special jury
Definition
Noun: A special jury is a type of jury whose members are specifically chosen for their expertise, qualifications, or special knowledge relevant to the complex subject matter of a particular legal case.
Usage
The term is used in legal contexts to describe a jury empaneled for trials involving technical, scientific, or otherwise complicated issues where standard juror knowledge is considered insufficient. - It functions as a compound noun. The adjective "special" modifies the noun "jury" to specify its distinct, non-standard nature.
Examples
- The patent infringement case was so technically complex that the court ordered the selection of a special jury.
- In historical common law, a special jury, sometimes called a "blue-ribbon jury," could be requested for commercial disputes.
Advanced Usage & Notes
- The concept of a special jury is largely historical in many modern common-law jurisdictions, where its use has been restricted or abolished in favor of standard jury selection processes intended to represent a cross-section of the community.
- The selection process for a special jury traditionally involved choosing jurors from a list of individuals with higher property qualifications or specific professional backgrounds.
Variants and Related Words
- Special venire: A writ or process for summoning a special jury.
- Blue-ribbon jury: A synonym for special jury, emphasizing the high qualification of its members.
- Struck jury: A type of special jury formed by alternately striking names from a list until the required number of jurors remains.
Synonyms
- Expert jury
- Blue-ribbon jury
Antonyms
- Petit jury (standard trial jury)
- Ordinary jury
Noun
-
a jury whose members are selected for special knowledge for a case involving complicated issues
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