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Scottish juries: 15 members

Study note

Scotland has its own separate legal system, which is different in several ways from the system used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is an important point in itself: the part of the UK with its own distinct legal system and courts is Scotland.

One of the clearest differences is the size of a jury in a serious criminal case. In Scotland a criminal jury has 15 members, three more than elsewhere. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a jury has 12 members. So the two numbers to keep straight are 15 for Scotland and 12 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If a question contrasts the two, the Scottish jury is the larger one, with 15 members.

Memory tip: Scotland = 15-member jury; England, Wales and NI = 12-member jury.

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Question 1 of 6

How many members sit on a criminal jury in Scotland?

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Show all questions and answers for Scottish juries: 15 members(6 questions with explanations)

Scottish juries: 15 members: questions, answers and explanations

  1. 1. How many members sit on a criminal jury in Scotland?

    • 10
    • 9
    • 12
    • 15

    Correct answer: 15

    A Scottish criminal jury has 15 members, unlike the 12 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  2. 2. A jury in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has 12 members. How many does a Scottish jury have?

    • 18
    • 15
    • 14
    • 12

    Correct answer: 15

    Scotland uses a 15-member jury, three more than the 12 used elsewhere in the UK.

  3. 3. A criminal jury in Scotland has the same number of members as one in England and Wales.

    • True
    • False

    Correct answer: False

    False. Scotland has 15 jurors, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland have 12.

  4. 4. How many members make up a criminal jury in Scotland?

    • 21
    • 12
    • 9
    • 15

    Correct answer: 15

    Scottish criminal juries have 15 members.

  5. 5. Which part of the UK has a separate legal system with a 15-member jury?

    • Wales
    • Northern Ireland
    • Scotland
    • England

    Correct answer: Scotland

    Scotland has its own legal system and uses a 15-member criminal jury.

  6. 6. Which of these statements is correct?

    • A Scottish criminal jury has 15 members, more than in England and Wales
    • A Scottish criminal jury has 12 members, the same as in England and Wales

    Correct answer: A Scottish criminal jury has 15 members, more than in England and Wales

    Scotland uses a 15-member jury, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland use 12.

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