What is the Seventh Amendment

• Steven Topazio wrote this July 2, 2024 at 4:38 pm

The Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights, ratified on December 15, 1791. It deals with the right to a jury trial in certain civil cases and the re-examination of facts tried by a jury. The text of the Seventh Amendment reads:

“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.”

– Seventh Amendment

Key points of the Seventh Amendment include:

Right to Jury Trial in Civil Cases: The amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in federal civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeds twenty dollars. This was a significant sum at the time of the amendment’s ratification, intended to cover a wide range of civil disputes.

Preservation of Common Law Rules: The amendment ensures that the right to a jury trial is preserved as it was understood under common law. This means that the procedural aspects of jury trials in civil cases are to follow the traditional practices and principles of common law.

Re-examination Clause: Once a jury has decided on the facts of a case, those facts cannot be re-examined by any court in the United States except according to the common law. This clause protects the finality and integrity of jury verdicts, preventing judges from overturning a jury’s findings on factual issues.

The Seventh Amendment is crucial in maintaining the role of the jury in the American legal system, particularly in civil cases, and upholding the principles of common law.