ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the results of several observations in the Kobenhavns Byret, the District Court of Denmark, where panels consist of one professional judge and two lay judges. The researchers also made observations at court sessions at the Ostre Landsret. In Denmark both juries and lay judges take part in the administration of justice. The Dutch Council for the Judiciary contacted the Danish Council for the Judiciary to obtain consent for the study to be carried out in Denmark. This consent was granted and two courts in Denmark were contacted by the researchers. For the most part, the recruitment and selection of lay judges takes place through political parties. A majority of all respondents felt that lay judges were more emotional than professional judges. One professional judge stated that, although the judges do not live in ivory towers, they actually come from a different social strata than the 'general public'.
