Jury Duty

[bluelabel]

Re: Jury duty, anyone done it?

havent done it, but would love to. as boring as it is, the court process is a great thing to expereince, yes you may get subjuct to something heinous, and it may go for eons, and it may be mid numbingly boring, but i reckon it would be a great thing to be behind the jury room door.

I have actually just sat in on days off to observe cases, very interesting.

each to his own.

most jurors are pensioners or unemployed is a very big generalisation. ive seen bankers, sole traders, nurses, psycoligists and many other professionals get selcted for juries.

 

[pan]

Re: Jury duty, anyone done it?

Can be excused for good reason which includes-

Poor health
Incapacity
Distance to travel
Travel causing excessive hardship
Substantial hardship
Substantial finanical hardship
Religious beliefs
Special Urgency
Care of dependants

You would think if you were self employment it could come under the financial hardship category.

 

[pointr]

Re: Jury duty, anyone done it?

I worked in an exempted occupation so have not done it. We have a friend who is bordering on functional illiteracy, poorly numerate with little ability to concentrate, he has been getting called for jury duty lately. He would not be able to hold information over several hours or understand the process. My point is there should be a basic literacy / function test to see if people are fit to make an informed judgement that can have a big impact on the defendant or the community.

 

[nunthewiser]

Re: Jury duty, any one done it ?

Just go in dressed as a bogan and swear at everyone etc if you want to get out of it. Not the kind of jury member they would want

Never done it, would be interesting, but also annoying financially as you said

OI! whats wrong with bogans? we have feelings too

 

[Sir Osisofliver]

Re: Jury duty, anyone done it?

Uh yeah I've done Jury duty before.

It was a while ago mind you and when I did it the Bursar? I think he's called made an announcement along the lines of "We are assigning Jurors for the Laurie Connel Trial into WA Inc. If you can't be in court for the next two years, move to that side of the room."

Needless to say when I was picked for a rape case that barely lasted a day I was happy about it.

Sir O

 

[white_crane]

I think I must hold the record for the fastest rejection of a potential juror. I didn't even have time to move before I was cast out!

 

[disarray]

i received a letter last year saying i could be called up, i sent off a letter saying i'm self-employed so not bloody likely, return letter says no probs you're excused. personally i think we should have professional jurors who can be trained up to understand the process instead of grabbing a handful of randoms off the street then letting a barrister pick and choose who he thinks will be best for his client based on how someone looks.

 

[prawn_86]

personally i think we should have professional jurors who can be trained up to understand the process instead of grabbing a handful of randoms off the street then letting a barrister pick and choose who he thinks will be best for his client based on how someone looks.

They're called judges, if the appeals get high enough... :

I think that judges should be a seperate career and degree to lawyers. IE - you decide if you want to be a lawyer or a judge and take the appropriate career path. That way there would be no need for juries as we could have more judges

 

[Awesomandy]

I was called for jury duty about half a year ago. I turned up, sat there for half a day, and then they told everyone who's left in the room that they've now completed their civil duties.

 

[awg]

i have just been mucking around with the Sheriffs office about my wife's call up.

she is a self employed allied health sole trader. She had over 50 apts booked on days after the call up day.

I wrote all the details and got a letter back saying she still has to turn up!

i rang them and blasted them.

apparently one has to put the ABN number (not mentioned on the summons)

this is the 2nd call up in a few weeks

u can then be exempted for 12 months, if self employed

I wonder if u write that u have a severe drinking problem that would get u off?

i got called up 3 times a few yrs ago..i was happy to attend as i was a pubic servant at the time.

none of my call ups resulted in trials, but i do remember it was still a huge pain in the a##e.

we got so badly stuffed around, there was nearly a riot in the sheriffs office.

the sheriff was a completely rude tu#d..it ensued that about 30 people (potential jurors) were shouting abuse and derision at him in the waiting area, as they made us wait around all day, then said they would not pay us, and said we still could not leave yet