The trial of Amanda Knox, an American citizen convicted of murdering her roommate while studying in Perugia, has raised a lot of questions about the differences between the U.S. and Italian justice systems. Each country has a distinct set of procedures for trying the accused and sentencing the convicted.

Here are six important ways in which the Italian courts differ from the U.S. courts in their practice of interpreting law and delivering justice:

  1. 1) Defendants do not have to take an oath to tell the truth.

  2. 2) Convicted criminals can automatically appeal.

  3. 3) The jury is not sequestered until deliberations.

  4. 4) Juries for criminal cases include two judges and six citizens. One of the judges presides over the trial.

  5. 5) Verdicts do not need to be unanimous; only a majority is required for a murder conviction.

  6. 6) The jury has 90 days to file their explanation of why they made their decisions.