Weakness Of The Jury System Flashcards
Not a true cross-section of the community
Communities comprise interest groups with very different needs. Thus not reflecting the full community values
Difficult task
Difficulty for those who have no training in skills such as analysing and interpreting facts
Complicated evidence (give example)
Often the evidence requires specialist knowledge to understand. Eg- medical evidence
Deliberations behind closed doors
Deliberation is done by the jurors alone and could leave out crucial evidence for the case
Concentration for long periods of time
Jurors unable to disclose information so there is no way to tell if they were concentrating
Unfamiliarity with legal procedure
Jurors may feel confused and overwhelmed by courtroom procedures
Counsel could unduly influence a jury
Jurors could be influenced by emotional aspects of the trial rather than logical aspects
Jurors could be biased
Even if people are aware of their biases it is extremely difficult to ignore them
Jury is not required to give a reason
Jurors could make a decision on what they think is right rather than what the law dictates
Delays
Legal personnel have to explain the legal terms they use to the jury which will result in a longer trial
High cost
Use of a jury makes bringing a matter to court even more expensive
Difficulty of reaching a decision
Jurors consists of numerous people with different values thus extremely difficult to reach a unanimous verdict at times
Inconsistent damages (civil)
The jurors may be unsure on the amount of damages appropriate for the case
Media influence
Difficult for jurors to get prior knowledge of the case out of their minds
