Juries

Question 1

What do juries do?

Answer 1

Are independant and assumed the modern role of assuming facts in 1670.

Question 2

What do they do in criminal cases?

Answer 2

Used in crown court to decide whether a person is guilty or not guilty (2% of all cases).
The judge explains facts and laws and they then retire to the jury room where make decision based on facts.

Question 3

What are the qualifications?

Answer 3

• Must be 18-75
• Must have lived in the UK for 5 years since their 13th birthday
• Cannot be disqualified or mentally disordered.

Question 4

How does a person become permanently disqualified?

Answer 4

• Imprisonment for life
• Extended sentence
• Custodial sentence over 5 years

Question 5

How does a person become disqualified for 10 years?

Answer 5

If in the last 10 years they have;

• Sentence of imprisonment
• Suspended sentence passed
• Community order passed

Question 6

How do people get discretionary excusals?

Answer 6

• Illness
• Pre-arranged holidays
• Important work commitments
• Exams
• Personal involvement with someone in the case

Question 7

How is they jury selected?

Answer 7

They are selected at random from a register, they select over 12 to allow for excusals etc.

Question 8

How are they vetted?

Answer 8

Prosecution and defence have right to see the juror list .

They can be vetted through a routine police check or a wider background check. (only allowed in serious cases)

Question 9

How can the jury be challenged?

Answer 9

1- To the array = challenge the whole jury.
2- For cause = challenge an individual juror.
3- Right to standby jurors = juror put to the end of the list so they are not used. (only for prosecution)

Question 10

How do majority verdicts work?

Answer 10

If after 2 hours they haven’t reached unanimous verdict the judge can accept a majority, this must be:
- 10-2
- 11-1
If the jury drops to 11 must be 10-1.