McKeiver v. Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
McKeiver v. Pennsylvania, 403 U.S. 528
(1971), was a decision of the United States Supreme Court
. The Court held that juveniles in juvenile criminal proceedings were not entitled to a jury trial by the Sixth
or Fourteenth
Amendments. The Court's plurality opinion left the precise reasoning for the decision unclear.
Although the right to a jury trial is not guaranteed by the U.S Constitution in these cases, states may, and some do, employ jury trials in juvenile proceedings if they wish to do so. Kansas is the first State in the Country to articulate that the right should be extended to juveniles as a matter of right under its State Constitution.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(1971), was a decision of the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. The Court held that juveniles in juvenile criminal proceedings were not entitled to a jury trial by the Sixth
Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights which sets forth rights related to criminal prosecutions...
or Fourteenth
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
Amendments. The Court's plurality opinion left the precise reasoning for the decision unclear.
Although the right to a jury trial is not guaranteed by the U.S Constitution in these cases, states may, and some do, employ jury trials in juvenile proceedings if they wish to do so. Kansas is the first State in the Country to articulate that the right should be extended to juveniles as a matter of right under its State Constitution.