law Day theme.
The HBA Law Week Committee was chaired by Cathy L. Clark and Scarlett E. Collings. Committee members were Melissa Astala, Bret A. Bosker, Sharon D. Cammack, William Bryan Campbell, David R. Clonts, M. Carter Crow, Kirsten A. Davenport, Hon. Jennifer Walker Elrod, Caroline Adams Faubus, Jeff Joyce, Amar B. Raval, and Charles D. Thompson.

First Place Winner
Houston Bar Association Law Week Essay Contest

Law Week 2005 ‘The American Jury: We the People in Action’
By Jesse Rivera
The High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (H.I.S.D.)
Grade 11

The jury system has been present in this country for more than 200 years now, and it is just getting started. This year at least 5 million American citizens will be called in for jury duty in their community. They will be taking part in one of our countries oldest and most powerful traditions. Today, the privilege of serving as a juror is as valuable as it was two centuries ago when it was included in our Bill of Rights.
The Sixth Amendment in the Bill of Rights guarantees speedy and public trials, that defendants shall be notified of all charges against them, and that they have a trial by jury. Juries determine the facts in a trial, the truth or falsehood of testimony, and the guilt or innocence of criminal defendants. There are two types of jurors: petit and grand. Petit jurors are sworn to hear evidence in civil and criminal trials and render a verdict. Petit jurors are chosen as such because fewer people sit on a petit jury than on a grand jury. Grand jurors, on the other hand, have the duty to receive complaints and accusations in criminal cases, hear the evidence presented by the State and find bills of indictment in cases where there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. A grand jury is composed of 16 citizens, and at least 12 members must be present at each session before the grand jury may conduct business.
Jury duty is a right and responsibility of American citizenship. Juries serve several important purposes: (1) they serve as a judge regarding the conflict of facts and evidence as presented at criminal and civil trials; (2) they provide a means by which community values and sentiments are brought into the judicial system; and (3) they help to increase the public’s acceptance of legal decisions. Jury duty, along with voting, is one of the primary means by which the average citizen participates in our government.
Some people view jury duty as an unnecessary waste of time. Even though we as citizens are obligated to serve, some people either skip jury duty or get out of it with some excuse. In my opinion, we must all serve on a jury. It is a right that was fought for by our forefathers. Men have died, and continue to die just for us to have the right to stand up and be heard. Many people neglect these rights, and choose not to serve on a jury. Just think, how would you feel if you were the one on trial and your life was in the hands of twelve men and women? You would want them to be as fair and impartial as they could no matter what the situation is. Being able to serve on a jury to judge our fellow peers is something we as American citizens should value. Other countries in the world are not as privileged as we are, to have the kind of judicial system that we do.
Juries can no longer be called “Twelve good men and true…” This once popular saying of the jury is long out of date. Juries have changed to reflect important changes in American law and society. Today’s juries are different from the ones known to the signers of the U.S. Constitution. Verdicts do not always have to be unanimous, nor must juries always have twelve members. Some may have six, eight, or even ten members. Also jury duty is not solely a male privilege anymore.
The judicial system, as well as the jury system, has come a long way from the old colonial days of our forefathers, even though sometimes there are controversies concerning our judicial or jury systems. We as American citizens must ensure our rights given to us by the U.S. Bill of Rights, that those rights be protected under any circumstances.

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