The Jurist System is a trial system that was recently implemented. It is a revival of the jury trials that were conducted prior to 2012.
Test trial
- Main article: Turnabout Succession
Only one trial is known to have used the system to date. The trial featured six jurors who watched the trial from a separate room through closed-circuit video camera. The judge moderated the proceedings, and he could end the trial in a guilty verdict through penalties on the defense attorney. However, once the judge decided to end the trial (and not in the aforementioned manner), the responsibility of the final verdict fell on the jury. A unanimous verdict was required to end the trial for good; otherwise, a mistrial would be declared due to a hung jury and the trial would restart.
Future
The full repercussions of the implication of this system on Gyakuten Saiban 5 is unknown, as nothing on GS5 has been confirmed to date.
Version note
The old bench trial system is based on Japan's actual judicial system, and as such, the Jurist System would be the first implementation of such a system in Japan.