Russia’s Supreme Court proposes cutting juries to four members and allowing judges into jury deliberations

The Russian Supreme Court has proposed a reform to jury trials, according to reports from RBC, Kommersant, and Vedomosti. The plan would see the creation of a panel consisting of both jurors and a professional judge. This judge would be allowed to join the jurors during deliberations to clarify any issues that arise during their voting process.

Supreme Court Judge Sergei Zelenin stated that this reform would streamline proceedings and cut down on the time required to hear cases. The proposal would also reduce the number of jurors to just four, down from the current eight in regional courts and six in district courts and military courts. The legal system would also permit individuals over the age of 65 to serve as jurors if they are willing and in good health.

The changes would also simplify jury selection, specifically by ceasing the practice of dismissing a jury panel deemed unable to reach an objective verdict. Zelenin, who presented the proposal, noted that the current model was an import from the Anglo-American system, which is not typical of the continental legal tradition. Defendants have the option to request a jury trial during court proceedings.

Juries are typically involved in cases related to murder, serious bodily harm resulting in death through negligence, and armed gang activity. The Institute for the Rule of Law has previously pointed out that the acquittal rate in jury trials is approximately ten times higher than in nonjury trials, where it is below 1%. Meduza, the news outlet reporting this story, is committed to transparency regarding its use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom.

This particular story was written by a human journalist and translated from Russian using an AI model that adheres to strict editorial standards. Every draft is reviewed by a Meduza editor before publication. If you notice any errors in this translation, please contact reports@meduza.io.