Summary
The government in England and Wales is planning to change the rules for jury trials to reduce the backlog of court cases. Proposed changes include limiting jury trials to serious crimes while less severe cases would be decided by a judge. A full plan will be announced in Parliament, but it is not clear if all proposals have been approved.
Key Facts
- The government aims to limit jury trials to serious crimes like murder.
- There are currently 78,000 cases waiting in Crown Courts.
- The backlog could reach over 100,000 cases without changes.
- A leaked plan suggests new judge-only trials for certain cases.
- Volunteer magistrates would have their sentencing powers doubled.
- Proposed changes do not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- An additional £550m will be spent on victim support services over three years.
- Critics argue the backlog is due to years of underfunding, not jury trials.
