UK Justice System in Crisis as Backlog Hits Record High
The British court system is grappling with an unprecedented crisis as official figures reveal more than 78,000 cases are currently waiting to be completed, creating the largest backlog in recent memory. This staggering caseload has prompted Justice Secretary David Lammy to consider what legal experts are describing as "extreme" measures to address the mounting delays.
Radical Overhaul Proposes Ending Traditional Jury Trials
Under controversial proposals circulating throughout Whitehall, jury trials would be scrapped for all but the most serious offences, including murder, rape, and manslaughter. The radical plan would see defendants facing charges with potential prison sentences of up to five years being tried by a single judge instead of a traditional jury.
The Ministry of Justice document, first disclosed by the BBC, outlines plans to create a new crown court bench division (CCBD) that would handle cases likely to receive sentences of up to five years. This represents a significant departure from the current system and goes well beyond recommendations made by Sir Brian Leveson in his criminal courts review published in July.
Legal Community Voices Fierce Opposition
The proposals have drawn immediate and severe criticism from senior legal figures across England and Wales. Mark Evans, president of the Law Society representing thousands of solicitors, condemned the plans as an "extreme measure" that threatens the fundamental principles of British justice.
Riel Karmy-Jones KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, delivered an even stronger rebuke, stating: "What they propose simply won't work – it is not the magic pill that they promise. The consequences of their actions will be to destroy a criminal justice system that has been the pride of this country for centuries."
Legal experts argue that juries are not the cause of the backlog, pointing instead to systematic underfunding and neglect by successive governments as the root cause of the current crisis.
Political Crossfire and U-Turns
The proposals represent a remarkable reversal for David Lammy, who five years ago publicly stated on social media that "criminal trials without juries are a bad idea" and described jury trials as "a fundamental part of our democratic settlement."
Opposition parties have joined the chorus of criticism. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned that the plans represent "a short-term decision that risks fairness, undermines public trust, and erodes the very foundation of our justice system." Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller described the reports as "completely disgraceful."
While the Ministry of Justice confirmed that no final decision has been taken, sources indicate the proposals have been circulated among ministers as part of the formal write-round process, suggesting an announcement could come in the New Year. The government maintains that bold action is necessary to address what it describes as a crisis causing "pain and anguish to victims" across the country.
