Georgia Magazine - March 2012 - (Page 7)

Liberty notes Right to a jury trial in civil cases In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. —Seventh Amendment The authors of the Bill of Rights secured the right of trial by jury for criminal defendants in the Sixth Amendment. In the Seventh Amendment, they sought to extend the right to a jury trial for parties in civil proceedings as well. This underscored the determination of our early statesmen to have the people involved in the decisions of the courts. They did not entrust the administration of justice, even in civil proceedings, solely to attorneys and judges. They meant for the citizens to have a voice in the civil, as well as the criminal, justice systems. Citizen participation was meant to serve as a check on the power of ofﬁcers of the courts, namely, judges and lawyers who would appear before the courts. The term “common law” is mentioned twice in the amendment. English common law is the basis for the U.S. justice system. The common law system developed as the result of customs and court procedures that were used in England over several centuries prior to the founding of the British colonies in North America. Rules of common law are still followed in U.S. courts. —Jim Jess For more about juries in civil cases and common law, see page 50B of the March 2012 web exclusive digital edition online at www. web exclusive georgiamagazine.org. March 2012 Picture this? Guess where this is and you could Win $25! Welcome to “Picture this?” a contest where we print a reader’s photo showing a Georgia place—and you get a chance to guess where the picture was taken! We will reward the reader whose photo is published—as well as the person who correctly guesses where it was taken—with $25 each. We’ll draw the winner from all correct answers. Winners’ names and where the photo was taken will appear in a future issue. Ready to guess? Send your guess by March 22, 2012, to GEORGIA Magazine, Attn: “Picture this,” P.O. Box 1707, Tucker, GA 30085, or email to picturethis@georgiaemc.com. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. Have a photo? Send your original photos of locations that are easy to identify, but not too prominent, to the address above, or email 300-dpi photos to picturethis@georgiaemc. com. Please send photos and guesses separately. Our winners from the December 2011 issue are Cassie Wilson, of Molena, who took the photo, and Lisa Abernathy, of Franklin, who correctly guessed that it is the Old Jail in Molena, decorated for Christmas. Built in the early 1900s, it was a fully functioning jail with two cells and once stood behind city hall. Apparently, the jail bears a strong resemblance to a similar one in Warthen, because many readers sent in that incorrect guess. December 2011 Celebrating the Georgia lifestyle GEMC ® More online at www.georgiamagazine.org 7 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - March 2012

Georgia Magazine - March 2012
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgie News
Calendar of Events
Currents
From “Undercover Boss” to servant leader
New Harmonies blossoms
Ellijay family business is for the birds
Around Georgia
Travel Guide
My Georgia
Georgia Gardena
Georgia Cooks
Snapshop

Georgia Magazine - March 2012