jury of one's peers n. a guaranteed right of criminal defendants, in which "peer" means an "equal." This has been interpreted by courts to mean that the available jurors include a broad spectrum of the population, particularly of race, national origin and gender. Jury selection may include no process which excludes those of a particular race or intentionally narrows the spectrum of possible jurors. It does not mean that women are to be tried by women, Asians by Asians, or African Americans by African Americans.
But originally jury of ones peers was a right of (so called noble) Englishmen to be judged by other lords, and not by commoners. Sadly, it does not give intellectual people the right to be judged by others with above room temperature IQ (what is it they say, a jury consists of 12 people not smart enough to get out jury duty?).
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/jury+of+one's+...
But originally jury of ones peers was a right of (so called noble) Englishmen to be judged by other lords, and not by commoners. Sadly, it does not give intellectual people the right to be judged by others with above room temperature IQ (what is it they say, a jury consists of 12 people not smart enough to get out jury duty?).