Includes bibliographical references (pages 347-397) and index.

The English origins of the modern jury : from trial by ordeal to the decline of the "little parliament" -- Criminal and civil juries in America from colonial times to the present day : evolution, a heroic role, and controversy -- A jury of peers : democratic goals -- Jury selection : juror bias, juror challenges, and trial consultants -- Problem cases : pretrial publicity -- The tasks of the jury : evidence evaluation and jury decision-making processes -- Judging the jury : evaluating jurors' comprehension of evidence and law -- Trials in a scientific age : juries judging experts -- Judging criminal responsibility : erroneous convictions, the CSI effect, and the victim's role -- Deciding insanity : mad or bad? -- Jury nullification : the war with the law -- Death is different : juries and capital punishment -- Civil liability : plaintiff vs. defendant in the eyes of the jury -- Deciding compensatory damages : million dollar questions -- Punitive damages : coffee spills and Marlboro cigarettes -- Juries and medical malpractice : antidoctor, incompetent, and irresponsible? -- Concluding : the verdict on juries.