A Louisiana man charged with rape argued that the state’s volunteer jury service provision violated his Sixth Amendment right to a jury that represented a cross section of the local population. The volunteer method often created juries that were composed mainly of men. Justice Byron R. WhiteWhite, Byron R.;Taylor v. Louisiana[Taylor v. Louisiana] wrote the opinion for the 8-1 majority, striking Louisiana laws that formed juries by a volunteer method. Departing from Hoyt v. Florida[case]Hoyt v. Florida[Hoyt v. Florida] (1961), the Supreme Court found that the Sixth Amendment was violated by juries on which very few women (less than 15 percent of all jurors) were seated if the states excused or avoided seating women in various ways. Hoyt was not directly overturned because it was not decided on Sixth Amendment grounds. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger concurred, and Justice William H. Rehnquist dissented.Sixth Amendment;Taylor v. Louisiana[Taylor v. Louisiana]Jury, trial by;Taylor v. Louisiana[Taylor v. Louisiana]

Gender issues

Hoyt v. Florida

Jury, trial by

Jury composition and size

Sixth Amendment