juries

• which cases are juries required?

  Ones that take place in the crown court- triable either way offences and indictable offences
• What type of duty is jury duty?

  It is a civic duty- if summoned, the person has a legal obligation to attend court on the date stated otherwise there will be prosecution
• How many people sit on the jury?

  12
• what is the purpose of a jury?

  They decide issues of fact, and determine guilt or innocence based on the evidence given to them
• What type of decision are juries encouraged to make?

  An unanimous verdict
• what does the criminal law act 1967 say in terms of juries?

  They can make a majority verdict after at least 2 hours and 15 minutes of deliberation
• why must the jury base their decisions based on the facts/evidence presented to them?

  Because they are not legally qualified, however the judge will summarise the case after both sides have presented their evidence to assist the jury
• where does the jury deliberate on evidence and decide the verdict, what is special about it?

  The jury room is a private room where what is discussed within cannot be revealed to anyone.
• what legislations govern the criteria to be appointed as a judge?

  The juries act 1974, now ammended by the criminal justice act 2003
• what is the criteria to be appointed as a member of a jury?

  The person must be between 18 and 74 years of age

  The person must be registered to vote on the electoral register

  The person must have lived at least 5 years in the UK since turning the age of 13
• who are disqualified from being a part of the jury?


  someone on bail

  Someone who has been imprisoned for life, or for more than 5 years

  If someone, within the last 10 years, served any part of a custody sentence, or has had a suspended sentence or a community sentence
• who are people that are ineligible for jury duty?

  Those who have mental disorders, a resident in hospital, someone who regularly attends hospital for treatment, or if they lack capacity
• what could it mean if someone lacks capacity for jury duty?

  They dont understand english

  Some sort of disability which impacts the person's suitability which would include deafness or blindness
• when would full time armed forces personnel be excused from jury duty?

  If their commanding officer certifies that the subject's abscence would be 'prejudicial to the efficiency of the service in question'.
• Who decides if someone has a good reason for not completing jury service?

  The jury central summoning bureau
• what test must be applied if a lawyer or police officer is put on a jury?

  The question, of whether the fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts, would conclude that there was a real possibility that the tribunal was biased, has to be asked.
• What is the significance of the case of hanif v united kingdom?

  It shows that having a police officer on a jury was a breach of article 6 of the european covention on human rights- the right to a fair trial
• what did Lord Woolf say about judges on juries?

  Judges should be on juries as it is their civic duty, they should only be exucsed in extreme circumstances
• what does it mean to vet a jury?

  It means to check the suitability of the potential jurors
• What are the two types of jury vetting?

  Routine police checks in order to eliminate those who are disqualified

  Wider checks on a juror's background and political affiliations- the Attorney general's permission is needed
• What are the three challenges of the jury?

  To the array

  For cause

  For the Prosecution's right to stand by
• What does it mean to challenge the array in terms of juries?

  The whole jury is challenged on the basis of the fact it has been chosen in an unrepresentative or biased way.
• What is the significance of the case of r v Fraser?

  The jury was challenged to the array as there was only one black juror and the rest were white.
• What si the significance of the case of r v ford?

  it was decided that if the jury is randomly decided that then it should not be challenged for not being multiracial.
• What does it mean if the jury is challenged for cause?

  It is done when there is a juror who is disqualified or they know a witness or a defendant