CBA Lecture: The History of Jury Trials

The Criminal Bar Association presents:

The History of Jury Trials

with Catherine Oborne, Garden Court Chambers

Join us on Monday the 8th of December at 18.00hrs for a sharp, one-hour online lecture charting the story of the jury trial: from its roots in early English custom to its role as a cornerstone of modern justice.

Catherine Oborne brings her expertise and trademark clarity to an energetic tour through the evolution of the jury, the political battles that shaped it, and the challenges it faces today.

Open to all.
A must-attend for anyone who cares about the future of the criminal justice system.

The British jury system is one of the oldest surviving institutions of public justice, with origins stretching back to medieval England. What began as a small group of local men asked to speak to a defendant’s reputation gradually developed into the impartial, evidence-based body we recognise today.

Across centuries, the jury became a safeguard against state power: resisting royal pressure in Bushel’s Case, underpinning protections later expressed in the Bill of Rights, and shaping the principle that liberty should not hinge on the will of the Crown.

The history of jury trials is a story of ordinary citizens holding the system to account. From treason trials to modern criminal practice, the jury has remained a uniquely British expression of democratic justice. Catherine’s lecture explores this journey, the controversies along the way, and why the jury still matters in the twenty-first century.

This lecture will be recorded.

The access link will be circualted on the day of the talk to all members.