Juries

There are “systemic weaknesses” in the way juries make decisions – and these are likely to be contributing to the conviction of innocent people, failures to convict the guilty, and inequalities, new research warns. The current legal rules involving procedure and evidence are not co

New data from researchers at the University of Birmingham raises questions about whether the public in England and Wales see juries as fair and just, particularly to racial minorities. Experts surveyed 1,000 people and found that most (61 per cent) believe that more diverse juries are fairer, yet ju

At least 56 miscarriages of justice have occurred in England and Wales in which the jury was split, according to a charity that wants jury unanimity reintroduced. A report by Appeal found that majority verdicts “arguably dilute the principle of reasonable doubt” and have enabled miscarri

Dear Editor, In his opinion piece on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, published yesterday, Douglas Cusine states that there is no evidence for the assertion that jurors rely on so-called “rape myths” that does not come from mock trials. This is not the first ti

Researchers have found that defendants who don’t “swear by Almighty God” when in court run a higher risk of being found guilty by jurors who themselves swear by God. In countries such as Britain and Ireland court witnesses must declare they will provide truthful evidence, but those

Most rape trials in France will take place without juries under a widely-opposed cost-saving reform that undoes a change instituted by the 1789 revolution. All cases involving crimes with maximum sentences of between 15 and 20 years will be tried by courts of five judges rather than three judges and

The case for abolishing juries in sexual offence trials in Scotland "has not yet been proven", The Times has said. In an editorial published today, the newspaper said the right to trial by jury "has for centuries been the foundation of Scotland's criminal justice system", but that consensus "is now

The Law Society of Scotland has raised serious concerns about a possible move to judge-only sexual offence trials in Scottish courts, and the creation of additional courts outside the existing judicial structure. The proposals are among a number contained in a Scottish government consultation paper

A consultation on "improving victims’ experiences of the justice system", with a particular focus on sexual offences, has opened. It takes forward the work of the Victims Taskforce and Programme for government commitments to: establish a Victims’ Commissioner, introduce a statutory right

Attorney General Suella Braverman QC has asked the Court of Appeal if protestors charged with causing criminal damage enjoy a defence under the Human Rights Act and what directions should be given to juries in such cases. Her “questions of law” follow the acquittals of the 'Colston Four'

Plans to exclude juries from rape trials have been rubbished by the Faculty of Advocates. In a submission to Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee, the Faculty states that many within the legal profession had been accused of being conspiracy theorists when they suggested last year that there was "a

A renewed attack on trial by jury in Scotland has been met with scorn from lawyers. A "cross-justice" group led by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, has proposed a pilot of juryless rape trials in what represents the latest attempt to remove juries from sexual offences cases.

Sheriff and jury trials in Scotland restarted this week and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has published a series of advisory videos for jurors, witnesses and professionals participating in trials operating at remote jury centres.

David Lorimer takes a look at the acquittal rate in last year's Scottish Mock Jury Trials and the 'Hollywood Effect'. The lighter side of remote trials being heard by juries in cinemas is already doing the rounds: ‘...selling tickets could reduce court costs...ice cream and sweeties could live

Juries in High Court trials in Scotland will convene in cinemas to hear cases remotely in the autumn. The Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway, has approved the recommendation from the Restarting Solemn Trials Working Group to create remote jury centres in cinemas.