Jury advantages and distribution - ELS

Question 1

ADV - public confidence

Answer 1

fair as we have had jurys for years, people have confidence in the impartiality and fairness of the jury trial

Question 2

ADV - new qualifications

Answer 2

almost everyone can serve on the jury

Question 3

ADV - jury equity and fairness

Answer 3

juries are not bound by the law so they do not have to give reasons for their verdict so they can decide cases on their idea of fairness

Question 4

ADV - open system of justice

Answer 4

there is justice as members of the public are involved in a key role and the process in public

Question 5

ADV - involves members of the public

Answer 5

Therefore its impartial and they have no connections to the case

Question 6

ADV - secrecy of the jury room

Answer 6

protects jurors from pressure and allows them to make unpopular decisions

Question 7

ADV - impartiality

Answer 7

having 12 members should cancel out any bias, jury members are not case hardened

Question 8

DISADV - high acquittal rates

Answer 8

undermine confidence and jurys acquit less than 40%

Question 9

DISADV - unpopularity

Answer 9

jury service is unpopular

Question 10

DISADV - perverse verdicts

Answer 10

jury can ignore un-just law and this can be seen as being perverse.

Question 11

DISADV - media influence

Answer 11

media can influence jury especially in high profile cases

Question 12

DISADV - lack understanding/fraud trial

Answer 12

not everyone understands evidence and fraud cases are particularly hard to understand

Question 13

DISADV - biased

Answer 13

in some cases there has been racial bias

Question 14

DISADV - friday afternoon syndrome

Answer 14

jury may not care or put any effort at that point