Nasonov S.A. Continental model of jury trial proceedings: genesis and particularities of the procedure

Abstract: This article examines the genesis and evolution of the continental model of jury trial proceedings. The first historical form of continental model of jury trial emerged at the end of the XVIII century in France, after which it spread throughout virtually all of Europe in the XIX century. The work reveals the particularities of the continental model emerging throughout the stages of court trials and arguments; in the system of questions faced by the jury; jury verdicts. The author notes that the subject of court trial and arguments in the continental model were extremely broad; information about the identity of the defendant was examined with participation of the jury. The continental model of jury trial had an unbalanced defense and prosecution bases: the prosecutor possessed significantly greater rights that the defense, while the court had discretional authority in the area of evidence. At the same time, the jurors had a broad arsenal of rights in the criminal procedure and were allowed to take the evidence into the deliberation room. The author makes a conclusion that the research of the historical experience of the continental model of the court proceedings involving jury is important for the search of ways to improve this form of procedure in modern Russia.

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