Legal Definitions - nonjuror

A nonjuror can refer to two distinct situations:

• In a modern legal context: An individual who is not currently serving as a member of a jury in a legal proceeding. This applies to anyone who has not been selected for a jury, or who has been excused from jury duty.
• Historically: A person who refused to take an oath of allegiance to a new sovereign or established authority, often due to unwavering loyalty to a previous ruler or deeply held religious beliefs.

Here are some examples to illustrate the term:

• Example 1 (Modern Legal Context):

  Imagine a citizen named Maria who received a summons for jury duty. She attended the courthouse, participated in the jury selection process (voir dire), but was ultimately not chosen to sit on the jury for any of the trials that day. She was then dismissed and returned to her regular activities.

  Maria is a nonjuror because, despite being called for service and undergoing selection, she did not end up serving as an active member of a jury in a legal case.

• Example 2 (Historical Context):

  Consider a fictional kingdom in the 18th century where a new monarch seized power after a civil war. The new king decreed that all public officials, including judges and military officers, must swear a new oath of fealty to him. A small but influential group of high-ranking officials, who had served the previous royal family for decades, steadfastly refused to take this new oath, believing it would be a betrayal of their original vows and loyalty.

  These officials would be historically identified as nonjurors. Their refusal to swear allegiance to the newly established sovereign, based on their enduring loyalty to the deposed rulers, perfectly illustrates the historical meaning of the term.