Introduction to the Jury at a Crossroad: The American Experience

The jury is integral to the American experience of democracy and yet it appears to be under attack. With negative press attention focused on the jury in recent years and calls for imposing limits on the jury gaining support in state and national legislatures, the jury is at a crossroad. Will reforms be made that weaken the jury's roles and power simply to provide a quick fix for an institution that is mischaracterized as broken? This symposium provides a multi-faceted and sustained examination of the roles of the jury past, present, and future.

It explores not only the broad roles that the jury does and should play in the American judicial system, but also offers reforms that take as their starting-point a "jury-centric" perspective to enable the jury to function effectively in the future.