1.1 Truth?

It is true that some criminal cases are tried by jury. In the Crown Court, the judge is in charge of the trial. Their role is to ensure that it runs smoothly and fairly, and to decide any questions of law. However, the jury decides whether the defendant (the accused person) is guilty or not guilty. The jury is made up of members of the public chosen at random from the electoral register. Because they are not legal professionals, they are referred to as ‘lay people’. They represent the community and use their life experience to help them make decisions.

Figure 5 A jury