美国陪审团的一致裁决原则：历史与当下

陪审团的一致裁决原则起源于14世纪的英国,作为一项普通法的传统,它在美国确立后经历了一个联邦强制适用与各州选择适用并存这一局面被明确和强化的过程。虽然饱受质疑,但是从一致裁决原则对陪审团司法工具价值和政治民主价值的发挥及对审判成本控制的影响这三个角度出发综合考虑,其在一定时间内还将继续存在下去。

The Unanimity Requirement in Jury Verdicts in America: Past and Present

The unanimity requirement in the United States was adopted from the British system where it was employed beginning in the fourteenth century.It is a mandatory rule at the federal level while the states are free to accept or reject it.Admittedly there has been a large movement to eliminate the unanimity requirement,but taking its effect on verdict accuracy,local participatory democracy and tiral costs into consideration,it is more beneficial than detrimental to preserve the requirement.