Jury Duty (1 Viewer)

[MaryJane]

I just thought I'd share my excitement (and disappointment) with you all.

I was called up for Jury Duty for the Supreme Court in the Criminal jurisdiction!! I was *so* excited when I got it, but then hit rock bottom when I realised that it would run for 8 weeks (apparently), and so would intefere with my bloody final exams. I probably wouldnt be needed every day with the voir dire and all... if only I could be a part-time juror, and for it to finish in October, rather than November.

I am so upset and ugh, its just terrible! What if this is my only chance to be a juror? And in the Supreme Court! And with a criminal matter! It might be some exciting bloody murder/manslaughter etc. How exciting would that have been?!

Has anyone else been called up for jury duty? Have you gone?

 

[xeuyrawp]

I just thought I'd share my excitement (and disappointment) with you all.

I was called up for Jury Duty for the Supreme Court in the Criminal jurisdiction!! I was *so* excited when I got it, but then hit rock bottom when I realised that it would run for 8 weeks (apparently), and so would intefere with my bloody final exams. I probably wouldnt be needed every day with the voir dire and all... if only I could be a part-time juror, and for it to finish in October, rather than November.

I am so upset and ugh, its just terrible! What if this is my only chance to be a juror? And in the Supreme Court! And with a criminal matter! It might be some exciting bloody murder/manslaughter etc. How exciting would that have been?!

Has anyone else been called up for jury duty? Have you gone?

Aw, I'd be upset too. Do they give details on the case? If it's Supreme Court jury duty, you'd be on deformation or other criminal things, wouldn't you? What a shame.

My maternal grandmother's mother went to one of the first jury cases where women were allowed to be a juror. The case was about something nasty with some people getting killed, and mid-testimony, the old bag started sobbing. One of the judges apparently said 'This is why women should not be present' or something.

 

[MaryJane]

Ooh, thats a bit exciting - you're grandmother is a history heroine!

No, they dont disclose any information other than the court, jurisdiction, time to be there and estimated duration. I am hating uni so much at the moment, its so unfair!

 

[hfis]

On the topic of jury duty (you're so lucky, I wish I had that opportunity), what are the rules governing legal practitioners? As far as I know, as soon as you have been admitted to the board, you are unable to be used in a jury - is this correct?

 

[Frigid]

On the topic of jury duty (you're so lucky, I wish I had that opportunity), what are the rules governing legal practitioners? As far as I know, as soon as you have been admitted to the board, you are unable to be used in a jury - is this correct?

yeap. see Schedule 2 of the Jury Act 1977 (NSW)

 

[MaryJane]

On the topic of jury duty (you're so lucky, I wish I had that opportunity), what are the rules governing legal practitioners? As far as I know, as soon as you have been admitted to the board, you are unable to be used in a jury - is this correct?

Exactly! Thats why I'm so disappointed - what if this is my only chance!?

(I'll just completely ignore the fact that later I'll probably be in court so often that I'll be glad not to be a jury member).

 

[AsyLum]

I want to be a jury member if they pay you, i need free money

 

[MoonlightSonata]

I just thought I'd share my excitement (and disappointment) with you all.

I was called up for Jury Duty for the Supreme Court in the Criminal jurisdiction!! I was *so* excited when I got it, but then hit rock bottom when I realised that it would run for 8 weeks (apparently), and so would intefere with my bloody final exams. I probably wouldnt be needed every day with the voir dire and all... if only I could be a part-time juror, and for it to finish in October, rather than November.

I am so upset and ugh, its just terrible! What if this is my only chance to be a juror? And in the Supreme Court! And with a criminal matter! It might be some exciting bloody murder/manslaughter etc. How exciting would that have been?!

Has anyone else been called up for jury duty? Have you gone?

Oh damn. That probably will be your only chance

No you can't do it when you're a lawyer... it would be fascinating to be inside the "mind" of a jury

 

[ManlyChief]

Exactly! Thats why I'm so disappointed - what if this is my only chance!?

Generally once you get summoned for jury duty you are part of the random pool they are selecting from the electoral roll at that time. If, for some reason, you do not serve on a jury on your first call, there is actually a high probability that you will receive another call up soon. The pools generally change every few months and unless you have sereved substantially during that time or have demonstrated that you cannot/should not have to serve, you can be asked multiple times.

