Got the summons today - Jury Duty

[Ean Austral]

Gday All,

Well guess it was only a matter of time , wonder if my hair will grow long and a beard will grow before I start , just in case its some nasty hitman or something.[thumbsupbig]


Funnily I am leaving the country 2 weeks after the summoned date but they wouldn't exempt me. said I have to go thru the process. Better not do a good job otherwise I may be a regular.[bigrolf]


Cheers Ean

[Gordie]

On the first day, tell them that you have always wanted to be a hanging judge.....

[Ean Austral]

On the first day, tell them that you have always wanted to be a hanging judge.....

[bigsmile][bigsmile][bigsmile][bigrolf]

might not need to turn up the next day you reckon.

Cheers Ean

[V8Ian]

Walk in and say loudly, "He/she looks guilty/innocent!". Either the prossocution or defense will object to you and you're off the hook. [wink11][biggrin]

[Ean Austral]

Walk in and say loudly, "He/she looks guilty/innocent!". Either the prossocution or defense will object to you and you're off the hook. [wink11][biggrin]

I have a funny feeling I will know the person being prosecuted anyway , someone I know is up for threatening to murder , and the case starts that same week .

time will tell.

Cheers Ean

[cripesamighty]

Hmmm.... wouldn't that disqualify you if you knew them?

[Ean Austral]

Hmmm.... wouldn't that disqualify you if you knew them?

Yes , but I am only assuming its that persons trial , it could be another so wont know till the day.

Its interesting dealing with the sheriffs department , feel like I should be wearing chaps and a 6 shooter.

Summons said 08.30 in the forenoon , who speaks like that these days.

Cheers Ean

[ATH]

I got the summons years ago for jury duty but as I was a witness in the same case, I got excused. Never happened since which is lucky for many accused as I'm definitely on the hang 'em high side.
AlanH.

[cripesamighty]

I was on the 'hang em high' side too, until I started reading up on the epidemic of false rape allegations in the USA and Canada, especially on university campuses, and it seems coming soon to a western democracy near you. I'm a bit more circumspect now.

[Mick_Marsh]

Turn up in a Star Trek uniform.

Trekkies in the jury (http://ew.com/article/1996/03/29/trekkies-jury/)

[sam_d]

The best way to get out of jury duty (without risk of doing something obvious that could get you in trouble) is simply to dress quite smartly and look intelligent. The legal representatives for the defence in criminal cases don't wan't people who look like they are able to understand the evidence presented to them and will challenge any juror they think will not go their way.

[austastar]

Hi,
Never got called up while I was working, but would have been happy to do the duty. Not too far from where I worked and would have been a welcome change maybe.
However I got called up a few months ago and did not want the hassle of commuting and commitment to to punctuality, so I declined their kind offer.
Being 70 has its advantages I guess.
Cheers

[Gumnut]

Yes , but I am only assuming its that persons trial , it could be another so wont know till the day.

Its interesting dealing with the sheriffs department , feel like I should be wearing chaps and a 6 shooter.

Summons said 08.30 in the forenoon , who speaks like that these days.

Cheers Ean

Hi!
if NT is like ACT, the potential juror can know the accused, but must declare if they know any witnesses, and likely be excused til the next day on that basis. They will be put on oath and interrogated by the judge.
The accused is given a list of names and occupations of jury panel, and need not declare if they know a juror or not.
The accused can reject 12 with no reason, and can reject Unlimited with good reason.
i know a man who was quite keen to get his next door neighbour from panel to jury in a home invasion self defence trial, but the neighbour was not called...
Gumnut

[Roverlord off road spares]

I got out of jury duty twice now giving the reason that my being chosen might prejudice the verdict. I am a hanging judge.

[JDNSW]

I've only ever been called up once, many years ago - didn't get on the jury, I think the defence were objecting to anyone with tertiary education!

I'm probably beyond their age limit now - do they have an age limit?

[87County]

I've only ever been called up once, many years ago - didn't get on the jury, I think the defence were objecting to anyone with tertiary education!

I'm probably beyond their age limit now - do they have an age limit?

Used to be 70yo in NSW, now no longer applies.

I had to submit a permanent medical certificate last year which excused me but if I had be able to sit for extended periods of time it would have been an interesting exercise.

A court officer tells me that you only have to turn up in a suit and tie and you will be objected to by the defence team :)

There is a well known anecdote in regard to the trial over the Milperra incident where one jury person said "Hi Pete" to a policemen in court as he was walking past on his way into the witness box (where jury nominees are interviewed in court). He was immediately disqualified from the 12 month trial but all who knew said the policeman's name wasn't "Pete"....

