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Law vocabulary · Courts & Judges

Jury

Meaning in law, with examples

/ˈdʒʊəri/nounCommon term

In law, jury means: A group of ordinary citizens, often twelve, chosen to listen to the evidence in a trial and decide the facts, for example whether a defendant is guilty.

In Turkish: jüri

How it is used

Mainly used in criminal trials in England and Wales, and in both criminal and many civil trials in the US. A jury 'hears' the evidence, 'deliberates' and 'returns a verdict'. Each member is a 'juror'.

Example sentences

  1. The jury took two days to reach a verdict.

  2. In a jury trial, you need to explain technical evidence in very simple language.

Common collocations

  • jury trial
  • trial by jury
  • the jury found
  • jury verdict
  • sit on a jury
  • trialThe formal process in court where evidence is presented and a judge or jury decides the case, usually after weeks or months of preparation.
  • judgeA public official who runs a court hearing, listens to both sides and decides the case, or tells the jury how the law applies.
  • evidenceDocuments, objects, statements and other information that a court uses to decide which facts are true.
  • witnessA person who tells a court what they saw, heard or know about a case; also someone who watches a document being signed and then signs it too.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Courts & Judges

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.