Do all common pleas court trials have juries?
No. Trials can be held either to a jury or to a judge. In a felony criminal case, the defendant automatically gets a jury of 12 persons, and all 12 must agree to a verdict of guilty or not guilty. If a criminal defendant does not want a jury trial, and would rather have a judge determine the facts of the case, he or she must waive his jury right both in writing, and in open court. In a civil case however, a litigant is not automatically entitled to a jury. Rather, he or she must take the initiative to request a jury in writing. If a civil case is tried to a jury, eight jurors are chosen, and, in order to reach a verdict, at least six of the eight must agree.
