Proposals to cut the use of jury trials for most offences would be one of the most significant legal reforms in UK history. The government’s plans have prompted much debate in legal circles and beyond – mainly around whether they go against the UK’s democratic principles.
The government’s hope is that reducing jury trials will address the growing backlog of cases in the Crown Court. But the proposals included in the courts and tribunals bill suggest that many more cases would be dealt with in magistrates courts instead of Crown Courts.
