>  For starters, I don’t believe we should be judged by a jury of our peers, but rather a council that knows and has studied the law.

You realize that juries don't interpret the law, right.  Judges do.  Juries are deciders of fact.  The only thing a jury decides is "did he really do it?"  whether or not "it" is legal is a question for the judge (who answers it by giving jury instructions."