In the jury system, juries are charged with answering questions as to the facts, and judges are charged with answering questions as to the law. It makes full use of the judge's expertise in the law as well as a small sample of society's expertise in human nature and the human experience.

> Another common objection, often brought up in countries without juries, is that only a guilty person would desire a jury, because unlike a judge, it could be misled by appeals to emotion and faulty legal arguments.

Or put another way, someone who is technically guilty, but under circumstances where conviction of the technical violation would be unconscionable.

> Juries also seem to be unnecessary, because there are plenty of countries that don't use juries and have more just and equitable legal systems than countries that do.

Without getting into the merits of the obviously subjective argument here, it's not clear that the conclusion follows even if we grant the assumption. The superior justice system of a non-jury country might be perfected yet further by introducing juries.

This can also be turned around to the benefit of the prosecutor. Prosecutors may pursue legally bogus charges if they are dealing with an unsympathetic defendant. Either way, juries are more susceptible to emotional appeals than legal experts--a bad thing when the law is just, but a good thing when the law is wrong.

Naturally, some laws will need explained simply because folks never come in need of that law. Some accounting laws, for example, would need explained to non-accountants. Explaining the difference between the different levels of murder could need explained because most of us aren't murdering folks. But it seems that should be well within the confines of the system.

>Only a guilty person would desire a jury

This would simply depend on the honesty of the system. If you are wrongly accused and offered a plea deal, you might wind up going to trial if you have a non-guilty plea. Theoretically there wouldn't be enough evidence to prosecute you, but those cases make it through nonetheless. Plus there are charges such as "visiting a common nuisance" that are difficult for folks to disprove. visiting a common nuisance is generally visiting a drug dealer or other such location, regardless of your knowledge of what was going on