UK to end jury trials for minor crimes under 3 years to cut court backlog.

The UK plans to scrap jury trials for lower-level criminal cases—those with sentences under three years—in an effort to cut its mounting court backlog. Judges would handle these cases solo, while serious crimes like murder and rape stay with juries. The proposal has triggered debate over faster justice versus protecting fair-trial rights. A consultation is coming, but there’s no rollout date yet.