Noisy juries and the choice of trial mode in a sequential signalling game: Theory and evidence

The right to have one’s criminal liability determined by a jury of one’s peers has a long tradition in Anglo-American law.1 Although an accused has the right to a jury trial, it is often the case that he waives this right. In this article, we theoretically model the strategic exercise of this right by the defendant and examine the empirical implications of our paradigm for the trial process.