Pennsylvania - Find Jury Types and Sizes In Your State
Pennsylvania - Jury Types And Sizes
Types Of Jury In Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania | Get Information for All Court Types
Use this page to find information about juries for each of the court types for the state of Pennsylvania. Learn about the different types of courts, the number of jurors for each of these types, and the decision rule for a conviction to be made.
| Pennsylvania Felony Court Jury Duty
Serious criminal cases including violent crimes, property offenses, and drug offenses are tried in Pennsylvania felony court. Felony juries are generally larger than juries for less serious offenses, and have more stringent conviction requirements due to the severity of the crime and potential punishment.
A jury for the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas felony court contains 12 jurors. For a conviction to be made, all members of the jury must come to a unanimous decision. Otherwise, they will remain in deliberations until such a decision is reached.
| Pennsylvania Civil Court Jury Duty
Non-criminal legal cases are tried by the Pennsylvania Civil Court. Civil cases include a wide variety of lawsuits between individuals or businesses including personal injury / tort cases, contract disputes, and more. Many civil family court cases involve Pennsylvania divorce cases or other family law issues such as child custody cases , etc. The instructions for a Pennsylvania civil jury generally differ from those given to a criminal jury.
A jury for the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas civil court contains 12 jurors. For a conviction to be made, at least five members of the jury must be in agreement on the verdict.
| Pennsylvania Misdemeanor Court Jury Duty
Less serious criminal offenses such as theft, vandalism, simple assault, and some drug charges are tried in a Pennsylvania Misdemeanor Court. Misdemeanors may result in significant fines, probation, or jail time for a convicted defendant. Jury sizes for a misdemeanor trial are generally smaller than a jury for a felony trial.
A jury for the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas misdemeanor court contains 12 jurors. For a conviction to be made, all members of the jury must come to a unanimous decision. Otherwise, they will remain in deliberations until such a decision is reached.