英国陪审制转型的历史考察

Historic Study on Transition of British Jury System

早期英国的陪审团主要是咨询性、调查性的机构,13世纪后逐渐转变为司法裁断机构;起初陪审员是当事人的邻人,可依自己所知进行裁断,17世纪后则主要由陌生人组成,且只得依呈堂证供进行裁断。陪审制的这些转型实际上是社会发展、司法裁断方式和政治形势之变化的结果,因此追溯陪审制的转型过程,实际上是观察制度生成和演变的一个绝佳标本。

Originally the English jury worked as an inquisitorial tool for the king, but in the 13th century it transformed into the verdict--maker in court; similarly, at the very beginning jurors can make verdict according to their own knowledge, but after the 17th century they can do this only according to proofs presented to the court by litigants. Actually, social development, the change of verdict--making methods and the political needs to control juries all contributed to this transformation of the jury.