Is It Time to Put Jury Trials in the Dock?

Across the water, the UK is swinging a hammer at one of the oldest pillars of the justice system — stripping thousands of cases a year of their right to a jury. Only the gravest crimes will still go before twelve citizens in a box. Everything else gets fast-tracked into judge-only hearings. Officials say it’s the only way to stop a court system collapsing under; critics say it’s the start of a very slippery slope. So, are we protecting fairness… or quietly eroding it? And in a world of delays, intimidation, huge legal bills and unpredictable outcomes — is trial by jury still the gold standard? Barrister and Fifth Court co-host Peter Leonard joins Tara Duggan to test whether one of our oldest rights is becoming one of our biggest myths. 📧 For views, rants or jury-box confessions, email [email protected] 🎙️ And tune in to The Fifth Court here: www.thefifthcourt.com