Juries in Virginia Beach Robbery Cases 

In Virginia Beach, most robbery cases are tried by juries about half the time. Many cases get resolved before they get in front of a jury, but it is still important to consult an experienced Virginia Beach robbery lawyer about juries in Virginia Beach robbery cases.

Selecting Juries

Selected juries in Virginia Beach robbery cases are those individuals who are attentive, and who will be listening to what the person is saying. A person on trial will want a jury that is sympathetic to their cause.

Common characteristics of juries include younger individuals because older people may not be able to focus as well. Depending on the case, the person may be looking for a certain race or ethnicity. More importantly, when selecting a jury, a person should try to avoid people who have relationships with law enforcement officers because they may be more predisposed to believe the police officers.

Jurors go into these cases with their own experiences and their own history. If they have lived a certain life and they are familiar with certain things, that is going to impact how they see the evidence and how they hear witness testimonies. A person has to take that into consideration when trying to decide if this is a juror who is going to help or hurt them.

Diversity and Demographic of Jury Selection

The diversity and demographic of juries in Virginia Beach robbery cases matters if it is important to whether or not the person on trial thinks it will affect the decision of the jury.

Ultimately, a person is entitled to a jury of their peers. It is what the constitution guarantees the person.

Length of the Jury Process

The length of the jury process depends on the type of case. Usually, it takes about an hour and half, but it can be longer depending on how many people the person has in the pool of potential jurors, if there are any problems in getting a panel seated, or what questions are being asked. It is not that uncommon for jury selection, especially in murder trials, to take all day but usually, the jury process in Virginia Beach robbery cases is done by end of the morning.

Impacting the Trial

The jury in a Virginia Beach robbery case hears all the evidence, and they make the ultimate decision on guilt or innocence. Because they do not have the legal background or experience as judges and attorneys, the person has to make sure that they are deliberate and careful in their explanations so that the jurors do not misinterpret important information.

Reasonable Doubt

In criminal cases, guilt beyond a reasonable doubt must be proven in order for juries in a Virginia Beach robbery charge to agree on a guilty verdict.

Beyond a reasonable doubt means that all other rational explanations have been excluded and the evidence only leads to one logical conclusion. It does not mean proof beyond all doubt, it does not mean there might be an alternative, and it is how Commonwealth shows that a reasonable person would believe this is how the events unfolded.

Get in touch with a Virginia Beach robber lawyer for more information on juries in a robbery case.