In theory all jury systems which have existed for almost 800 years are fair and just. The jury system originated in England and has so far failed in cases all too common when defendants are wrongfully prosecuted or convicted of crimes which they did not commit. In societies without a jury system, panels of judges act as decision makers. They weigh the evidence and apply the law. In the court system, criminal law is interpreted by a jury who are seen as expressing the sense of justice of ordinary men and women. Juries date back to the Middle Ages in...
in cases of corporate fraud or medical practitioners in cases involving complex medical evidence. There are many possibilities which deserve serious considerations in regard to Australia's jury system. The jury system is a legacy of England's distant past. It was a vast improvement on trial by ordeal and trial by battle, but it is time the Australian legal system took a step forward to ensure defendants have the best chance of a fair and just trial. It is my belief that the jury system within Australia should be dispersed with and a new system adopted similar to that in Europe.