13425. JURIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM. This paper provides an overview and analysis of the impact of juries on the American justice system. The process by which juries render verdicts and exert influence on the justice system is considered from the perspective of communication theory. The analysis and discussion of civil juries will focus particularly on issues related to jury competence in weighing facts and evidence as well as the issue of bias in the determination of monetary awards, while the analysis of criminal juries will focus especially on issues of jury representation, discrimination/bias, and jury nullification. 16p. 47f. 23b.