Unanimous Verdict vs. Majority Rules Verdicts

The use of a jury is the traditional method within the common law for deciding the facts in any dispute between parties. The role of a jury is to determine question of fact. The jury is in a powerful method because ultimately, it determines whether a person is guilty or innocent. In civil cases, the main function of the jury is to find the facts having regard to the evidence, and assess damages. The number …

…to the often-increased length of time that juries must deliberate to achieve a unanimous verdict. Whilst adopting the unanimous verdict trial system, may, at times allow the guilty to escape conviction, it also acts to minimise the risk of convicting the innocent. In summation it can be stated that there is no immediate, or urgent need to change the existing rule requiring unanimity to a system by which those in the minority can be ignored.