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20 March 2026 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 8154 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , In Court , Criminal , Tribunals
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Cutting jury trials

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Michael Zander KC on the Courts & Tribunals Bill
  • The Courts & Tribunals Bill seeks to reduce the crown court backlog by cutting jury trials, removing defendants’ right to elect jury trial and shifting more cases to magistrates or judge-only trials.
  • The Institute for Government warns the reforms rely on uncertain assumptions and may increase pressure on already backlogged magistrates’ courts.

The first seven clauses of the Courts and Tribunals Bill provide the framework for the government’s hope to reduce the backlog of Crown Court cases by way of a drastic reduction of trials by jury.

For an account of those provisions, see below. The Bill also contains provisions on other matters of less salience which are briefly mentioned at the end.

Second Reading

The Second Reading debate on the Bill took place on 10 March. There had been press speculation about a threatened revolt by Labour backbenchers. Karl Turner, MP for Kingston upon Hull East, the leader of the rebels, told the House that he

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