Daily Politics from the New Statesman What is the future for jury trials?
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Mar 6, 2026 
Sarah Sackman, Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services and MP, outlines proposed reforms to tackle an 80,000-case Crown Court backlog. She explains which cases would keep jury trials and the plan to reallocate others to magistrates or judge-only divisions. The conversation covers impact modelling, funding versus structural change, judicial independence and public confidence in a modernised justice system.
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Backlog Means Trials Delayed Into 2030
- The courts face an 80,000-case Crown Court backlog that delays trials into 2030 for some defendants and victims.
- Sarah Sackman says backlog drivers include legacy underfunding, more arrests, and far longer trials due to digital evidence and procedures.
Jury Trials Reserved For Serious Offences
- The Courts Bill sets a threshold so offences likely to get three years or more keep jury trials; less serious cases would be triaged away from juries.
- Sackman frames this as a principled, modest change following Brian Leveson's recommendations to reduce backlog.
Use Investment Modernisation And Reform Together
- Fixing the backlog requires three levers: investment, modernisation (tech and processes), and reform of court structures.
- Sackman argues investment alone won't work because more police, digital evidence, and longer trials keep demand rising.