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Show Origin of Jury System Attributed to Peoples of European Countries The exact origin of the jury system is not known with certainty, it having been attributed to different European peoples which at an early period developed de-veloped methods of trial somewhat similar to the early jury trials in England. Eng-land. Trial by battle was cast in the background by the Norman conquerors conquer-ors when the Norman institution of recognition by sworn inquest was adopted. The Curia Regis, or King's court, directed the sheriff to select four knights of the county by whom 12 knights were selected to serve as recognitors. After being duly sworn they inquired into the facts of interest inter-est to the new rulers of England which might be subject to public inquiry, such as matters affecting taxation. Suitors in cases affecting the titb-of titb-of real estate, as early as the reign of Henry II, 1154 to USD, applied tithe ti-the king's court for recognitors whose verdict, if unanimous, was accepter1 as conclusive. Originally the jury was selected because be-cause of their knowledge of the peo pie, locality and customs and thereby passing upon the facts from a mor intimate knowledge of them. Durin: the reign of Henry IV, the jury wr instructed to judge the facts upon th. evidence submitted to it, which is the single function of the jury of modern practice. Kansas City Star. |