UK Justice Secretary David Lammy announced sweeping plans to restrict access to jury trials, calling the move a "once in a generation reform." Under his proposals, jury trials will be abolished for cases where the likely sentence is less than three years. These matters will instead be heard by a judge alone in new facilities dubbed 'Swift Courts'. Lammy stressed that his plans follow the recommendations of Lord Leveson and are estimated to process cases 20% more quickly, reports The WP Times with reference to theguardian.
Lammy also intends to remove the right defendants currently hold in certain crime categories in England and Wales to choose the format of their trial (known as either way offences), aiming to prevent the system from being 'gamed.' Jury trials will, however, remain the "cornerstone" for the most serious offences and all cases likely to attract a sentence of more than three years, including murder and rape. These reforms are motivated by the need to tackle a record backlog in the Crown Courts: as of June 2025, the number of outstanding cases stood at 78,329, more than double the figure from 2019. To ease pressure on the higher courts, magistrates will be granted longer sentencing powers—up to 18 months, with the possibility of extension to two years.
Furthermore, judge-only trials are proposed for particularly technical and lengthy fraud and financial offences, freeing up citizens from the requirement to dedicate months of their lives to these burdensome proceedings. Lammy’s plans drew criticism; for instance, Robert Jenrick claimed the changes would be the "beginning of the end" for jury trials. In response to demands for a sunset clause (expiry date) on the legislation, Lammy stated that the restrictions would be permanent and even asserted that his proposals align with the principles of the Magna Carta, which he noted was also a response to "state failure."
Read about the life of Westminster and Pimlico district, London and the world. 24/7 news with fresh and useful updates on culture, business, technology and city life: Bookings Suspended: Why is Zipcar Leaving the UK Market
