Role Of Juries Flashcards
What acts contain the rules relating to the role of the jury?
The Juries Act 1974 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
What percentage of criminal trials do juries listen to?
Around 1% of all criminal trials, which is about 20,000 cases a year.
How many jurors sit in the Crown Court?
Twelve jurors.
What is the role of the judge in a trial?
The judge decides points of law.
What does the jury decide in a trial?
The jury decides the facts.
What types of offences do juries decide on?
Indictable offences (such as murder) and some triable either way offences (such as assault occasioning ABH under s47 OAPA 1861).
What can jurors see during a trial?
Exhibits such as items involved in the crime, photographs, CCTV images, and diagrams.
What must jurors do after evidence has been presented?
Listen carefully to the judge’s summing up of the facts,explaining the law and what the jury should do next
Can a judge tell the jury to acquit the defendant?
Yes, in about 10% of cases, but cannot tell them to find the defendant guilty.
What must the jury reach a verdict on?
They must reach a verdict of guilty or not guilty.
What is the requirement for jury discussions?
Jurors must have a secret discussion and cannot discuss the case with anyone else.
What can jurors do while deliberating?
They can put written questions to the judge.
What type of verdict is preferred by the judge?
A unanimous verdict is preferred.
What is the acceptable majority verdict?
A majority verdict of 11:1 or 10:2 can be accepted after enough time has elapsed, usually at least 2 hours.
What does the foreman do in terms of the verdict?
The foreman publically announces the verdict to the court but does not have to give the reason for the decision
