Juryless trials…

As of April 2026, MPs have voted to allow the Courts and Tribunals Bill to progress to the next stage. This Bill allows for a restriction to be placed on jury trials in England and Wales, in hopes to resolve the extreme Crown Court backlog.

The Bill passed by the majority with 304 votes in favour for the Bill to pass, against 203 votes. As we know this restriction on jury trials has been heavily argued by many barristers and judges with 10 Labour MPs abstaining, declaring they are not prepared to support these changes. Justice Secretary David Lammy has attempted to gain the support of Labour MPs, on the basis that it will reduce the backlogs.

Lammy has argued that a modernisation of the criminal justice system is essential to reduce the backlog in the Crown Courts. He says, ‘to restore swift and fair justice, we are pulling every lever available, investment is essential, modernisation is essential, and reform’. The legislation he has put forward in this Bill will scrap jury trials for any crime that will likely have a sentence below three years. Furthermore, more work will be given to volunteer community magistrates, who work on the majority of criminal cases. These Magistrates will also be given the power to hear cases that have a maximum sentence of 18 months.

Many of those that are extremely against this Bill coming into force exclaim that this will ‘further entrench discrimination and inequality’ and that the backlog arose from ‘chronic underfunding of our criminal justice system, not jury trials’.

The outcome of whether this Bill is set to pass is set to be decided this year, however, even if the Bill passes, juryless trials are not expected to come into force until 2028.