Burch v. Louisiana

441 U.S. 130 (1979)

Purchase the Printed Copy at bsmsphd.com

Nature of the Case

To access this section all you need to do is click here and register.

Facts

The Louisiana (P) Constitution provides that if punishment could be imposed on a defendant of more than six months, he shall be tried before a jury of six persons, five of them must concur to render a verdict. Burch (D) was convicted by a nonunanimous six-person jury. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari to decide whether conviction by a nonunanimous six-person jury in a state criminal trial for a nonpetty offense violates the rights of an accused to trial by jury guaranteed by the 6th and 14th Amendments.