My uncle in 1992 was called up thrice in a two-month period for duty.

So, keep your hopes up, you may get another call up after the exams, somthing to while away those long January days!

 

[...]

haha MJ
i told them i had uni and got off

but then i wanted to do it if it is during the holidays and doesn't run for more than a wk and a half

think of the money man!








































..oh and the free lunch

 

[santaslayer]

haha MJ
i told them i had uni and got off

but then i wanted to do it if it is during the holidays and doesn't run for more than a wk and a half

think of the money man!








































..oh and the free lunch

The money isn't a lot. Just an estimated days income.


Ask the uni if they can give you an estimated score for your finals so you can serve on the jury AND avoid your last assessments.

 

[MaryJane]

haha, I dont know if I want to let them calculate it based on my assessments seeing a) I havent done them yet (not due until the end of the hols) and b) I dont know how I'll go!

I'll just keep my fingers crossed that they call me up for another round in late November (hopefully in the Supreme court with criminal jurisdiction again)... How long do the courts close for Christmas?

 

[melsc]

awwww that sucks, last year my mum got called for dury duty and wanted to get out of it, I told her I'd gladly go for her...it was a similar case to MaryJane's , she was called twice in the 3 months, went to the court and didnt even make it to enpanneling

i'd love to go

 

[Jonathan A]

I can't do jury duty - to many conflicts of interest.

 

[xeuyrawp]

I can't do jury duty - to many conflicts of interest.

Yeh, with you doing a lex legum bachalareus and everything

 

[erawamai]

Yeh, with you doing a lex legum bachalareus and everything

He works for a small criminal law firm. He must do work in the District court and above. Otherwise there would be no conflict of interest.

 

[Jonathan A]

My reasons:

-I assist in providing legal services
-I am resgistered as a Student-at-Law with the Attorney General's Department
-My father is a police officer

 

[erawamai]

My reasons:

-I assist in providing legal services
-I am resgistered as a Student-at-Law with the Attorney General's Department
-My father is a police officer

I never got that. Are not all law student's students at all?

------

I hope you do not give advice under retainer. That would be bad as your firm's insurance would not cover you. You do not have a practicing certificate.

 

[MiuMiu]

I was called up on Wednesday for jury duty at the Downing Centre. I was empanelled for a 3 week drugs case but was challenged by the prosecution--I am far too young (and blonde) for a prosecution to want me on a drugs case (too sympathetic to the drug pushers and whatnot).

Having not been empanelled this time I am now off the jury roll for 12 months....in which time I will have almost completed my law degree and will no longer be eligible to serve.

And for those who said it isn't great money, for students who wouldn't otherwise have been working, it is FANTASTIC money, and on a sliding scale, so the longer you are kept there, the more they pay you per day.

Getting out of it appears to depend heavily on how the court officers are feeling that day and how many cases are starting. On wednesday there were only 3 trials starting (only 2 ended up needing a jury) whereas there are usually 7 or 8 we were told and so anyone who wanted to get out of it could--you just had to make up a reason and put it on the back of your form. The court officer interviews you about it for a few seconds and off you go. Having said that, on a normal day it is certainly not that easy.....being a law student will get you out of it because you really can't be impartial (especially if you're doing later year subjects like me like evidence and stuff and you won't be able to help but sit there and analyse all the legal stuff) but you don't HAVE to tell them that you are a law student, you are only barred if you have been admitted to the legal practitioners board (ie a qualified lawyer).

A little bit of advice if you do get called....take something to read! It has the potential to be a really long a boring day waiting for a judge to call for an empanellment....you are sat in what basically looks like an airport lounge, not allowed to leave, with two fuzzy tv's playing the same thing. If you don't take anything to entertain yourself you will be screwed....

 

[Jonathan A]

I never got that. Are not all law student's students at all?

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I hope you do not give advice under retainer. That would be bad as your firm's insurance would not cover you. You do not have a practicing certificate.

I don't give advice, however I assist the solicitors who do.

To be a Student-at-Law you need to register with the Legal Profession Admission Board.