Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Law Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

State and Local Government Law

University of Maine School of Law

2017

Civil Jury Trials

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Law

A Modern Look At The Right To A Civil Jury Trial Under The Maine Constitution, Carolyn A. Liegner Apr 2017

A Modern Look At The Right To A Civil Jury Trial Under The Maine Constitution, Carolyn A. Liegner

Maine Law Review

The right to a civil jury trial is a cornerstone of the American legal system. The Maine Constitution promises an even broader right to a civil jury trial than is offered by the federal Constitution and many other states. Article I, Section 20 states: “In all civil suits, and in all controversies concerning property, the parties shall have a right to a trial by jury, except in cases where it has heretofore been otherwise practiced.” The exception in the provision has been the subject of multiple interpretations by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, sitting as the Law Court, since the …