UK scraps plans to curb jury trials

Government changes course
The UK government has abandoned plans to significantly reduce the number of jury trials in England and Wales after strong opposition from lawyers, MPs and campaigners. Justice Secretary Alex Norris said the government had listened to concerns over proposals that would have allowed some cases to be decided by judges without juries.

Judge-only trials scaled back
Under the original proposals, cases expected to result in sentences of less than three years could have been heard by a judge alone in the Crown Court. The government has now dropped that part of the plan, meaning more serious cases will continue to be heard before juries. However, judge-only trials will still be possible for some lengthy and complex fraud and financial cases.

Justice minister explains decision
Norris said he remained committed to reducing the court backlog but had recognised the strength of opposition to expanding judge-only trials. He said changing course would allow the government to focus more quickly on wider reforms designed to make the courts more efficient and reduce delays for victims and defendants.

Court backlog remains severe
The decision comes as England and Wales continue to face a major criminal court backlog. Nearly 81,000 Crown Court cases were waiting to be heard at the end of June, with almost a third having remained unresolved for at least a year. The government says long delays are leaving victims and defendants waiting years for cases to reach court.

Original reforms faced backlash
Former Justice Secretary David Lammy introduced the original proposals as part of wider reforms aimed at tackling the growing backlog. Critics argued that reducing jury trials would undermine a long-established safeguard in the criminal justice system and would not address the underlying problems caused by years of pressure and underinvestment.

Lawyers welcome the reversal
The Criminal Bar Association welcomed the government’s decision. Its chairman, Andrew Thomas KC, said the legal profession was pleased that the government had responded to concerns and maintained the central role of juries in deciding criminal cases.

Concerns over magistrates remain
However, lawyers warned that other parts of the reforms could still create problems. The government plans to increase magistrates’ sentencing powers and remove defendants’ automatic right to choose a Crown Court jury trial in certain cases. Critics fear this could transfer thousands of cases to already pressured magistrates’ courts.

Thousands of cases could shift
The Criminal Bar Association said the remaining proposals could move about 25,000 cases a year away from the Crown Court, including thousands of cases that would otherwise involve juries. It warned that some could involve serious offences such as assault, sexual assault, child abuse and grievous bodily harm.

Government promises wider reforms
The government says it will use technology and other measures to improve the justice system. Plans include greater use of artificial intelligence to support case listings, more virtual hearings and additional resources for judges. The Courts and Tribunals Bill is expected to return to Parliament later this month.

Political reaction
The Conservatives welcomed the decision, describing it as a victory for those who opposed the proposed restrictions on jury trials. Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said the government had been forced to abandon what he called a central part of its original reform programme.

Jury trials remain protected
The government’s latest decision means the broad proposal to introduce judge-only trials for lower-level Crown Court cases will no longer proceed. However, concerns remain over the proposed expansion of magistrates’ powers and changes to defendants’ ability to elect a jury trial.