Jury Selection Flashcards
What are the qualification one must hold to be a juror?
Aged between18-70.
On the electoral register.
Resident in the UK for at least 5 years
What can result in a permanent disqualification from jury service?
- Sentenced to imprisonment for life.
- Imprisoned or in youth custody for 5 years or more.
- Detained during HM pleasure.
- Imprisoned/detained for public protection.
- Sentenced to an extended sentence.
What can result in a disqualification from jury service for 10 years?
At any time in the last 10 years; served term of imprisonment, had a suspended sentence or had a community order passed on them.
What else can disqualify someone from being on a jury?
Being on bail.
What can happened is a disqualified person shows up for jury service?
Can be fined up to £5,000.
What does Lack of Capacity mean?
Judge can discharge a person from jury service for lack of capacity to cope with trial.
Who are the only people who can be excused from jury service?
Members of the armed service with a certificate from their commanding officer.
Who used to be able to be excused from jury service?
Police officers and anyone involved in the criminal justice system.
What act amended excusals?
The Criminal Justice Act 2003.
What is the case associated with excusals?
R v I (2007).
What happened in R v I (2007)?
Juror was a police officer who knew everyone giving evidence so automatically assumed D was guilty.
What was the outcome of R v I (2007)?
Appeal was allowed, since she should have been asked to step down.
What are discretionary excusals?
Potential juror can be excused at discretion of court, for example for an exam, family commitment, booked holiday or job commitment. Usually will defer rather than excuse.
What can happen for non-attendance at jury service?
Can be fined up to £1,000.
How are jurors selected?
Central Juror Summoning Bureau produced random list of jurors from the electoral register. Then summons is sent. Initially more than 12 jurors are summoned.
How are jurors selected at Court?
Divided into groups of 15 and allocated a court. Trial clerk picks 12 at random.
What happened is there is an insufficient amount of jurors?
Court can select anyone eligible off of the street.
What types of vetting into jurors are there?
Routine police checks to eliminate disqualified jurors.
Wider checks into juror’s background and political affiliations.
What case is associated with Routine police checks?
R v Mason (1980).
What happened in R v Mason (1980)?
Chief Constable of Northampshire had policy of unauthorised vetting of criminal records.
What was the outcome of R v Mason (1980)?
CoA approved of this type of vetting.
What case is associated with wider checks of jurors?
Attorney Generals Guidelines (1988).
What did the Attorney Generals Guidelines (1988) state?
Should only be used in cases involving national security.
Attorney Generals permission is needed.
Who has the right to challenge a juror?
Both the prosecution and the defence before a juror is sworn in.
What three types of challenges to a juror are there?
To the array.
For cause.