Transcript
January 23, 2012. The Seventh Amendment to the United States reads: "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law." Why twenty dollars? I dunno. Here's the best explanation I could think of.
See also The Twenty Dollars Clause, 118 Harv. L. Rev. 1665 (2005).
Twenty Dollars
Caption: September 5, 1789
James Madison: Well, we are agreed then. The
Amendment shall read "In suits
at common law, the right of trial
by jury shall be preserved--"
End of panel.
Pimp Daddy Hobbes: Madison! Is that you?!
My wenches don't come
cheap you scoundrel!
Pimp Daddy Hobbes: You still owe me
nineteen dollars!
End of panel.
James Madison: As I was saying, "In suits at common
law, where the value in controversy
shall exceed twenty dollars ... "
Pump Daddy Hobbes (off-panel): Where's my money?!?!
Ben Franklin (off-panel): Right-o.
End of comic.
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