I've always favored replacing random-citizen juries with pools of professional jurors that have law degrees.
I think that would be a big mistake. The constraints imposed on the legal system by needing to convince a jury of peers are critical to maintaining legitimacy and buy-in.
Without the need to convince a jury of normal people there's fewer limits on how incomprehensible or unjust the legal system can get for the average person, and the legal system depends on average people trusting it and engaging with it. As things are I think there should already be a lot more concern about the current low level of understanding and trust in the legal system.
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I think that would be a big mistake. The constraints imposed on the legal system by needing to convince a jury of peers are critical to maintaining legitimacy and buy-in.
Without the need to convince a jury of normal people there's fewer limits on how incomprehensible or unjust the legal system can get for the average person, and the legal system depends on average people trusting it and engaging with it. As things are I think there should already be a lot more concern about the current low level of understanding and trust in the legal system.
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