Petition · Ministry of Justice

Require criminal trial juries to provide reasons using a verdict questionnaire

Open for signatures 324 signatures

What the petition asks

Introduce legislation requiring criminal juries to complete a structured verdict questionnaire detailing the factual reasons for their decisions, learning from international models to ensure a transparent, appeal-resilient justice system.
English and Welsh juries deliver unreasoned verdicts, which can leave victims and defendants unable to see if the law was applied correctly. We think this lacks transparency and hinders fair appeals. Since 1995, Spain has successfully used a structured "verdict questionnaire" where juries answer specific factual questions to justify their decisions. We propose a system utilising legally vetted, standardised question templates and a judicial "pre-check" phase.

Timeline

18 Jun 2026 Petition opened for signatures

Key facts

Signatures 324
Status Open for signatures
Department Ministry of Justice
Opened 18 Jun 2026

Follow this petition

Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.

Source: the official petition page. Last checked 26 Jul 2026.