Juries serve an important role in the judicial system by becoming the fact finders during trials and determining the outcome of cases. Traverse juries are a part of civil and criminal trials, and jurors are paid for their services.

Juries

There are two kinds of juries. Grand juries, which typically have 16 to 23 people, hear evidence to determine whether a criminal defendant should be indicted and charged with a crime.The other type of jury is a traverse jury. Traverse juries are more typically known as trial juries or petit juries. Civil trials usually have a panel of six jurors, while criminal trials have a panel of 12.

Role of the Civil Jury

A jury hears evidence presented during a trial to determine the outcome of a case. In a civil trial the jury must examine all the facts and decide if the plaintiff proved his case.

Role of the Criminal Jury

In a criminal trial, the jury decides a defendant's guilt or innocence. The verdict must be reached based on evidence that proves the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Responsibilities of a Juror

A juror has several responsibilities. She should keep an open mind as evidence is presented, never discuss they case with anyone including other jurors and never conduct research about the case, including reading newspaper articles or watching news stories about the case.

Juror Compensation

Juror compensation varies by state, but typically includes a nominal daily fee and a mileage allowance. Nevada also provides its jurors with a meal allowance. Daily fees range from $2.00 in South Carolina to $50.00 in several states, including Arkansas, Massachusetts and South Dakota. Mileage allowances range from five cents per mile in Arkansas to 50 cents per mile in Wyoming.

Source:

Southern Judicial Circuit

US Courts.gov: Trial Handbook

Matrix Bookstore: Trial Jury