A jury is a group of ordinary citizens who listen to evidence in a court trial and decide whether someone is guilty or not guilty of a crime, or who is right in a legal dispute. Jury systems exist in many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Juries typically have twelve members, though some trials use smaller groups.

The jury system is an important part of democracy. Instead of letting a single judge or government official decide someone's fate, a group of regular people from the community hears both sides of a case and reaches a fair verdict. Jury members, called jurors, take an oath to be impartial and make their decision based only on the evidence presented in court.

Serving on a jury is both a right and a responsibility of citizenship in many places. Adults may receive a jury summons calling them to serve. The lawyers for each side get to ask potential jurors questions to make sure they can be fair.

The word jury also appears outside courtrooms. A panel of judges at a science fair or art competition might be called a jury. The phrase “the jury is still out” means a decision hasn't been made yet, like saying “we're still figuring it out.”