How are juries selected in the United States? What forces influence juries in making their decisions? Are some cases simply beyond the ability of juries to decide? How useful is the entire jury system? In this important and accessible book, a prominent expert on constitutional law examines these and other issues concerning the American jury system. Randolph N. Jonakait describes the historical and social pressures that have driven the development of the jury system; contrasts the American jury system to the legal process in other countries; reveals subtle changes in the popular view of juries; examines how the news media, movies, and books portray and even affect the system; and discusses the empirical data that show how juries actually operate and what influences their decisions. Jonakait endorses the jury system in both civil and criminal cases, spelling out the important social role juries play in legitimizing and affirming the American justice system.

屈文生，法学博士，华东政法大学副教授，硕士生导师。出版专著《从词典出发：法律术语译名统一与规范化的翻译史研究》、《普通法令状制度研究》及译著《欧陆法律史概览：事件，渊源，人物及运动》、《中世纪的法律与政治》、《盎格鲁-美利坚法律史》、《世界上伟大的法学家》等6部。曾在《历史研究》、《中国翻译》、《比较法研究》、《学术研究》等杂志发表论文50余篇。主持并完成国家社科基金项目《法律术语译名统一与规范化研究》等。2010年被评为上海市曙光学者。

宋瑞峰，华东政法大学法学学士，意大利博洛尼亚大学法律经济学硕士。

陆佳，华东政法大学英语学士，北京大学法律硕士。