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Jury Duty


iMick

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I just received a letter from the Sheriffs office (nearly shat my self, thinking I was being sued for something).

Notice of inclusion on the July Roll for the next 12 months.

I'm actually looking forward to it but will apply for an exemption if they predict a lengthy trial due to work.

Anyone done it before?

Mick

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I hope being self employed with a dependent wife and baby will be enough to get out of it.

Mick.

Hey Mick look at it another way. You are doing your civic duty as an Australian citizen. If everyone had that attitude we would have no panels and no democracy. It isn't that bad if you are on an interesting case. Sometimes you are not suitable anyway and they pass you over.

You never know what you will get :1yikes:

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Hey Mick look at it another way. You are doing your civic duty as an Australian citizen. If everyone had that attitude we would have no panels and no democracy. It isn't that bad if you are on an interesting case. Sometimes you are not suitable anyway and they pass you over.

You never know what you will get :1yikes:

Yeah I agree, I'm all for it, and I'll probably enjoy it, I find legal matters interesting.

The only concern is that if I'm required to take weeks and weeks off work without pay. I just can't do that now that we have only one income, a baby on the way, and a big mortgage.

We'll see.

Mick

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Hey Mick look at it another way. You are doing your civic duty as an Australian citizen.

yet when i failed to get my jury duty notice (due to moving house), they still managed to locate me afterwards to give me a $1800 fine for not attending.

Yes thats correct - $1800.

its a pain to get out of the fine, so i suggest you attent

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yet when i failed to get my jury duty notice (due to moving house), they still managed to locate me afterwards to give me a $1800 fine for not attending.

Yes thats correct - $1800.

its a pain to get out of the fine, so i suggest you attent

Ouch

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I hope being self employed with a dependent wife and baby will be enough to get out of it.

Mick.

hey mick,

me too, i have to attend on the 19th of this month. it was my understanding that you do get some money to compensate you for having the time off work. i too am self employed and i have been informed by my uncle that this does not matter, you still have to attend.

the court system is a farce, i have previously been selected to sit on the jury only to return from a lunch adjournment to be told that new evidence had just been submitted and that the panel of selected jurors will no longer be required to attend.

atleast attend, you wont get fined, and you have the opportunity to beg for exemption lol. you may not even be selected and get your get out of boring shit pass that way

Edited by mii11x
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hey mick,

me too, i have to attend on the 19th of this month. it was my understanding that you do get some money to compensate you for having the time off work. i too am self employed and i have been informed by my uncle that this does not matter, you still have to attend.

the court system is a farce, i have previously been selected to sit on the jury only to return from a lunch adjournment to be told that new evidence had just been submitted and that the panel of selected jurors will no longer be required to attend.

atleast attend, you wont get fined, and you have the opportunity to beg for exemption lol. you may not even be selected and get your get out of boring shit pass that way

I phoned up and spoke to a court service officer, and explained my situation. She said that I can show cause for why I need an exemption. I need all the work opportunity that I can get. She also said that they current have a 25 week trial going.

Mick

Edited by iMick
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I did duty last year. Most cases only go for ~3 - 10 days but there are exceptions. Mine went for 6 days. If you do get an excemption, they put you on a 3 month short list and there is NO excemption for the 2nd time, no matter what your excuse / circumstance.

yes is was only $120 per day. Huge feeling of satisfaction afterward and it is interesting to see the legal system from the inside.

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I got 2 exemptions from my employers but it only delayed the inevitable. I fronted up and didn't get chosen for the panel. You go into court with about 40 potentials then they literally pull numbers out of a barrel. The defense or prosecution can have you rejected for any reason they see fit and the judge might allow for chosen jurors to request dismissal on the grounds of the nature of the trial (this was a date rape trial).

My number never came up so the judge said thanks very much for fronting up for your civic duty, have a nice day. was told it would be 10 years before the next call up.

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It would be interesting the see how court proceedings work, but not if it's going to cost me. IMO the guy and girls who really pay their civic duty are the SES and the volunteer fire fighter.... Not people who are summonsed to jury duty.

There is so much more for a person to lose who has a gross income of $300k and is self employed, compared to someone earning $50k with an employer who is required to continue to pay wages while their employee attends jury duty.

A fair system for compensation would be where you provide your last income tax return and they pay you a pro-rater amount based on what you made the previous year.... If you're unemployed ... Tough, you get zip.

Mick.

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