Based on this quote from thomas jefferson, why is jury duty an important civic responsibility? “i consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by a man, by which government can be held to the principles of its constitution.” a jury meets the moral obligations of the law. a jury protects the defendant from a biased and one-sided trial. a jury upholds the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. a jury determines the laws the government can apply in a case.