Amendment VII
Ratified: December 15, 1791
Summary
Guarantees the right to a jury trial in certain civil cases.
Full Text
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
History and Context
While the Sixth Amendment secured the right to a jury trial in criminal cases, the Seventh does the same for civil cases—disputes between individuals or entities over money or property. The framers deeply valued the role of the jury, not just as a fact-finding body, but as a check on the power of unelected judges. They wanted to ensure that ordinary citizens had a direct role in the administration of justice, even in non-criminal matters. It was another way to keep the government close to the people.