Legal Definitions - common jury

A common jury is a group of individuals selected according to the law to decide questions of fact and return a verdict in a case submitted to them. This type of jury is also known as a petit jury or trial jury. The common jury is usually composed of 6 or 12 people and is summoned and empaneled in the trial of a specific case.

• A common jury was empaneled to hear the case of the defendant accused of robbery.
• In a civil case, the parties have no right to a jury trial, but an advisory jury may be empaneled to hear the case. The judge may accept or reject the advisory jury's verdict.
• A blue-ribbon jury is a type of common jury consisting of jurors who are selected for their special qualities, such as advanced education or special training. This type of jury is sometimes used in a complex civil case or for a grand jury investigating governmental corruption.

These examples illustrate how a common jury is selected and empaneled to hear a specific case and make a decision based on the evidence presented to them.