Affiliation: J.D., Attorney at Law, Licensed in Indiana, Colorado, and United States Courts, Former Prosecuting Attorney, Senior Visiting Professor – Center for International Legal Studies

Abstract: Only 2% of roughly 80,000 persons charged with crimes in 2018 in federal court in the United States of America had their cases heard by juries of their peers. In those trials, 83% of defendants were convicted and 17% were acquitted. Approximately 90% of criminal cases are resolved by way of plea agreement and sentencing with only 8% dismissed.1 The percentages of jury trials and plea agreements are roughly the same at the state level. Civil cases are also tried by juries but are not the focus of this article.