Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Standing aside a juror: When a group of people are being chosen to decide if someone is guilty or not, sometimes the people in charge of the case will temporarily remove one of the potential jurors without giving a reason. This is done instead of saying why they don't want that person to be on the jury. This practice started a long time ago to get around a law that said the government couldn't remove a juror without a good reason. It's also been used in some places in the United States.
Definition: Standing aside a juror is when the prosecution temporarily removes a juror from the panel without giving a reason, instead of challenging the juror or showing cause. This practice was originally used to avoid the Challenge of Jurors Act (1305), which prohibited the Crown from challenging a juror without showing cause. A similar practice was also used in Pennsylvania.
Example: During a trial, the prosecution may decide to stand aside a juror if they feel that the juror may be biased or unsuitable for the case. The prosecution can do this without giving a reason and the juror will not be able to participate in the trial. This is different from challenging a juror, where the prosecution must provide a reason for why they believe the juror should not be on the panel.
Explanation: Standing aside a juror allows the prosecution to temporarily remove a juror from the panel without having to provide a reason. This can be useful if the prosecution believes that a juror may be biased or unsuitable for the case, but does not have a specific reason to challenge them. By standing aside the juror, the prosecution can ensure that the trial is fair and impartial.