Impartiality facts for kids
Impartiality means being fair and not taking sides. It's a super important part of any country's legal system. Think of it like a referee in a game – they have to be fair to both teams. In court, it's really important for judges, juries, and anyone else making decisions to be impartial. The whole legal system itself also needs to be impartial to work well.
Judges Must Be Fair
Judges are like the referees of the courtroom. They cannot favor one person over another. They also can't give more importance to one side's arguments than the other. Judges learn a lot about the law before a trial even starts. Sometimes, they might have an opinion about a law. But when they are in court, they must put their personal opinions aside. They have to make decisions only based on the facts and the law, not on what they personally think.
Juries: Deciding Fairly
In many legal systems, like in the United States and Canada, a group of ordinary people called a jury helps decide if someone is guilty or innocent. These people are chosen very carefully to make sure they can be impartial.
Before a trial, potential jurors go through a process called voir dire. This is where lawyers from both sides (the prosecution, who brings the charges, and the defense, who represents the accused) ask them questions. They want to find out if anyone has a personal interest in the case or if they are already biased. If someone clearly can't be fair, they are removed from the jury. This is called striking a juror.
The idea of trial by jury started in the United Kingdom. Most people accused of a crime have the right to a fair trial with an impartial jury. In Canada, juries usually have 12 ordinary people. They listen to all the evidence and decide if the prosecution has proven its case. Sometimes, a judge might pick 13 or 14 jurors, but only 12 get to vote on the final decision. In Scotland, juries have 15 jurors.
In some other countries, like many in Europe and Japan, juries can include both regular people and judges working together.
See also
In Spanish: Imparcialidad para niños
