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Arguments Against Juries

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Arguments For and Against Juries

The right to a trial by jury is a tradition that goes right to the heart of the British legal system. It is a right fiercely fought for, and fiercely defended at those times when its powers have been seen to be under threat - as those backing reforms are finding. The tradition of being "tried by a jury of ones peers" probably has its origins in Anglo Saxon custom, which dictated that an accused man could be acquitted if enough people came forward to swear his innocence. Trial by jury was first enshrined in law in what has been seen as the world's first proclamation of human rights - the Magna Carter. The document, decreed in 1215 by King John after a rebellion by …show more content…

Minor offences, such as drunkenness, could only be tried by magistrates, and major offences, such as murder and rape, only by jury. The government now wants to limit the number of cases which are "triable either way".

There have been many debates throughout time about the effectivness of juries. SWR worldwide was commisioned by The Bar Council and The Law Society to conduct research of 903 members of the public aged between 18 and over across England. The findings were as follows;

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The above chart shows a clear agreement of the general public on juries and the trust they show in their abilities. Similarly the research showed that the public has more faith in police and juries than others in the justice system.

· Respondents are most likely to have confidence in the police (81%) and juries (80%) than in other players in the justice system.

· Most think a jury of 12 individuals rather than a judge and two magistrates would be more likely to reflect their own (73%) and society at large's (80%) views and values.

· In fact, two thirds (64%) say that, should they appear as a defendant in court, they would prefer to have a jury of their peers rather than a judge and two magistrates or a judge alone decide their case.

However, the same people that make the argument against juries may criticise those who

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