Legal Definitions - Seventh Amendment

The Seventh Amendment is a crucial part of the United States Constitution, ratified in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. It guarantees that in federal civil lawsuits—meaning legal disputes between private parties, as opposed to criminal cases where the government prosecutes an individual—citizens have the right to have a jury decide the facts of the case.

This right specifically applies to cases that are similar to the types of legal conflicts traditionally handled by courts under English common law, such as disputes over contracts, property damage, or personal injuries. Historically, it also applied only when the amount of money or value at stake exceeded a certain threshold (originally $20), emphasizing its application to significant disagreements. In essence, the Seventh Amendment protects the ability of ordinary people to participate in resolving important civil disputes in federal court by serving on a jury.

• Example 1: Car Accident Lawsuit

  Imagine a driver from Texas sues a driver from Oklahoma in a federal court, claiming the Oklahoma driver's negligence caused a serious car accident that resulted in $150,000 in medical bills and vehicle damage. This is a civil case between private individuals in federal court, and the claim of negligence seeking monetary compensation for personal injury and property damage is a classic type of "common law" dispute.

  How it illustrates the term: Under the Seventh Amendment, either the Texas driver or the Oklahoma driver could demand that a jury, rather than just a judge, hear the evidence and decide whether negligence occurred and what the appropriate financial compensation should be.

• Example 2: Breach of Contract Dispute

  Consider a small manufacturing company based in Ohio that sues a large raw materials supplier from Michigan in federal court. The Ohio company alleges that the supplier failed to deliver crucial components as per their contract, causing the manufacturer to lose $75,000 in profits and incur additional costs.

  How it illustrates the term: This is a civil dispute over a contract in a federal court, and a breach of contract claim seeking monetary damages is a type of case historically recognized under common law. The Seventh Amendment ensures that either the manufacturing company or the supplier has the right to request a jury to hear the evidence and determine if a breach occurred and what damages, if any, are owed.

• Example 3: Property Damage Due to Negligence

  Suppose a homeowner in Colorado sues a federal contractor in federal court, alleging that the contractor's negligent excavation work on a nearby government project caused significant structural damage to their home. The homeowner is seeking $90,000 for repairs and diminished property value.

  How it illustrates the term: This is a civil lawsuit in federal court where the homeowner is seeking monetary compensation for property damage caused by alleged negligence. Such a claim for damages due to negligence is a direct descendant of traditional common law actions. The Seventh Amendment ensures that either the homeowner or the contractor has the right to have a jury determine the facts of the case, such as whether negligence occurred and the extent of the damage.