People come to court every day seeking conflict resolution, be it the government trying to convict someone for a crime or an injured person seeking compensation. Lawyers and their clients seek redress through the courts, but often, before their demands are met, they may face one of the most essential components of the American judicial system: the jury.

Aggrieved individuals have the right to request a trial by jury. When our neighbors exercise this right, jury members take time out from their daily routines to perform an important civic duty. Before the government can convict someone of a crime, before an injured plaintiff can receive monetary compensation, the jury must be convinced. Including jurors as part of our judicial system assures that all people – rather than only lawyers, bureaucrats and judges – have a role in the administration of justice.

Indeed, trial by jury is one of the most important rights of an American citizen. The United States is one of few countries in the world to embrace this fundamental liberty. The jury system traces its roots back to 1215 when King John of England signed the Magna Carta. The system was deemed so crucial to our founding fathers that they not only referred to it in the Declaration of Independence, but also they secured trial by jury as an absolute right under the Sixth and Seventh Amendments of the Constitution. As Sen. Margaret Chase Smith once explained, “The Constitution … speaks not only of the freedom of speech, but also of trial by jury instead of trial by accusation.”

Not only is jury service a vital part of American liberty, but also it provides the opportunity for citizens to participate in their justice system, to contribute to society and to expand their personal knowledge. During a trial, witnesses unravel a story of actual persons and events occurring in the jurors’ community. Just as I do, jurors learn something new and interesting about this community as they sit to listen and watch a trial unfold.

The courtroom is a place where people from all walks of life appear, making jury service a unique and fascinating study of human nature. The actual jury experience is nothing like what you see on a television show. Television offers fantasy: jury service offers reality and is a real-life lesson in the human condition.

Jury service is an obligation to be taken seriously. A jury has the responsibility to determine whether an accused person is innocent or guilty, or to determine whether a defendant has harmed a plaintiff and must pay damages. Jurors should not be intimidated by this process. A jury is comprised of a cross-section of citizenry. By virtue of their personal experiences and backgrounds, jurors have the necessary skills to determine justice.

Their individual values, ethics and philosophies, blended with those of their co-jurors, are the essential ingredients to the determination of just decisions. No further training is necessary or required.

A juror’s experience is a powerful one. His or her central role is simple to state, yet often difficult to do: to keep an open mind. A juror must ignore any personal biases, likes or dislikes, and must give a fair, honest and impartial verdict. Once the verdict is reached, jurors are never required to justify their findings. Their deliberations remain their own. Only legal findings, not whom the jury believes or disbelieves, can be appealed.

Hearing a case and deliberating to a verdict is not an easy task. Yet Maine jurors perform this responsibility exceedingly well. Each year thousands of Maine citizens fulfill a profound civic duty shared by countless others for nearly 800 years.

As one juror recently commented after serving in the federal court: “It was a very pleasant experience from day one. I wanted to serve for the experience and would recommend to anyone they should experience it for themselves. I felt humbled and honored when I walked out of the courtroom after the verdict.”

It is my hope that others who serve in the future will feel similarly rewarded.

George Z. Singal is a judge on the U.S. District Court for Maine, presiding in Bangor.