History
The Constitutionality of Federal Agency Adjudication Without Jury Trials
Quick fact
The Supreme Court has held that the Seventh Amendment jury-trial guarantee does not apply when Congress assigns a dispute to a federal agency—provided the dispute involves a 'public right.' This means most disputes with the federal government are decided by administrative law judges, not juries.
Why this is interesting
You’ve probably heard that Americans have a right to a jury trial in civil cases. So why do millions of people lose their Social Security benefits or face deportation without ever seeing a jury?