Who can be a juror?

Which for centuries ruled by autocrats, not accumulated a rich historical experience of democratic justice.  The principles of autocracy do not always conform to the principles of fair and impartial trial.

For the first time not having the success of the proposal to introduce a jury trial was filed more of Catherine II in 1767.  Nearly forty years later, with the view of his grandmother agreed, and Alexander I.

However, as a result of judicial reform in 1864 there were jury trials in Tsarist Russia, lasted more than half a century and were abolished by decree "On the court» № 1 in November 1917.

Is not it like the most democratic of all Russian institutions of government court "in good conscience" that allowed to escape punishment, even some ardent opponents of the regime, the new Bolshevik government?  Judge for yourself.

One of the most high-profile cases before the revolution - it revolutionary, and suicide narodnitsy Vera Zasulich .  In 1878 she shot twice in the chest with the St. Petersburg governor General Trepov.  The official survived.

During the trial Zasulich not try to deny that shot in general, but argued that its purpose was not to kill the hated despot, the mayor, but just to humiliate him.  The jurors believed the accused, rejecting the charge of attempted murder.  Vera Zasulich released in the courtroom, while a conviction threatened her with imprisonment of 15-20 years.

Modern lawyers evaluate the process as a court of emotion.  Do I need to have unpredictable emotional trials of the Party, which proclaimed the dictatorship of the proletariat?

Years passed.  At the end of the Soviet government in the late 80-ies of XX century the problem was again debated in society.  Alas, the conversations and opinions so they remained.  The maximum that fell into Soviet legislation - the thesis of the possibility of jury trials - the expanded board of lay judges in some cases.

In the history of modern Russia jury revived in 1993.  Become a jury could practically every citizen of the Russian Federation .  Candidates for assessors "appointed" regional administrations random sample from electoral rolls.  In the jury may get the representatives of all social strata, from the unemployed poor to steep businessmen.

Among the restrictions - age candidates.  They must be at least 25 and no older than 70 years.  In addition, the jury may not have outstanding conviction or mental illness.

Select a jury trial, all participants: the judge, defense counsel, prosecutor and even the defendant himself.  After receiving a written invitation to the selection, the citizen is obliged to come to him.  This is guaranteed by Article Constitutional Law "On the Judicial System of the Russian Federation", "a jury in the administration of justice is a civic duty" - the same as military service.

However, the law is not strictly to all categories of citizens.  Have legitimate reasons to refuse the military, clergy, judges and lawyers, parents raising young children.  Valid reasons for refusal is considered to be poor knowledge of Russian language , impaired hearing and religious beliefs.