The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) is a United States national jury education organization, incorporated in the state of Montana as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. FIJA works to educate all citizens on their authority when they serve as jurors. FIJA educates the public, provides commentary on current jury-related cases, and assists defendants with jury authority strategies—including the right to veto bad laws and the misapplication of laws—by refusing to convict the defendant. The organization was formed in the summer of 1989 by Larry Dodge, a Montana businessman and former Chair of the Montana Libertarian party, and his friend Don Doig. They formed FIJA following discussions about forming such a group at the National Libertarian Party convention in Philadelphia in 1989.
In the U.S., every defendant in a criminal case has the right, under Article III, Section 2 and the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to be tried by an impartial jury. If the defendant is acquitted, the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment forbids the government from putting him or her on trial again. FIJA advises jurors to vote for acquittal if they disagree with the law, even if they believe the defendant committed the crime he or she is charged with. This concept is known as jury nullification.
In August 2005, Nancy Lord, David Brody, Gary Dusselgee and Clay Conrad all retired from the FIJA board at the same time. Julie Sheppard was named as the new Chair, and Don Doig, Phil Graf and Margi Crook were named to the Board.
Read more about Fully Informed Jury Association: Activism, Criticism
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