Seventh Amendment

Definition

The Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “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 guarantees American citizens the right of trial by jury of their peers. The Seventh Amendment is a bedrock of American judicial rights.

Example

Questions

1. Identify the major judicial right protected by The Seventh Amendment.

2. Identify any times you or someone you love has been on a jury because of The Seventh Amendment.

3. From what does The Seventh Amendment protect Americans?

4. Who does The Seventh Amendment protect?

5. Do you think the United States would be better off without The Seventh Amendment?

6. Some say that The Seventh Amendment only protects guilty people, and so we should get rid of it. What do you think of this argument?

7. Use The Seventh Amendment in a sentence of your own design or select an emoji that encapsulates the meaning of The Seventh Amendment.

8. What would the U.S. be like without The Seventh Amendment?

9. If you are sued for less than $20, do you still have the right to a trial by jury?

10. If you had to rank the 10 amendments of the Bill of Rights from most to least important, where would The Seventh Amendment rank?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw The Seventh Amendment! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

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Further Review

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