Jury

• juries act 1974
• ages 18-75
• selected off the electoral register
• must be a resident of the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for 5 years since the age of 13
• disqualified - served prison sentence (disqualified 10 years), on bail, sentenced to 5+ years imprisonment (disqualified for life)
• lack capacity e.g disability, unable to speak English
• deferrals and excusals


  ill, disability, exams, armed forces
• deaf jurors are disqualified
• jury summons are sent from court to people based on electoral register and must reply in 7 to 10 working days
• jurors sit in a room and when needed 15 are called to a court room where 12 are selected from the 15
• vetting by prosecution - there's police checks and wider back ground checks
• defence and prosecution may challenge the array if they believe they were chosen in an unrepresentative or biased way
• crown court as a group of 12 for serious cases eg rape, murder
• decide whether guilty/not guilty based on facts
• consider arguments and evidence
• further deliberate in the jury room, trying to reach a unanimous decision
• if decision cannot be reached after 2 hours can accept 10-2 or 11-1 majority but if there's only 9 jurors it must be unanimous
• foreman announces the decision and numbers
• pro - range of opinions
• pro - randomly picked off of electoral register
• con - jury not legally qualified
• con - may not be able to come to a fair decision, biased, hung jury
• con - may not be a diverse range of opinions off electoral register
• con - jury equity, media influence
• pro - sent to jury room to deliberate, private decision making, can protect jury
• pro - jury seen as the publics voice for justice in court
• pro - must come to a unanimous decision