Is possible to report for jury service but not sit on a jury?

Yes. In many cases, parties seek to settle their differences and to avoid the expense and time demanded by a trial.. Thus, while several trials may be scheduled for one particular day, the court cannot be certain until that morning, and sometimes afternoon, which cases will actually require a jury.

Who else will be in the courtroom?

A number of people will be in the courtroom in addition to the judge and jury. The list below explains who they are and what they may be doing.

Plaintiff - In a civil case, the plaintiff is the party who initiates the lawsuit by bringing the case to court.

Defendant - In a civil matter, the defendant is the party who is being sued. In a criminal case, the defendant has been charged with a crime.

Attorneys - In certain cases, including criminal cases, attorneys representing the plaintiff, the defendant or the government are referred to as counsel. An attorney representing the government in a criminal case is called the prosecuting attorney or the assistant district attorney, and in some cases, the assistant attorney general.

Court Reporter - The court reporter records the official record of the trial by recording every word which is spoken. This record will be converted into an official transcript of the trial.

Court Clerk - The clerk of the trial part, also called the clerk, maintains the court files and preserves the evidence presented during the trial. The clerk may also administer the oath to jurors and witnesses.

Witnesses - Witnesses provide testimony, under oath, as to what they have seen, heard or otherwise observed regarding the case.

Interpreter - Interpreters, under oath, provide language interpretation for the court on behalf of a non-English speaking party or witness.

Spectators - Spectators are members of the public who are generally permitted to observe the court proceedings. Often spectators include representatives or the media.

NOTES:

per diem (лат.) - каждый день, ежедневно

Answer the following questions:

1) Why the jury is an arm of the court?

2) What is the jury’s job?

3) How prospective jurors are selected?

4) Who can be a juror?

5) What is the average length of a trial?

6) What is sequester and in what situations it is possible?

7) Does the juror receive his salary during jury service?

8) When is possible to report for jury service but not sit on a jury?

9) Who else can be in the courtroom and what are their functions?

TASK 6. (a) Study the text below, making sure you fully comprehend it. Where appropriate, consult English-Russian dictionaries and/or other reference & source books on law.

Famous American Trials The o. J. Simpson Trial 1995

Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson (born 1947) is a retired American football player, actor, spokesman, and convicted felon. He originally attained fame in sports as a running back at the collegiate and professional levels, and was the first NFL (National Football League) player.

In 1989, Simpson pleaded no contest to a domestic violence charge and was separated from his wife Nicole Brown, to whom he was paying child support. On June 12, 1994 Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead outside Brown's condominium. Simpson was charged with their murders. The pursuit, arrest, and trial were among the most widely publicized in American history. The trial, often c

Simpson and attorneys (Bailey (left) and Cochran (right)) react to verdict.

haracterized as "the trial of the century". Even foreign leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Boris Yeltsin eagerly gossiped about the trial.  When Yeltsin stepped off his plane to meet President Clinton, the first question he asked was, "Do you think O. J. did it?" The trial culminated on October 3, 1995 in a jury verdict of not guilty for the two murders. The verdict was seen live on TV by more than half of the U.S. population, making it one of the most watched events in American TV history. Immediate reaction to the verdict was notable for its division along racial lines: polls showed that most African-Americans felt that justice had been served by the "not guilty" verdict, while most white Americans did not. O. J. Simpson's defense counsel included Johnnie Cochran and F. Lee Bailey.

(b) Read the text about selection of the Jury for O. J. Simpson murder case and describe this procedure to your classmates in English: