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Difficulty: MediumCriminal Courts in Scotland

The Scottish criminal justice system has several distinct features that separate it from the systems in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In a Scottish criminal trial, how many members sit on the jury, and what is the name of the unique third verdict they can return?

  1. 15 members and 'not proven'Answer
  2. B
    12 members and 'not proven'
  3. C
    15 members and 'insufficient evidence'
  4. D
    12 members and 'not guilty by reason of doubt'

Answer

In Scotland, criminal juries consist of 15 members and can return a unique third verdict of 'not proven'.
In Scotland, criminal juries are composed of 15 members, and they have three possible verdicts: 'guilty', 'not guilty', and 'not proven'. A 'not proven' verdict has the same legal effect as 'not guilty', resulting in the acquittal of the defendant.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the standard jury size in the Scottish legal system.
Scottish criminal juries have 15 members, unlike the 12-person juries used in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Jury composition is a fundamental difference in the devolved Scottish justice system.
2
Recall the unique verdict types available in Scotland.
Scotland uses a 'three-verdict' system: 'guilty', 'not guilty', and 'not proven'.
The 'not proven' verdict is a unique historical feature of Scottish law.
3
Combine the jury size and the correct verdict name.
The correct combination is 15 members and the 'not proven' verdict.
This matches the specific requirements of solemn procedure in Scottish criminal courts.

Key Concept

Jury Composition and Verdicts in Scotland
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Topics

Criminal Courts in Scotland

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