Britain drops its plan to curb jury trials after lawyers push back

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has abandoned controversial plans to strip jury trials from cases likely to bring sentences under three years — a proposal from the previous government meant to clear an 81,000-case court backlog. Justice Secretary Alex Norris said he changed course after hearing 'the strength of feeling' from lawyers and MPs. The Criminal Bar Association welcomed the decision: 'Justice needs juries. Nothing inspires more public trust than 12 ordinary citizens deciding the facts of a case together.'