How many members are on a jury in Scotland?

Okay, let's talk about juries in Scotland. The legal systems in the UK can be a bit different depending on which country you're in, and jury sizes are a prime example. While England, Wales, and Northern Ireland use juries of 12 people for criminal trials, Scotland uses a larger jury of 15. This difference stems from the historical development of the Scottish legal system, which has retained some unique features. One interesting aspect is that in Scotland, juries can return verdicts of "guilty," "not guilty," or "not proven." The "not proven" verdict is unique to Scotland and essentially means the jury believes the prosecution hasn't proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but they aren't convinced of innocence either. Because of this third option, and perhaps to ensure a broader range of perspectives, Scottish juries have a larger membership. So, when you think about juries in Scotland, remember the number 15 – a slightly bigger group deciding important cases.