Number of Jurors
| Court | At start of trial | Minimum number | Majorities allowed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Court | 12 | 9 | 11-1, 10-2, 10-1, 9-1 | Juries Act 1974, s.17 |
| High Court | 12 | 9 | 11-1, 10-2, 10-1, 9-1 | Juries Act 1974, s.17 |
| County Court | 8 | 7 | 7-1 | County Courts Act 1984, s.66; Juries Act 1974, s.17(2) |
| Coroner's Court | between 7 and 11 | — | Minority no more than 2 | Coroners Act 1988, s.8(2)(a), s.12 |
In the event of a juror being discharged for any reason, the trial can continue so long as the minimum number of jurors remain. The judge should press the jury for a unanimous verdict and not, in any event, suggest that a majority is acceptable until after 2 hours and 10 minutes. This was originally 2 hours but it was extended to allow time for the jury to settle after retiring. Unanimous verdicts were required until the Criminal Justice Act 1967.
Read more about this topic: Juries In England And Wales
Famous quotes containing the words number of and/or number:
“... [woman suffrage] has made little difference beyond doubling the number of voters. There is no woman’s vote as such. They divide up just about as men do.”
—Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1884–1980)
“No Government can be long secure without a formidable Opposition. It reduces their supporters to that tractable number which can be managed by the joint influences of fruition and hope. It offers vengeance to the discontented, and distinction to the ambitious; and employs the energies of aspiring spirits, who otherwise may prove traitors in a division or assassins in a debate.”
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)