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Impartial Jury

Definition

An impartial jury is one that is unbiased and has no preconceived notions or prejudices about the case they are deciding. They must make their decision based solely on the evidence presented during the trial.

Analogy

Imagine you're a judge in a baking competition, but you hate chocolate. If you let your dislike for chocolate influence your scoring, then you're not being impartial. An impartial jury in court is like a judge who tastes all desserts without letting personal preferences affect their judgment.

Related terms

Voir Dire: This is the process of questioning potential jurors to ensure they can be fair and impartial before they are selected for jury duty.

Jury Nullification: This occurs when a jury returns a verdict of "Not Guilty" despite its belief that the defendant is guilty of the violation charged because they believe the law itself is unjust.

Sequestered Jury: A sequestered jury is isolated from outside influences during a trial (and sometimes during deliberation) to maintain their impartiality.