A jury typically consists of 12 jurors, especially in criminal cases, which is the traditional and most common number in many jurisdictions including the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the number of jurors can vary depending on the type of case and the jurisdiction.
Jury Size in Different Contexts
- In federal civil trials in the U.S., a jury must have at least 6 and no more than 12 members, with 6 being the minimum number required for a verdict.
- Criminal juries usually start with 12 jurors; sometimes 14 jurors are sworn in initially to allow for alternates in longer trials, but only 12 serve on the final jury.
- Some civil juries in the U.S. may have fewer jurors, commonly 8, which has become the new normal in many civil cases.
- In Scotland, criminal juries have 15 jurors, the largest standard jury size.
- Grand juries, which investigate potential crimes rather than deciding verdicts, include 16 to 23 jurors.
Summary
Type of Jury| Typical Number of Jurors
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Criminal Jury| Usually 12 (with possible alternates)
Federal Civil Jury| 6 to 12
Civil Jury (varies)| Often 8
Scottish Criminal Jury| 15
Grand Jury| 16 to 23
Thus, while 12 jurors is the most well-known and traditional number for a jury, the actual number can vary based on the trial type and jurisdiction.
