Paper 1 Section A

Question 1

Role or Juries

Answer 1

1. sit in a board of 12 in the crown court
2. used in 2% of cases
3. sit in and listen to the facts and summary from the judge
4. deliberate amongst each other
5. unanimous decisions preferred
6. majority or above suffices a decision
7. jury secracy-need not provide a reason
8. cannot decide sentence only verdict

Question 2

Qualification of Juries

Answer 2

1. Juries act 1979
2. 18-70
3. a member of the UK electoral register
4. can be disqualified for life if carrying a life prison sentence or have been imprisoned for public protection
5. disqualification for 10yrs if on bail a prison sentence under 5 years or serving a community order
6. ineligible if mentally disordered or lack capacity e.g. language barriers
7. can be excused if needed else where e.g. armed forces
8. discretionary excusals include pregnancy and exams

Question 3

Juries AO3

Answer 3

Strength-generally balanced
Weakness-limitations
H..justified?

Weakness-media influence =(R v taylor amd taylor, R v Bruckland)
Strength-equal dispute, 12 makes it less likely a bias decision reaches verdict

Strength-secracy (perverse judgements)
Weakness-secracy (R v Young)

Weakness-lack of udnerstanding (Are juries fair MOJ report 2/3 thiught they knew what was happening only 31% actually did)
Strength-right to trail be peers/Lord devlin ‘lamp that shows freedom lives’