Political-institutional aspects of decision-making of lay judges: a proposal for behavioral intervention in the education of jurors

The topic reflects the political science significance of the exercise of judicial power as an independent pillar of democracy. The decision-making of lay judges, who lack legal education, may be influenced by various cognitive biases, posing a risk to fair trial standards, the legitimacy of decisions, and public trust in the judiciary. This article examines the impact of cognitive biaseson the decision-making of lay judges in the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Sweden. Based on a comparative analysis of legislative frameworks, international approaches to the education of lay judges, and the author's personal experience as a lay judge in a criminal panel, it highlights the risks of lay adjudication without systematic training. The aim is to propose a training model in cooperation with the Judicial Academy of the Slovak Republic that would contribute to improving the quality of decision-making and enhancing public trust in the judiciary. Particular attention is paid to the psychological aspects of decision-making, especially cognitive biases that may affect the impartiality and fairness of judicial decisions.