jury trial

noun

: a trial that is decided by a jury
I demand my right to a jury trial.

Examples of jury trial in a Sentence

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The jury trial in the case of a Southeast Michigan man accused of murder in the deaths of his three young boys is expected to last for 30 days. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 The ruling, based on evidence presented at the jury trial and a follow-up proceeding in May, covers a period during which Corcoran earned more than $10 million managing the rapper’s music, touring and merchandise businesses, the judge said. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026 After four years of pretrial action, the Hawaii class action case was scheduled for a jury trial in July 2026 in Honolulu. — Monika Evstatieva, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 The district attorney’s office is requesting a jury trial and the two cases are expected to be consolidated for a single trial, according to WTAE. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jury trial

Rhymes for jury trial

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Browse Nearby Words

jury strut
jury trial
jus
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Cite this Entry

“Jury trial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury%20trial. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

jury trial

noun
: a trial in which a jury serves as the trier of fact

called also trial by jury

compare bench trial

Note: The right to a jury trial is established in the U.S. Constitution, but it is not an absolute right. The Supreme Court has stated that petty crimes (as those carrying a sentence of up to 6 months) do not require trial by jury. The right to a jury trial in a criminal case may be waived by the “express and intelligent consent” of the defendant, usually in writing, as well as, in federal cases, the approval of the court and consent of the prosecutor. There is no right to a jury trial in equity cases. When a civil case involves both legal and equitable issues or procedure, either party may demand a jury trial (and failure to do so is taken as a waiver), but the judge may find that there is no right to a jury trial because of equitable issues or claims.

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