Juries

Question 1

Qualifications and disqualifications of a jury

Answer 1

1)Qualifications-Juries act 1974
18-70 years old
Registered to vote on electoral register
Lived in the UK for 5 years from age of 13
2)Disqualifications
Disqualified- criminal record-over 5 years in prison= life ban, under 5 years in prison= 10years, On bail= whilst on bail

Question 2

Selection process of the jury

Answer 2

1) Central summoning bureau computer randomly selects jurors from the electoral register (around 60 people)
2) Sent a summons: letter with date & time of court case
3) Return form to the court stating whether you have any reasons for not doing jury service
4) Turn up at court and watch a DVD explaining expectation of jury service
5) Juror are divided into groups of 15 at random and taken to a court room
6) Court will do background checks and vetting (criminal record check)-R v Mason
7) In open court a random ballot is taken & 12 jurors are picked from 15
8) Challenges 1-challenge for cause
- 1 jury member
- Discrimination
- Relation to defendant
* Challenge for cause
- whole jury
- to similar from one location one gender Romford jury
- not ethnicity- Ford
* Stand by
- no reason given just removed
9) Jury is sworn in using holy book and oath or a non religious promise

Question 3

Disadvantages of jury

Answer 3

• Media influence-Rosemary west
• Juries are led by their emotions-Kronlid
• Jury equity
• No legal knowledge
• Secret jury room is hard to make decisions-R v young
• Selection process doesn’t guarantee the jury won’t be biased
• May be bias towards local justice area
• They can make rushed decisions as not everyone wants to be there
• Some from the jury could be intimidated by more professional members of the jury
• Unpopular because they are not volunteers

Question 4

Advantages of jury

Answer 4

• Trial by peers
• Jury take their role seriouslyMcCabe
• Randomly selected
• Jury equity Ponting
• Live in local justice area good local knowledge
• No influence in the secret jury room
• Good cross section of society- variety of opinions
• More legal & medical knowledge- police/doctors etc (CJA 2003)
• Through checks prior to the trial

Question 5

Role of a jury

Answer 5

1) Decides the verdict-guilty or not guilty-crown court
2) Listen and look at all evidence eg. CCTV and witnesses
3) Retire to secret jury room to discuss verdict & evidence
4) Take notes in court
5) They keep the discussions secret from the public
6) Listen to the Jude’s summing up (summary) of the case
7) Listen to the judges explanation of the law & apply it to the facts
8) Need to come to a unanimous verdict (all in agreement)
9) If after 2hr10min they cannot agree, a majority verdict is allowed 10-2,11-1
10) Trial by peers - trial the D as an equal person in society