Jury Trials | What you need to know

21 July 2019

The right to Jury trial has been in place for centuries, and it existed even before it was enshrined in the United Kingdom’s law by the Magna Carta. Indeed, one of the most critical principles of the UK law is that a person accused of a serious crime should have a right to a jury trial. In other words, an accused person should be tried in front of his or her peers. Below are some essential things you should know about jury trials in the United Kingdom, as explained by our law tutors in London.

Jury Trial in Crown Court

Generally, indictable offences are tried by a jury in the Crown Court if defendants plead not guilty. However, the trials can be done either in the Magistrates Court or in the Crown Court. In some cases, a magistrate can decide to send a case to the Crown Court for a jury trial. In other cases, a defendant can make a choice to be tried in the Crown Court by jury. Trials before the jury are less likely to lead to a conviction compared to trials in the Magistrate’s Court. However, jury trials in the Crown Court are more stressful.

Exemptions

Not all criminal cases can be tried before a jury. The Criminal Justice Act (2003) allows for non-jury trials in the following cases:

· Where jury tampering is likely to take place

· Where tampering with jury has taken place

If the prosecutor does not want a trial to be conducted by jury, they should apply for a court order to that effect. The application should demonstrate why tampering is likely and how a jury trial is not going to serve the interests of justice. It should be filed within 14 days after pleading not guilty.

The Bottom Line

If you would like to learn more about Jury trial, Advanced Law Tutors offers the necessary resources in addition to professional law tutors to help you. Get in touch with us today for an opportunity to be taught by the best law tutors in London.