Skip to main content.

Essay on the Trial by Jury

Gelesen von BethAnne

(4,812 Sterne; 8 Bewertungen)

FOR more than six hundred years that is, since Magna Carta, in 1215 there has been no clearer principle of English or American constitutional law, than that, in criminal cases, it is not only the right and duty of juries to judge what are the facts, what is the law, and what was the moral intent of the accused; but that it is also their right, and their primary and paramount duty, to judge of the justice of the law, and to hold all laws invalid, that are, in their opinion, unjust or oppressive, and all persons guiltless in violating, or resisting the execution of, such laws.

So begins Spooner's epic on the jury, its origins and history. Spooner examines the history and powers of a jury, from the magna carta in King John's time, to the practices in the 18th century. A classic work on law, Spooner argues that the decision of the jury is sovereign over the king's law. (Summary by Bethanne) (11 hr 28 min)

Chapters

Notes

2:55

Read by BethAnne

Ch 1 – The Right of Juries to Judge the Justice of Laws

43:15

Read by BethAnne

Ch 2 – Part 1 – Trial by Jury Defined by Magna Carta

53:39

Read by BethAnne

Ch 2 – Part 2 – Language of Magna Carta

49:16

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 1 – Additionnal Proofs of the Rights and Duties of Jurors

41:27

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 2 – Ancient Common Law Juries were Mere Courts of Conscience

23:31

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 3 – Ancient Common Law Juries were Mere Courts of Conscience

43:59

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 4 – Oaths of Jurors

30:11

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 5 – Right of Jurors to fix the Sentence

33:31

Read by BethAnne

Ch 3 – Part 6 – The Coronation Oath

25:49

Read by BethAnne

Ch 4 – The Rights and Duties of Juries in Civil Suits

39:14

Read by BethAnne

Ch 5 – Part 1 – Objections Answered

26:58

Read by BethAnne

Ch 5 – Part 2 – Objections Answered

25:17

Read by BethAnne

Ch 6 – Juries of the Present Day Illegal

43:41

Read by BethAnne

Ch 7 – Part 1 – Illegal Judges

26:27

Read by BethAnne

Ch 7 – Part 2 – Illegal Judges

33:38

Read by BethAnne

Ch 8 – Free Administration of Justice

15:06

Read by BethAnne

Ch 9 – The Criminal Intent

31:46

Read by BethAnne

Ch 10 – Moral Considerations for Jurors

7:10

Read by BethAnne

Ch 11 – Authority of Magna Carta

41:04

Read by BethAnne

Ch 12 – Limitations Imposed Upon the Majority by the Trial by Jury

41:31

Read by BethAnne

Appendix

9:16

Read by BethAnne

Bewertungen

(5 Sterne)

Very detailed and well referenced. Written so that a novice reader could understand.

everyone should have their kids listen to this

(5 Sterne)

(5 Sterne)

Great analysis of the government run judicial system.