UNPACKING THE JURY BOX

This Article challenges the accusation that juries are ill-equipped to do justice in a complex society. The consequences of debunking the co mmonly believed notion of jury incompetence are twofold. First, it rev eals an alternative explanation of contemporary distrust of jurors--th at distrust of juries is symptomatic of a larger dynamic whereby citiz ens distrust any institution of democratic decision-making when the de cision-makers are diverse from themselves. Second, that much of the cu rrent slate of proposed jury reforms, which are based on the false pre mise of juror incompetence, will harm the institution of trial-by-jury to no end.