The Legislative Reference Bureau has prepared a Wisconsin Brief entitled The Wisconsin Jury Process.
The sixth and seventh amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee citizens the right to a trial by jury in all criminal and civil matters. This right is further protected by Article I, Section 5 of the Wisconsin Constitution. This right, however, depends on the willingness of people to participate in the jury process. Serving on a jury can impose a significant burden in terms of lost income and time away from job and family. Reducing that burden has been the focus of several proposals to reform the process.
The Brief outlines types of juries, their responsibilities and compensation and introduces proposals for change.