Going through a criminal trial is a difficult task. One of the things that you need to think about when you are going through this is the jury that is going to hear your case. The jury has a big impact on your life because they are the ones who are going to decide whether you are guilty or not guilty.

You are entitled to a jury of your peers, but you might be a bit shocked at what this actually means. A jury of your peers doesn’t mean that the people on the jury are your race, gender or of the same economic status.

During the jury selection process, your lawyer and the prosecutor will be able to dismiss or bypass jurors. This can’t be based on any of the excluded factors. There are some factors that potential jurors can be excluded for.

Age, interestingly, is one of the factors that might be used to dismiss a juror. This is because one side might feel that jurors who are on the youngest or oldest ages of the spectrum might not be able to follow the case.

It is important that your lawyer uses the available methods for selecting jurors that can help you. This is only one of the things that has to be considered when you are getting ready for a jury trial. It is imperative that you go through the process with as much understanding as possible. Without a good understanding, you might not understand the options that you have or the ways that they can affect you.

Source: FindLaw, “What Is a Jury of Peers?,” accessed June 01, 2017