Irish and British Barristers Oppose UK Government Plan to Reduce Jury Trials
Barristers from across Ireland and Britain have expressed strong opposition to the United Kingdom government’s proposed reforms that would significantly reduce the number of jury trials in England and Wales.
The concerns were voiced by the “Four Bars” the collective bodies representing barristers in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland in response to plans put forward by UK Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy.
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Under the government’s proposals, jury trials would be limited to only the most serious offences and those carrying a potential prison sentence of more than three years. Officials argue the reforms are aimed at tackling the longstanding backlog of criminal cases in the Crown Court system by expediting less serious matters through judge only trials.
Irish Legal News
However, the Four Bars comprising senior legal leadership from the UK and Ireland have issued a joint statement warning that the changes go beyond the original recommendations of an independent review chaired by Sir Brian Leveson. They stressed that being tried by a jury of one’s peers is a “fundamental cornerstone” of the criminal justice system in their jurisdictions and raised serious doubts about whether abolishing jury trials for lesser offences would actually reduce delays or improve justice outcomes.
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The barristers’ statement also highlighted concerns that the government’s proposals have not been fully piloted or thoroughly modelled, and that there is no conclusive evidence demonstrating the changes will materially reduce court backlogs. They urged lawmakers to reconsider and engage further before enacting legislation, which remains in development.
waterford-news.ie
The opposition to reducing jury trials has also been echoed by legal commentators outside the Four Bars, with some describing the plan as “ill-conceived” and a risk to public confidence in verdicts, arguing that chronic court delays stem from broader systemic issues such as underfunding, insufficient judicial resources, and procedural inefficiencies, rather than jury participation itself.
lawsociety.ie
Government officials, for their part, maintain that the reforms including the increased use of judge only trials are necessary to alleviate pressure on the criminal justice system and deliver swifter outcomes for victims and defendants alike.
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Aaron Joyce, Newswire, L.T.T Media; Newsdesk;
30 December 2025
