{"id":124659,"date":"2020-04-23T14:28:02","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T14:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/?p=124659"},"modified":"2020-05-09T14:42:38","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T14:42:38","slug":"buckland-rules-out-judge-only-trials-as-solution-to-virus-backlog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/buckland-rules-out-judge-only-trials-as-solution-to-virus-backlog\/","title":{"rendered":"Buckland rules out judge-only trials as solution to virus backlog"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The lord chancellor says judge-only trials would be a \u2018disproportionate step\u2019 to keep the justice system moving during the pandemic, as he revealed today that he is looking at ways to bring back jury trials.<\/p>\n

Robert Buckland QC, giving evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the government\u2019s Covid-19 response, was asked by the SNP\u2019s Joanna Cherry QC about jury trials, which have been paused in England and Wales.<\/p>\n

Cherry pointed out that Scotland is currently looking at how to hold jury trials during the pandemic. Proposals being explored include reduced numbers in juries as happened in World War Two, social distancing measures using the public gallery in the court, and empanelling juries remotely.<\/p>\n

Buckland began his response by welcoming the Scottish government\u2019s \u2018change of heart\u2019 over judge-only courts. He said judge-only courts were a disproportionate step which would have wider consequences \u2018we would all regret\u2019.<\/p>\n

Buckland, a criminal barrister, said he was a great believer in the jury system and will do everything he can to preserve it. The concept of what happened in World War Two \u2018is one that is worth serious consideration\u2019, he said. Legal thinktank Justice\u2019s work on remote jury trials \u2018merits careful scrutiny\u2019.<\/p>\n

He was \u2018deeply encouraged\u2019 by the work being done by colleagues at the bar in court centres like Cardiff \u2018where everyone is getting involved in literally measuring out how court centres like Cardiff can operate jury trials safely\u2019.<\/p>\n

He said: \u2018The key thing for me is seeing how quickly we can get jury trials back up and running. The most sure-fire way of doing that is by making sure we have space within the court system to do that. If it means at Cardiff Crown Court, they are able to run a couple of courts in the main building, perhaps a few more jury trial courts in another public building nearby, that would be a real contribution to getting at least some of the shorter, more straightforward jury trials moving once again.\u2019<\/p>\n

Buckland told the committee he was impressed at how courts have rationalised operations. \u2018Things that would have been scarce believable only two months ago are now being achieved by way of technology.\u2019<\/p>\n

The committee was told the judiciary is planning for what the recovery might look like in terms of how the courts can operate once the immediate lockdown eases and to scale up operations to clear the backlog.<\/p>\n

Buckland does not want a return to the status quo. He said: \u2018The legislative alterations we made to allow more audio and video hearings were temporary in accordance with the act that was passed. It seems to me that there is now an appetite to make at least some of these changes permanent.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, the solemn nature of court proceedings should not be minimised or forgotten in the race to embrace technology, he added.<\/p>\n

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