Supreme Court Case Pits Catholic Bishops Against Republicans
Summary
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging Florida’s law that allows six-person juries in noncapital criminal cases. The case argues that this practice violates the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial, with support from various groups including the Catholic bishops, who want the Court to require 12-person juries as originally intended.Key Facts
- Florida uses 12-person juries only in capital (death penalty) cases; other criminal cases have six-person juries.
- Hamed Kian was convicted by a six-person jury on charges of practicing chiropractic medicine with a suspended license.
- Kian argues that the Sixth Amendment guarantees a right to a 12-person jury in serious criminal cases.
- The Supreme Court agreed to review whether Florida’s law violates the constitutional right to a jury trial.
- The Catholic bishops filed a brief supporting Kian, saying 12-person juries are part of the original constitutional meaning.
- The 1970 Supreme Court ruling (Williams v. Florida) allowed smaller juries, a decision now being reconsidered.
- Kian’s lawyers cite a 2020 Supreme Court ruling requiring unanimous jury verdicts to argue for restoring 12-person juries.
- The bishops note the historical tradition from medieval England of criminal juries having 12 members.
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