This is the first report of a project designed to examine the nature of communication between judge and jury, with a view to considering how it might be improved. Specifically, the object was to examine whether there were significant differences between jurisdictions in the approach to the charging of a jury, and, if there were, to consider whether a 'best practice' or common approach might be identified. The first stage of the project was a survey of trial judges in Australia and New Zealand on the subject of their communication practices with juries
