juries

Question 1

juries

Answer 1

• sits in the crown court
• decides the verdict of the case
• decides the points of fact

Question 2

r v McKenna (1960)

Answer 2

• juries can be used for trial in both civil and criminal cases
• a judge cannot challenge the decision of the jury

Question 3

public confidence (adv. of juries)

Answer 3

• fundamentals of a democratic society

Question 4

jury equity (adv. of juries)

Answer 4

• decides on fairness, not the word of law
• not legal experts = not bound to previous case precedents

Question 5

open system of justice (adv. of juries)

Answer 5

• the process is public so it helps to keep the law clearer as it has to be explained to jurors

Question 6

impartiality (adv. of juries)

Answer 6

• jurors will have different prejudices so their biases cancel each other out

Question 7

perverse decisions (dis. of juries)

Answer 7

• refusal of the jury to convict ignores the evidence and gives the wrong decisions

Question 8

secrecy (dis. of juries)

Answer 8

• no way of knowing if the jury fully understands the case

Question 9

media influence (dis. of juries)

Answer 9

• seeing the case in the media may influence the decision

Question 10

high acquittal rates (dis. of juries)

Answer 10

• increase rates undermine the confidence in the criminal justice system