Question

Was a fugitive slave allowed the right to a trial by jury?

a
Ob
Yes, a fugitive slave was allowed the right to a trial by jury.
No, a fugitive slave was not allowed the right to a trial by jury.

Answer 1

No, a fugitive slave was not allowed the right to a trial by jury.

Step-by-step explanation:

No, a fugitive slave was not allowed the right to a trial by jury.

Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which was part of the Compromise of 1850, slave owners were able to reclaim their escaped slaves without the fugitives having a trial by jury. The law required suspected fugitive slaves to be returned to their owners based solely on the testimony of the claimant, without giving the alleged fugitive an opportunity to present evidence in their favor or challenge their status as a slave.

This lack of due process for fugitive slaves was one of the controversial aspects of the Fugitive Slave Act, which contributed to the growing tensions between the North and South leading up to the Civil War.

Learn more about Rights of fugitive slaves