[JURIST] British Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith [official profile] Tuesday announced a government plan to abolish jury trials in complicated fraud cases. The move follows the collapse of a fraud trial [Guardian report] earlier this year, partly because of jury problems. Goldsmith estimates about 15 to 20 trials each year would be affected by the proposal, and denied that the proposal reflected any government judgment on the jury system as a whole [Telegraph report]. The plan faces stiff opposition from both major parties in Parliament and the Criminal Bar Association [profession website]. A vote on the plan is expected in the fall. BBC News has more.