The Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791, is a crucial part of the Bill of Rights. It guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases where the amount in dispute exceeds a specific monetary threshold. Furthermore, it prevents judges from overturning factual findings made by a jury in such trials. The exact wording of the Seventh Amendment is:
“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.”
This amendment ensures that citizens have the opportunity to have their civil disputes decided by a jury of their peers in federal courts.
The Historical Roots of Civil Jury Trials
The right to a civil jury trial, enshrined in the Seventh Amendment, distinguishes the American legal system from many others around the world. Unlike the majority of European nations and those within the Commonwealth, the United States still upholds civil jury trials as a fundamental right. The origins of this right can be traced back to English common law, much like other legal amendments within the Bill of Rights.
During the Middle Ages, English courts utilized juries composed of individuals without formal legal training to reach decisions. Centuries later, during the colonial period, the British Parliament asserted its authority over the American colonies, including their legal systems. As resentment towards English laws grew, American juries began to nullify ordinances passed by the Crown. By the time of the American Revolution, many of the newly formed states had explicitly included the right to jury trials in both civil and criminal cases in their constitutions.
Joseph Story, the first Supreme Court Justice to write an opinion on the Seventh Amendment.
The Road to Ratification: Debates and Compromises
During the Constitutional Convention, opinions on civil juries were divided. Federalists were concerned that state civil juries, known for favoring debtors, would undermine the enforcement of contracts. When the initial version of the Constitution was presented for ratification, Anti-Federalists insisted on adding the right to civil juries. They argued that civil juries would act as a vital safeguard against potential overreach and corruption within the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government. Consequently, the right to civil juries was incorporated into the Constitution through the Seventh Amendment.
Interpreting “Common Law”: Landmark Supreme Court Cases
While the two clauses of the Seventh Amendment are generally clear, the interpretation of the term “common law” has been subject to debate. Common law typically refers to law as interpreted by judges in courts, as opposed to laws enacted by legislative bodies. Given the varying practices of civil jury trials across individual states and the novelty of the federal court system, the meaning of “common law” in the American context remained ambiguous.
The 1830 Supreme Court case of Parsons v. Bedford established that “common law,” as understood by the Court, was rooted in English common law, which had influenced the American legal system. More than a century later, Dimick v. Schiedt (1935) definitively stated that the Seventh Amendment’s civil jury trial provisions were based on and intended to be derived from English common law as it existed in 1791, the year the amendment was ratified. Subsequent Supreme Court rulings clarified that the amendment is intended to protect the essential elements of this right (Baltimore & Carolina Line, Inc. v. Redman) while allowing for reasonable deviations from the traditional system (Colgrove v. Battin).
The Seventh Amendment’s Enduring Legacy
Even though jury trials are not involved in every court case, the Seventh Amendment was intentionally written to protect the right to have one. It is a safeguard not just for the parties involved but also for the jury’s role in defending citizens’ legal rights. The Seventh Amendment remains a cornerstone of the American legal system, ensuring that citizens have a voice in resolving civil disputes and protecting their fundamental rights. It exemplifies the ongoing commitment to the principles of fairness and justice upon which the nation was founded.
