Petit Jury

Petit Jury

When you think of a "jury of your peers," you are thinking of a petit jury.  A petit jury (pronounced like the word "petty") finds its origin in Anglo-Saxon English.  This type of jury is comprised of citizens in one's local jurisdiction.  In Nebraska, a person may ask for a jury of 12 jurors if they are in "District Court" and 6 jurors if they are in "County Court."  This applies in both the civil and criminal context.  This jury is empanelled by the judge and renders a verdict for a case.  This is the group of people who shall decide if a person is guilty or not-guilty (in a criminal context), or liable or not-liable (in a civil context).