Williams v. Florida
Williams v. Florida is a landmark Supreme Court case concerning the size of juries in criminal trials. The case arose when defendant Williams was convicted by a six-member jury, which was allowable in Florida for most criminal cases but not for capital murder. Williams contended that the six-person jury violated his Sixth Amendment right to a trial by jury. The Supreme Court, in a 7-1 decision, upheld the constitutionality of six-member juries, stating that there are no federal requirements mandating the use of twelve jurors unless specified by state law. This ruling has sparked significant debate and criticism, particularly regarding the lack of empirical evidence supporting the adequacy of smaller juries. Despite the controversy, the decision has been reaffirmed over time, leading to the prevalence of six-member juries in many jurisdictions. The case highlights ongoing discussions about the fundamental rights of defendants and the role of jury composition in the judicial process.
Williams v. Florida
Date: June 22, 1970
Citation: 399 U.S. 78
Issue: Jury size
Significance: The Supreme Court authorized a reduction in the size of juries from twelve to six.
Defendant Williams was convicted of a felony by a six-member jury because Florida allowed six-person juries for all criminal cases except capital murder. Williams argued that the smaller jury denied him of his Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury. The Supreme Court held, seven to one, that six people were enough to have on either a civil or a criminal jury (absent a state constitution or law mandating twelve jurors) on the state or federal level. The Court’s decision has been widely criticized for offering no evidence for its conclusion that six-member juries are adequate, but the Court later reaffirmed its decision and six-member juries are now commonplace.
