Final answer:
No, the $20 requirement mentioned in the 7th amendment is no longer true. The minimum amount of money to have a jury trial in federal court is now determined by federal law and varies depending on the nature of the claim and relief sought.
Step-by-step explanation:
NO, it is not true today that you must be suing for at least $20 in order to sue someone in federal court and have a jury. The $20 requirement mentioned in the question refers to the 7th amendment, which guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the value in controversy exceeds $20. However, this requirement has been rendered obsolete by inflation and subsequent amendments to the rules of federal court.
Currently, the minimum amount of money one must be suing for in order to have a jury trial in federal court is determined by federal law. Under the federal rules, there is no specific dollar threshold for invoking the right to a jury trial. Instead, the rules provide that the right to a jury trial may be preserved or waived depending on the nature of the claim and the relief sought.
For example, in a federal diversity case (where the parties are from different states), the right to a jury trial depends on the law of the state where the federal court sits. Some states may have their own minimum dollar threshold to have a jury trial, while others may not have such a requirement.
Learn more about 7th amendment