The People’s Champion: Trial by Jury

Trial by jury is more than just a constitutional right for people accused of serious crimes. It is one of the best legal methods yet devised by which disputed facts may be judged, and for holding the government accountable to the promises made by our Constitution.

Ancient in its origins, the jury’s continued importance to the practice of criminal law in Canada is difficult to deny. Honoured in literature, cinema, and the popular imagination, it is, for some, the epitome of the criminal trial. Unfortunately, for many young advocates, acquiring knowledge about this method of trial and its benefits for different types of cases is not easy. Practical experience is hard to come by, and written manuals on trial by jury are few and far between.

The People’s Champion: Trial by Jury provides information about all aspects of trial by jury, spanning more than 30 chapters. Bringing a practical sensibility to an institution surrounded by mythos, this text demystifies trial by jury, with a view to making the august institution accessible to practitioners in the 21st century.

Topics Covered

• A brief history
• Elections
• Eligibility
• Pre-trial motions
• Jury selection issues
• Constitutional considerations
• Opening and closing addresses
• Deliberations
• Jury nullification
• Mistrials
• Sentencing following a jury’s verdict

Who Should Read This Book
Written for students, novice practitioners and experienced trial lawyers, The People’s Champion: Trial by Jury is a “how to” for advocates interested in advancing their clients’ cause through jury trials. Criminal lawyers who worry that they don’t “know it all” when it comes to trial by jury can access this text secure in the knowledge that they can at least learn some of the fundamentals of trial by jury.

This title will also be useful for law associations and libraries who want an easily accessible resource for patrons, as well as law schools and law professors for use in criminal law courses.