Is it wrong to scrap juries? The UK government claims it is necessary to get the criminal justice system back on its feet. Opponents worry about another blow to civil liberties.
Twelve angry men who WON’T seal your fate
Courtroom drama: Most jury conversations will never be revealed — but they are imagined in plays such as 12 Angry Men. Glossary
Acquit - Find someone not guilty of a crime.
Ethos - The characteristic spirit of a culture.
Justice Secretary - In the UK, the government minister who oversees the criminal justice system, the courts, prisons, human rights and more.
Limbo - An uncertain period of waiting before a decision.
Magistrate - In England and Wales, volunteers who are not lawyers but are legally trained to hear and make decisions on different types of legal cases.
Lay judge - Someone who helps deliver justice without being a legally trained professional.
Peers - People who are the same age, status, or ability as you.
Bulwark - A defensive wall.
Civil liberties - Basic rights and freedoms given to citizens of a country through the law. They include freedom of speech, freedom of movement, and freedom of religious worship. Such rights and freedoms are part of a democratic society and are often denied to those living in a dictatorship.
Barristers - A type of lawyer.
Crown Prosecution Service - The agency that prosecutes people in criminal trials after they have been investigated by the police.
Westminster - An area of London known for its government buildings and parliament.