Constitutional Accountability Center Constitutional Accountability Center
Criminal Law

RELEASE: At Last, Sixth Amendment Jury Unanimity Required in Major Criminal Cases in the States

WASHINGTON – Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Ramos v. Louisiana, reversing the non-unanimous conviction of a criminal defendant from Louisiana, Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra issued the following reaction:

At long last, the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee that convictions by juries in major criminal cases require unanimous verdicts now applies in state courts, not just federal courts. Over many years, CAC has called on the Supreme Court to address this flaw in its jurisprudence, and we are gratified to see it rectified in today’s majority opinion.

While long overdue, this is a victory for our Constitution’s text, history, and values.

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Resources:

CAC case page in Ramos v. Louisiana: https://www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/ramos-v-louisiana/

CAC case page in Jackson v. Louisiana (2014) (cert stage): https://www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/jackson-v-louisiana-u-s-sup-ct/

CAC case page in Miller v. Louisiana (2012) (cert stage): https://www.theusconstitution.org/litigation/miller-v-louisiana-u-s-sup-ct/

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