Legal Definitions - petty jury

A petty jury, also commonly referred to as a petit jury, is the standard type of jury used in most trials. Its fundamental role is to listen to the evidence presented by both sides in a legal case, deliberate on that evidence, and then render a verdict or decision. Unlike a grand jury, which decides whether there is enough evidence to bring charges, a petty jury determines the facts of the case and applies them to the law to decide guilt or innocence in criminal cases, or liability and damages in civil cases. Typically, a petty jury consists of 6 to 12 jurors.

• Example 1 (Criminal Case): Imagine a situation where an individual is accused of assault. A petty jury would be selected to hear all the testimony from witnesses, examine any physical evidence like medical reports or photographs, and review arguments presented by both the prosecutor and the defense attorney. After considering all the information, this jury would then deliberate in private to decide whether the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the assault. Their final decision would be a verdict of "guilty" or "not guilty."

  This illustrates the term because the petty jury is directly responsible for evaluating the evidence and determining the defendant's guilt or innocence in a criminal matter.

• Example 2 (Civil Case): Consider a lawsuit where a homeowner is suing a construction company for alleged shoddy workmanship that led to significant water damage. A petty jury would be empaneled to hear expert testimony from engineers and contractors, review building plans and inspection reports, and listen to arguments from both the homeowner's and the construction company's lawyers. The jury's task would be to determine if the construction company was negligent and, if so, what amount of monetary damages should be awarded to the homeowner to cover repairs and other losses.

  This demonstrates the role of a petty jury in a civil context, where it assesses liability and determines compensation based on the evidence presented by the disputing parties.