Super-Charging Justice: Why Doubling Court Sessions, Not Scrapping Juries, Is the Key to Clearing the Backlog.

​The British justice system, a pillar of our democracy for centuries, is being pushed to the point of collapse. Today, the Crown Court backlog stands at a staggering 80,000 cases. This is not merely a dry statistic on a Whitehall spreadsheet; it represents thousands of victims left in a traumatic limbo, witnesses whose memories fade over years of waiting, and defendants denied their fundamental right to a timely trial.

​Under the current Labour government, the proposed solution is as radical as it is dangerous: a plan to "slash" the number of jury trials. At the same time, the country continues to grapple with the toxic legacy of Conservative mismanagement that hollowed out our legal infrastructure for over a decade.

​The Liberal Democrats say: enough. We do not need to scrap our constitutional rights to fix the backlog. Instead, we need to super-charge our courts and empower the judiciary to do what they do best, deliver justice.

"The Liberal Democrats are clear, your right to a trial by jury should never be taken from you.  Our justice system needs reform, not reduction". Clive Jones MP

​Protecting Our Fundamental Liberties

​The right to be tried by a jury of one’s peers is a cornerstone of British liberty, ensuring that justice is administered by the community, not just the state. Yet, the current government's trajectory suggests they view this right as an administrative bottleneck.

Liberal Democrat MPs have repeatedly expressed the party's grave concerns as the bill makes it's way through parliament. Sir made more than 130 recommendations to fix the justice system, which should be explored by the government before they take a sledgehammer to our criminal justice system by removing the fundamental right to the jury.

​“David Lammy’s plans to slash jury trials are an insult to victims left waiting for justice and will do nothing to tackle the spiralling backlog. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system and a fundamental safeguard of fairness and liberty.” Jess Brown-Fuller MP, Justice Spokesperson, 

​"Trial by jury is a right that the Government should not remove... we should think very seriously before taking it away."​Gideon Amos MP  

​The Liberal Democrat Solution: The "Two-Trial" Court Day

​While the government looks for shortcuts that undermine citizen rights, the Liberal Democrats have proposed a pragmatic, evidence-based reform to increase capacity without cutting corners.

​Currently, Crown Courtrooms sit for an average of only 3.2 hours a day. This is an absurd waste of public resources. Our plan would transition select Crown Courts to a "Two-Trial" system, maximising the use of our existing buildings:

​Morning and Afternoon Sessions: Moving from a single, interrupted midday session to two distinct trial blocks per day. This shift would nearly double the active sitting time in participating courtrooms.

​Support for Professionals: By structuring the day more efficiently, the plan provides legal professionals with more protected, predictable time for case preparation, reducing the burnout currently draining the profession.

​“After years of Conservative mismanagement, the courts need serious, evidence-based reform that will fix the broken system, rather than headline-grabbing shortcuts," . "Our proposals would improve efficiencies and give listing officers the flexibility to list more cases in a shorter time." Jess Brown-Fuller MP

​Empowerment, Not Limitation: The Judicial Perspective

​The courts and judiciary are clear: if the government gave them the direction and the tools, they could significantly cut the backlog without reducing the right to a jury trial.

​During the committee stage of the Courts and Tribunals Bill, Caroline Goodwin KC, North Eastern Circuit leader, gave the Minister a reality check on the government's plans. She highlighted that where judges are actually allowed to take control, the results are transformative:

​"We've not actually been able to do this because there's been this consistent cap on sitting days... Now, Courts where they have taken over, they have been able to open up another court and they brought up to 300 extra cases. Newcastle, for example, Class 2 cases, which are these very serious cases dealing with sexual offences,are now listed within their time limits. So if you want to see if there is a change, it's happening now; so you've just got to let us do it."Caroline Goodwin KC,

​Linking Policy to Proven Success

​The Liberal Democrat policy of investing in the criminal justice system to tackle the backlog is directly linked to these tried-and-tested examples of judicial "blitzes." By removing the artificial caps on sitting days and providing the resources for "Two-Trial" days, we can replicate the success seen in Newcastle across the country.

As well as increasing capacity for trials, the Liberal Democrats​ strategy includes a wider package to tackle the root causes of delay:

​Ending "Contract Failure": Renegotiating failing private contracts for prisoner transportation.

​Fixing the Crumbling Estate: Cancelling planned real-terms cuts to the Ministry of Justice capital budget to ensure trials aren't cancelled due to flooding or broken heating.

​Investing in the Workforce: Increasing legal aid fees to address the chronic shortage of judges and barristers.

summarised the situation perfectly:

​"Juries are a fundamental part of our justice system. Taking a sledgehammer to them will not address the court backlog. Investment in crumbling buildings and doubling sitting days will ensure that these waiting lists come down so that all victims get their day in court." Dr Danny Chambers MP 

​Justice delayed is justice denied. But the answer to a slow system is not a less fair one. The Liberal Democrats are the only party offering a path that clears the backlog while fiercely defending the right to a jury trial. It is time to stop the shortcuts and start the work of rebuilding. 

The Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for your fundamental right to a trial by jury.