How Were Athenian Courts Run?

How Were Athenian Courts Run? Back then, if Athenians thought that if someone had harmed them or if they had a problem they could go and complain to a magistrate. A magistrate is a official working for the court that is chosen by lottery for a one year term. Back then a defendant is a person who is accused of doing a crime. Any male citizen over the age of 30 could be chosen to be a jury member for a trial. Depending on how important the case was, a jury could have from 501 - 1500 people. A woman defedant in a jury trial needed a man to speak for her. Metics could be involved in legal cases but could not be in a jury. In Athenian courts people defended themsleves in cases by arguing. The Plaintiff is the person who complains about the defendant in court Once a jury heard both stories they decided weather the defendant was guilty of innocent. Wealthy Athenians would hire profesional speech writers to help them win the case. If the jury accused the defendant of guilty, they would vote on his/her punishment. A defendant was a person accused for doing a crime. The Jury Athenians in Court Magistrates By: Natasha & Laura
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(")_(") The members of the jury are chosen in a lottery on the day of trial. The speech writers could not speak for them like lawyers. They had to speak for themselves.