Jury is a historic legal institution in which a group of laypersons participate in the determination of cases brought to trial. The jury system varies from country to country, but generally involves selecting laypersons at random from the general population to hear a case and decide whether an accused person is guilty or not guilty.
Once the jury is selected, it goes into deliberation (conversations among the jurors) without the judge, lawyers, or defendant present. The jury will discuss evidence and decide if the defendant is guilty or not, and other facts that the judge instructs the jury to determine. Jurors will usually begin by discussing their initial feelings or reactions about the case to see if a consensus can be reached.
After discussion, the jurors will vote by secret ballot on a verdict. The verdict must be unanimous. Once the jury has decided its verdict, it will return to court to report it to the judge. Afterwards, the judge will explain any law related to the case. The jury may also send the judge notes asking for additional clarification of the law or requesting more evidence.
Jurors are usually paid for their time sitting in court. People who cannot serve because of physical or financial hardship can ask to be excused from service by contacting the Commissioner of Jurors. The court will look at a number of factors including job, family, and medical condition to determine eligibility for excusal.
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