The Seventh Amendment

"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"



The Seventh Amendment set up the judicial system in America as far as the courtroom goes.  The American citizen has a right to a trail by jury of his peers.  Judges were seen as easily bribed and if the power was exclusively given to them corruption would thrive.  However, a judge can overturn the jury if the jury did something wrong or corrupt.  This balance of power between judge and jury can become awkward at times.  The seventh amendment also establishes that no jury is needed for divorce cases or family cases.  The seventh amendment also establishes that in civil cases, only a majority needs to be met, not a general consensus.  

This picture perfectly describes the American Divorce Court System.  When I first found this cartoon, my face lit up because of how well this pertains to the seventh amendment.  It is no secret that children of divorce parents often have problems at school.  They may develop into bullies or the shy kids that often have times expressing themselves appropriately.  The seventh amendment states that divorce cases do not require a trial by jury.  That being said, is it really fair for one man or woman to have such a significant impact on the lives of those children?  An interesting question that deserves to be reexamined.