[weeds]

An observation, not just on AULRO but elsewhere, other forums, workplace etc.

There is countless discussion about the law being enforce and more police and so on, but as soon as jury service is brought up nearly every time the discussion leads to how to get out of it.

I have got called up yet, but am interested in who the process works and what happens behind the scenes. Although you have to be lucky or unlucky to get selected on and interesting tough case

[350RRC]

Been called up 3 times.

First one, thought it would be interesting. Got to the final weed out, judge said the trial would likely go for 6+ weeks (involved an old biddy with a big nursing home allegedly defrauding the Commonwealth).

The only interesting thing was that some of the other potential jurors had obviously done this many times before and were eager to be selected again.

Was excused because I was the sole operator of a business and 6 weeks would hurt (true).

Next time I used the 'being on a vessel under the command of a master at sea' excuse (which was true, I was measuring crays at the time on a contract), handed the form to the desk sergeant who just screwed it up and threw it in the bin (true!) and said I was excused.

After the second experience I saved the sergeant his valuable time and binned it myself.

That was 20 years ago and I've never heard from them since.

DL

[shanegtr]

I got the call up a couple of years ago for jury duty. I actually looked forward to it as I've never stepped foot into a court before so it was good to see how the system works. Over here in WA theres probabaly more chance that you wont end up on a case as they have an oversupply of people.
I made it through to a drug import case, even threw up my hand to read out the verdict - done that as they get rid of a couple of jurors at the end and thats the only person that they dont get rid of. I didnt want to sit through a week of a case only to run the risk of not being able to help out with the verdict. I'd happily do it again if I got the call up

[Ean Austral]

An observation, not just on AULRO but elsewhere, other forums, workplace etc.

There is countless discussion about the law being enforce and more police and so on, but as soon as jury service is brought up nearly every time the discussion leads to how to get out of it.

I have got called up yet, but am interested in who the process works and what happens behind the scenes. Although you have to be lucky or unlucky to get selected on and interesting tough case

Don't get me wrong , I am happy to give it a crack , but the booklet and paperwork they give you say's it could be up to 6 weeks. I just explained to the sheriff that 2 weeks after the summoned date I fly out of the country and supplied all my flight details expecting to be excused because of this, but still they want me to appear which seemed strange considering the info they provide. I fully expect I will get dismissed but see how it rolls I guess

Cheers Ean

[weeds]

Don't get me wrong , I am happy to give it a crack , but the booklet and paperwork they give you say's it could be up to 6 weeks. I just explained to the sheriff that 2 weeks after the summoned date I fly out of the country and supplied all my flight details expecting to be excused because of this, but still they want me to appear which seemed strange considering the info they provide. I fully expect I will get dismissed but see how it rolls I guess

Cheers Ean

All Ean...it was just a general observation. I think it’s inly right you advise them of your booked flights.

[Ean Austral]

Well I am even more confused now , turned up a week ago , got shown a DVD with all the operations etc of the court system , then got dismissed.

Get a message today that I have to show up on Monday , so now on Monday I am only 6 days away from flying out of the country. Happy to do my bit but dragging people off work when they already know in advance that they have a legit reason for not being able to attend just don't make any sense..

I have to state my reasons to the judge for not being able to attend for the whole duration of the court case ,( even tho I have already provided all my travel details to the sheriff several weeks ago ) and be cleared by him on Monday, so 2 days off work in 8 days. I can see why people get put off by the system when they get called up.

oh well go thru the process and see what happens.


Cheers Ean

[V8Ian]

I bet the accused gets a smoother passage through the system. [bigsad]

[3toes]

Not every case goes on for weeks many cases last only one day so you would be on the list for these

[Tins]

Personally, I am disappointed that the call has never come, but I guess that as my mother was called when she was 94 perhaps there is still time. And, no, she didn't go. Not because of her age at the time, but because she is profoundly deaf and legally blind. She's 99 now. Maybe they'll ask again.

On a different note, she was advised buy none other than Hunch, before he became a Senator, that she wasn't required to vote due to her age. Wrong. The AEC let her off, saying that if you are a Citizen and over 18 voting is compulsory. Shows what Hunch knows.

[Bigbjorn]

I was exempt jury service because of my occupation. When I retired I thought I might have a crack at sitting around in air conditioned courts for some easy money. I 'phoned the Sheriff's Office and told them I was a willing starter. The very nice young lady told me I would be put on the list. Got one notification but was never called in. Twenty years later I think I have missed by chance to don the black cap.