Which amendment provides the right to a jury in civil trials?

• A. The 8th Amendment
• B. The 5th Amendment
• C. The 7th Amendment
• D. The 11th Amendment

Answer: (C)

Right to a jury in civil trials is guaranteed by the Seventh Amendment. It protects the right to a jury in civil cases in federal courts that arise from common-law claims, where the value in dispute is at issue. The amendment says that in suits at common law, the right to a trial by jury shall be preserved, and that once a jury decides the facts, those facts aren’t re-examined by another court except as allowed by the rules of common law. This sets up a division of labor in civil cases: juries resolve the factual questions, while judges decide the legal rules that apply to those facts. Note that this right doesn’t extend to purely equitable matters, and it can be waived if both sides agree to a bench trial. The other amendments mentioned address different protections: the Eighth Amendment limits cruel and unusual punishment and fines, the Fifth covers due process and protections against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and the Eleventh restricts lawsuits against states in federal court.