The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-01-06
T.iai s. i.y

Editors note: The late Chief
Justice Edward W. flndgins. oil
Virginia's Supreme Court OF APP
peals. prepared and published this
article in 1919 Believing il of i'll
p0rtance to every citizen. who
sooner Or later, will serve on a
Jury, We have found space Tor II
as this new year begins
This article has been plepattt
for the purpose OF more fully HI
forming citizens serving As mem
bels OF trial illlt's i'll the courts u
Virginia OF the high. important and
responsible duties Of their office.
The ancient and cherished right
Of a party who is compelled to
resort to a court for settlement Of
a controversy between himself and
the state. or between himself and
another party TO be tried by fair
and impartial jury of his peers. is
guaranteed by the fundamental law
of the land the Constitution Of the
Commonwealth These guarantees
presuppose that citizens Of the
State. when summoned, VIII Will
inglv serve as jur0rs. Unless citi-
zens Of high intelligence, Who have
so lived and conducted their at
fairs as to gain the confidence OF
the community III their sound
common sense and fau dealing full
fill their duty to make the necessary
sacrifice Of time and convenience
to act in this capacity the afimini-
stration of Justice will be impaired.
The jury is a vital part Of the
machinery by which justice is adj
miniStered lis function is to hear
and weigh the conflicting testl-
mony of witnesses. to observe theli
demeanor while on the stand and
then to determine the facts Of the
case. and TO apply TO the facts the
pertinent principles of law pro
neunced by the trial judge Prop
erty rights. or liberty, or even life
itself. are at stake in such con
troversies. and unless the jury acts
intelligently. fairly and iinpartlallY
confidence in the courts viii be
shaken.
Jury Service A Duty
jury service is q DUTY and OBJ
legation which may involve tinan-
ciitl sacrifice. az is the perform
ance of most public duties one i
called upon TO perform. yet it i
one of the highest privileges and
duties Of good citizenship and a
part which all citizens should Will
ingly perform as a solemn service
to their country
The object OF this article Is to
assist the juror in the performance
Of his duties by acqualnung him
with the administration Of justice
in the trial courts. OF record Of the
Commonwealth Of Virginia.
The principal reason why govern
mcl Is exist is to establish and
enforce the rights and duties OF
citizens. Most people observe the
law refrain from violence. and
amicably adjust their differences
The machinery OF Justice needs to
be invoked in an extremely small
percentage of cases. but the fact
thai il Is there to invoke WneneyeH
it is needed is one reason why il
needs to be invoked 50 seldom.
esponsibiiity of Jurors
Trial by jury is an important
part Of the machinery Of justice.
When a case is tried by a jury,
the members Of the jury are A
part of the tribunal. The judge who
has been trained in the law. decides
The tons of law and what evil
cence should or should not be adj
mitted The jurors are laymen
called in for the purpose Of decid-
ing the disputes about facts that
are submitted TO them. The Jurors
are there as the selected represent
tatlves of the whole community.
and the time honored formula for
demanding trial by jury is for the
party to say and of this he puts
himself upon the country t h e
jury. for the purpose Of the case,
is the country
The duty of the jury is to de-
eide the disputed questions Of fact
and apply to them the law Of the
case given to it by the judge The
jurors are the sole judges Of the