FOCUS: Leveson Review Part 1

In our latest Focus article, Ed Vickers KC, Faras Baloch, Anita Clifford and Katie Bacon examine in detail the proposal in Sir Brian Leveson’s newly published “Independent Review of the Criminal Courts” to abolish the right to trial by jury in serious and complex fraud cases.

Whilst the Leveson Review asserts that lengthy, technical fraud trials may be too complicated for juries to understand, FOCUS authors trace the 40-year history of similar proposals—none of which have succeeded. They highlight the lack of evidence supporting claims of jury incompetence and warn against removing an ancient right without a principled basis or clear evidence. They anticipate that the recommendations will again be met with principled opposition from practitioners, judges and in Parliament.

Read the full analysis here: [Focus]