As we move into 2017, the political landscape across the country remains in turmoil. Last year experienced a tumultuous campaign that people on both sides of the aisle agree highlighted that a strong partisan rift exists in America. In fact, in naming "The Person of the Year" in 2016, the cover of Time Magazine indentified the country as the "Divided States Of America." It is no secret that partisan politics are often driven by special interests. The courts, on the other hand, are supposed to mete out justice without regard to partisan politics, special interest pressures and government oppression.
A Jury Is The Voice Of The Local Community In Serving Justice
Before our country was founded, the colonists in North America were governed under the law of England without representation in the British Parliament. Most people are familiar with the story of the Boston Tea Party as a protest against taxation without representation. However, the roots of the jury in America in certain civil cases are also tied to the lack of representation in parliament. Cases at law in the colonies involved a jury of peers who decided the facts according to local customs and understanding of the law - standing between the power of the King and the colonists.
