“The Free Conviction, Rising from within”: Julius Glaser and the Establishment of Trial by Jury in Liberal Austria

This essay examines the reform in criminal procedure promulgated in 1873 under Minister of Justice Julius Glaser. An aspect of the constitutional reforms associated with the establishment of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary, the introduction of trial by jury served to promote a sense of citizenship among the public. Glaser emphasized the centrality of the individual conscience of jurors in determining the verdicts in criminal trials and implicitly applied liberal values in evaluating the proper qualification of a well-developed conscience. The study relies on Glaser’s published writings and Austrian official documents.