Jury

A jury is a sworn body of citizens who are to render an impartial verdict to a court. There are various sorts of juries. The grand jury, originally an English institution, abolished in the 20th century but continuing in the USA, would decide whether someone should be prosecuted. The petty jury is to decide whether the accused is guilty or not guilty (in Scotland, a third verdict is available, Not proven). Other types of juries include coroners' juries and civil juries, the latter still often used in English defamation cases. A now obsolete type in England was the jury of married women who would decide whether a woman sentenced to death was pregnant, in which case execution was illegal. Another type was sworn in if a defendant remained silent when asked to plead guilty or not guilty. They would decide whether the accused stood "mute of malice" or "by the visitation of God". A jury from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths assays coins issued by the Royal Mint. Outside legal contexts, the term is also often applied to the panel deciding awards, competitions etc.