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Irish Jurors: Passive Observers or Active Participants? Jurors in Civil and Criminal Trials
Author(s)
Date Issued
2014
Date Available
2016-09-14T17:08:48Z
Abstract
What was the role played by jurors in civil and criminal trials from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century? This article establishes that during this period, juries in Ireland played a relatively active role. It examines individual reports of civil and criminal trials and considers the nature of juror participation during this period, establishing that jurors frequently questioned witnesses, berated counsel, interrupted judges, demanded better treatment and added their own observations to the proceedings. This article compares the nature and level of interaction from different categories of jury – civil and criminal, common and special. It asks why Irish jurors continued to be active participants until late in the nineteenth century, and how the bench and bar received their input. It also suggests that English jurors may have played a more active role during this period than previously thought. Finally, the article considers some possible reasons for the silencing of Irish jurors by the late nineteenth century.
Other Sponsorship
Society of Legal Scholars
Socio-Legal Studies Association
UCD School of Law
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Journal
Journal of Legal History
Volume
35
Issue
2
Start Page
143
End Page
171
Copyright (Published Version)
2014 Taylor and Francis
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
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Owning collection
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