On the Procedural Role of Court in Review of Criminal Cases Subject to a Jury Trial: Experience of Comprehension of the Judicial Reform of 1864

The introduction of jury trial in Russia in 1864 was a serious step towards ensuring procedural guarantees of thorough consideration of cases and their fair resolution. The article analyzes the Statute of Criminal Procedure of 1864 and reveals the role of the Crown Court in ensuring these guarantees through the prism of the procedural features of its work in district courts when considering criminal cases with the participation of jurors. The authors of the article conclude that despite criticism of the jury trial from the highest officials and conservative press, every stage of the process and every action of the jury was under strict control (but not pressure) of the Crown Court. Examination of its historical development shows that this most democratic institution of the Russian Empire owes its successful implementation to the crown judges, who were charged by law with the responsibility for the observance of all procedural procedures and who were called upon to ensure, to a large extent, the preservation of the people’s trust in the judiciary.