Legal Definitions - going to the country

Definition: Going to the country refers to the act of requesting a jury trial in legal proceedings.

In the past, a defendant would use the phrase "going to the country" to indicate that they wanted a jury trial. They would end their pleading by saying "and of this he puts himself upon the country." Similarly, a plaintiff would end their pleading by saying "and this the plaintiff prays may be enquired of by the country."

For example, if someone was accused of a crime and they wanted a jury trial, they would say "and of this he puts himself upon the country" at the end of their pleading. This would indicate that they wanted a jury trial to decide their case.

These examples illustrate how "going to the country" was used in legal proceedings to request a jury trial.