Retrial ordered for crash couple – BBC News

Posted March 27th, 2009 in bias, juries, news, retrials by sally

“A judge has ordered a retrial in a case of causing death by dangerous driving after a juror was overheard making comments judged to be biased.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th March 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jurors suffer trauma in gruesome cases, scientists warn – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 19th, 2009 in juries, news by sally

“Jurors should be screened before sitting on trials involving harrowing or gruesome evidence to cut the risk to them being traumatised, medical experts have warned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government strengthens plans for non-jury inquests – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 18th, 2009 in inquests, juries, news by sally

“Strengthened proposals for non-jury inquests that allow for more judicial involvement and discretion were announced today by the government.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 18th March 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Public opinion and the jury: an international literature review – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 25th, 2009 in juries, reports by sally

“Despite substantial literature on the legal institution of the jury, and on the experiences of jurors, less is known about public attitudes to juries. This report sought to help address this knowledge gap, drawing together findings from the small number of surveys that have asked questions on this subject. The report indicates high levels of confidence in the jury amongst the general public.”

Full report (PDF)

Ministry of Justice, 25th February 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Inquests without a jury: the Government needs to think again – The Times

Posted January 29th, 2009 in inquests, juries, news by sally

“The Coroners and Justice Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday, allows the Secretary of State for Justice to specify that an inquest should take place without a jury to prevent ‘harm to the public interest’. The Government has failed to justify such a broad discretion to remove an important safeguard against abuse of power.”

Full story

The Times, 29th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Juror faces action over comments – BBC News

Posted January 20th, 2009 in contempt of court, juries, news by sally

“Permission has been granted to launch contempt of court proceedings against a newspaper publisher and a jury foreman who told ‘secrets of the jury room’.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th January 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jury discharged in £53m Tonbridge depot robbery trial – The Guardian

Posted January 8th, 2009 in juries, news, robbery, verdicts by sally

“Retrial date to be set after jury trying man allegedly ‘at heart’ of Britain’s biggest cash robbery fails to reach verdict.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Juror escapes prosecution for posting court trial details on Facebook – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 16th, 2008 in contempt of court, juries, news by sally

“A juror who faced jail after posting details of a trial on Facebook is to escape court action.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

De Menezes coroner invites majority verdict – The Guardian

Posted December 10th, 2008 in firearms, inquests, juries, news, police by sally

“The coroner in the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes today told the jury he would accept a majority verdict.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th December 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Doody – Times Law Reports

Posted November 26th, 2008 in delay, juries, law reports, rape by sally

Regina v Doody

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

“Where a defendant raised delay to undermine the credibility of a complainant in a rape case, an appropriate warning to the jury was necessary to ensure fairness to the complainant. ”

The Times, 26th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Juror dismissed from a trial after using Facebook to help make a decision – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 24th, 2008 in juries, news by sally

“A juror has been dismissed from a trial after asking friends on Facebook to help make a decision.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th November 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Women jurors think rape victims were ‘asking for it’, says Dame Helen Mirren – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 17th, 2008 in juries, news, rape by sally

“Women jurors are more likely to clear rape defendants because they believe the alleged victim is likely to have been ‘asking for it’, Dame Helen Mirren has claimed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th November 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v Stringfellow – Times Law Reports

Posted November 14th, 2008 in criminal procedure, juries, law reports by sally

Regina v Stringfellow

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

“Where the clerk of a crown court went wrong when he was taking the vote of the jury, it was better for counsel to interrupt and ask the clerk to start again, to avoid unnecessary excursions to the Court of Appeal.”

The Times, 14th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Lord Chief Justice: internet generation could be unsuitable as jurors – The Times

Posted November 6th, 2008 in juries, news by sally

“The internet generation is not used to listening for long periods and so could be unsuitable as jurors, the Lord Chief Justice has said.”

Full story

The Times, 6th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Press Release: Solicitor General welcomes Court of Appeal Rape Judgment in R v Doody – Attorney General’s Office

Posted October 27th, 2008 in juries, press releases, rape by sally

” Solicitor General welcomes Court of Appeal Rape Judgment in R v Doody.”

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 24th October 2008

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Regina v B and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted October 8th, 2008 in codefendants, criminal procedure, fitness to plead, juries, law reports by sally

Regina v B and Others

Court of Appeal

“Where one of several defendants in the same criminal proceedings became mentally unfit to stand trial before a jury had been empanelled, there was nothing in principle to prevent the jury subsequently hearing the trial of all the defendants, although in the case of the unfit defendant the jury would now be looking only to whether he had committed the actus reus of the relevant offence.”

The Times, 8th October 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Police jurors are a threat to fair trials, senior judges warn – The Independent

Posted September 17th, 2008 in juries, news, police by sally

“Police officers should not be allowed to sit on juries because of the danger they pose to the fairness of trials, senior members of the judiciary say.”

Full story

The Independent, 17th September 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Analysis: Mr Justice Calvert-Smith faced a difficult task – The Times

Posted September 10th, 2008 in judiciary, juries, news by sally

“The delicate task of keeping a jury on the road in a long-running trial requires a mix of firmness, diplomacy and hand-holding from judges.”

Full story

The Times, 10th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

R v B and others – WLR Daily

Posted September 2nd, 2008 in codefendants, criminal procedure, fitness to plead, juries, law reports by sally

R v B and others: [2008] WLR (D) 296

“Where one of several defendants in the same criminal proceedings became unfit to stand trial before a jury had been empanelled there was nothing in principle to prevent a single empanelled jury subsequently proceeding to hear the trial of all the defendants, although in the case of the unfit defendant the jury would now be looking to the question whether he had committed the actus reus of the relevant offence.”

WLR Daily, 1st September 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Juror’s detective work ends trial – BBC News

Posted August 19th, 2008 in juries, news by sally

“A manslaughter trial collapsed after a juror admitted undertaking his own investigation into the case.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th August 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk