Jury Duty

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R

Run n Spread

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts
Apr 2, 2013
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Guess who had Jury Duty recently?

The Process:

You receive a letter and a survey/online link asking you to fill out certain questions. This tests you basic eligibility.

From there you then receive a confirmation you are eligible and be available for 3 months between date 1 and date 2.

If you are then selected for the Jury Pool you then receive a letter to come into court for 2 days between date 1 and date 2. But text to confirm at 430pm the day before.

The day: You arrive at 9pm. There is a special entry for you. You scan your letter, process through and take a seat in a massive room.

From there you are given an introductory address, are explained the rules and have any questions asked.

The trial:

2 steps:

Step 1: There is an announcement round the Jury room that there is a case commencing please be in place in 1 minute. You are then told what the basic trial is and your jury number is drawn at random.

Step 2: If selected you are then escorted into court and seated. The process then begins:

The charges are formally read, accused formally pleads (Not Guilty obviously) and a jury is em -panelled.

From there the Judges associate literally pulls your name from a box where you stand up and walk past the defendant, to the jury box at which time the accused can challenge you. (6 challenges in total).

I was one of the challenged so never served so can't comment further.

But my thoughts:

Organisation: A ******* shambles. Try telling your boss you need leave, but may not, it may be for a day or a year and you can only confirm on the day. Plus if anything goes wrong for whatever reason and you can't serve there is no recourse. A joke. Not to mention people had travelled 3 hours in a borrowed car for the day......and they may need to organise accom but maybe not......some are unemployed and could take their dream job + start tomorrow...but maybe not.......And at 7pm you get a text saying thanks but don't bother come back tomorrow for more of the same.

The Day: The court staff/admin etc are brilliant. No fear. You are treated brilliantly and even if there for a day there is nothing they won't do. Everything is explained clearly and precisely and your (potential) role is treated with respect.

The Jurors: Some weirdos but it is truly a random selection. Most jurors are friendly, personable and you could meet anywhere. Age tended to be across the board but with more 18-25s and over 50s. (Everyone else probably applied for an excuse)But I found most tended to eeeerrrr on the side of "where there is smoke there is fire and yeah guilty unless you prove it.

I'd be happy to serve in the future. But could not be bothered dealing with the delays and uncertainty.
 
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Yep it's an imposition but if you treat is as something as important as it is then no problem. I sat on a two week jury and my boss wasn't happy at all, but he was a scumbag anyway. Sitting on a two week trial teaches you so much about how the legal system works. Everyone should take advantage if they get the opportunity and I'd be more than happy to do it again - it's a highlight of my life. I've also been called but not selected another time.
 
I have been asked twice. I have declined as I cant leave people unsupervised. Otherwise certainly would have gone. Not asked again.
 

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Snake_Baker said:
It's probably the greatest amount of power you will ever wield.
Click to expand...

lol Who are you talking to? If you are talking to me, its not about wielding power. Its about scouring out a living. A jury could soon be a thing of the past for a number of reasons.

Certainly will be more people. Has been more people. Dont know why you are obsessed with power. For someone who is "in the field" you have some odd comments.
 
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Dan Baker said:
lol Who are you talking to? If you are talking to me, its not about wielding power. Its about scouring out a living. A jury could soon be a thing of the past for a number of reasons.

Certainly will be more people. Has been more people. Dont know why you are obsessed with power. For someone who is "in the field" you have some odd comments.
Click to expand...

I was not responding to you.
 
i received a request for jury duty twice- both times requested to be excused fron duty as im the only employee and the workshop would've come to a standstill,my cousin's wife received a request for the second one too, we were thinking would've been cool if both of us were in it(she asked to be excused too)
 
Run n Spread said:
Guess who had Jury Duty recently?

The Process:

You receive a letter and a survey/online link asking you to fill out certain questions. This tests you basic eligibility.

From there you then receive a confirmation you are eligible and be available for 3 months between date 1 and date 2.

If you are then selected for the Jury Pool you then receive a letter to come into court for 2 days between date 1 and date 2. But text to confirm at 430pm the day before.

The day: You arrive at 9pm. There is a special entry for you. You scan your letter, process through and take a seat in a massive room.

From there you are given an introductory address, are explained the rules and have any questions asked.

The trial:

2 steps:

Step 1: There is an announcement round the Jury room that there is a case commencing please be in place in 1 minute. You are then told what the basic trial is and your jury number is drawn at random.

Step 2: If selected you are then escorted into court and seated. The process then begins:

The charges are formally read, accused formally pleads (Not Guilty obviously) and a jury is em -panelled.

From there the Judges associate literally pulls your name from a box where you stand up and walk past the defendant, to the jury box at which time the accused can challenge you. (6 challenges in total).

I was one of the challenged so never served so can't comment further.

But my thoughts:

Organisation: A ******* shambles. Try telling your boss you need leave, but may not, it may be for a day or a year and you can only confirm on the day. Plus if anything goes wrong for whatever reason and you can't serve there is no recourse. A joke. Not to mention people had travelled 3 hours in a borrowed car for the day......and they may need to organise accom but maybe not......some are unemployed and could take their dream job + start tomorrow...but maybe not.......And at 7pm you get a text saying thanks but don't bother come back tomorrow for more of the same.

The Day: The court staff/admin etc are brilliant. No fear. You are treated brilliantly and even if there for a day there is nothing they won't do. Everything is explained clearly and precisely and your (potential) role is treated with respect.

The Jurors: Some weirdos but it is truly a random selection. Most jurors are friendly, personable and you could meet anywhere. Age tended to be across the board but with more 18-25s and over 50s. (Everyone else probably applied for an excuse)But I found most tended to eeeerrrr on the side of "where there is smoke there is fire and yeah guilty unless you prove it.

I'd be happy to serve in the future. But could not be bothered dealing with the delays and uncertainty.
Click to expand...
On days like this,i could go for duty in an air conditioned building.

Snake_Baker said:
It's probably the greatest amount of power you will ever wield.
Click to expand...
The most power you will ever have is when the kids are under 18.
 

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sprockets said:
Yep it's an imposition but if you treat is as something as important as it is then no problem. I sat on a two week jury and my boss wasn't happy at all, but he was a scumbag anyway. Sitting on a two week trial teaches you so much about how the legal system works. Everyone should take advantage if they get the opportunity and I'd be more than happy to do it again - it's a highlight of my life. I've also been called but not selected another time.
Click to expand...

It was an imposition in the sense that I had to be free and on notice fr 3 months but literally didn't know for sure if I was needed till 459pm the day before.

Once there I would've liked to have gone on a jury and would've been more than happy to. And would gladly go in the future.

Snake_Baker said:
It's probably the greatest amount of power you will ever wield.
Click to expand...

Jury Nullification you mean. Maybe it depends on the type of case you get. Say you're a Civil Libertarian and all for drugs say you could go the former. But if it was a serial killer you'd hope no one went down that road (if clearly guilty).

One other observation. I would be very hesitant to convict and send someone to prison. The case would need to be bloody strong. Yet I was challenged off as was someone else who really wanted to go on.

And in my case a couple of people (who didn't really want to go on) got in.

Just goes to show most Profilers, Body Language Experts and Demographic (type of person you want) consultants are full of s**t.
 
Dan Baker said:
What criteria meets jury duty? No criminal record? Of sound mind?
Click to expand...

Any criteria. It is done off the Electoral Role.

But automatic exemptions include:
Conviction
Police Officers
Legal Workers
MPs

There are other positions where you have the option of an automaic excuse but can go on if you want (thou I believe they recently chopped that list considerably).
 
Run n Spread said:
Jury Nullification you mean. Maybe it depends on the type of case you get. Say you're a Civil Libertarian and all for drugs say you could go the former. But if it was a serial killer you'd hope no one went down that road (if clearly guilty).

One other observation. I would be very hesitant to convict and send someone to prison. The case would need to be bloody strong. Yet I was challenged off as was someone else who really wanted to go on.

And in my case a couple of people (who didn't really want to go on) got in.

Just goes to show most Profilers, Body Language Experts and Demographic (type of person you want) consultants are full of s**t.
Click to expand...

Non violent drug offences, bullshit offences against the state etc.

They would just about always walk if i'm on the jury, regardless of the quality of the evidence.
 
Snake_Baker said:
Non violent drug offences, bullshit offences against the state etc.

They would just about always walk if i'm on the jury, regardless of the quality of the evidence.
Click to expand...
Because jury duty isn't about the law it's about your own beliefs regardless of what the law states...
 
I remember reading the newspaper one day and looked at the wedding photos page. One of the couples featured stated that they had met while doing jury duty. How's that for fate?
 
Run n Spread said:
Any criteria. It is done off the Electoral Role.

But automatic exemptions include:
Conviction
Police Officers
Legal Workers
MPs

There are other positions where you have the option of an automaic excuse but can go on if you want (thou I believe they recently chopped that list considerably).
Click to expand...

Twice removed thanks to being a military member.
Last time was 2006, so not sure if that has changed but haven't been asked again.
 
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