Jury Service

If you are called for jury service are you told about the case before being picked? If so what information are you given? How do you know you won't know the victim or alleged perpetrator?

You are not called for a particular case. You are called to a panel and jurors for a number of different cases may be filled from that panel.

When jurors are assigned to a particular case then the issues you mention are looked into.

When I got called, at jury selection time I got rejected by one defence barrister (not sure why, had a suit on as I was going to a client meeting if I didn't get called so maybe he thought I was too conservative) and had to tell the court on the other 2 occasions that I knew either the defendant or a witness.

Once you are in the waiting room and a trial starts, the basic details of the trial are read out and if you know any of the key people, and you are chosen, you tell the judge and you will be excused to wait for the next trial to start.

thedaddyman said:

had a suit on as I was going to a client meeting if I didn't get called so maybe he thought I was too conservative) and had to tell the court on the other 2 occasions that I knew either the defendant or a witness.

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That's standard fare for Anglo alumni to be fair...

Thanks for the replies. Just want to make sure I understand process. You get your summons and go into the particular court to a room. You may then be picked out for a particular jury and it is only then that the jury selection kicks in and you may be challenged? If you are accepted for the jury then you are on it. Is it only then that they tell you what the trial is about? Can you clarify thedaddyman at what stage you found out you knew people? It seems wrong if they start the trial thinking they have a jury and then is delayed by someone saying they know someone!

Gordon Gekko said:

That's standard fare for Anglo alumni to be fair...[/QUOT

Ouch !! Actually I worked for one of their foreign competitors who did

partnership said:

Thanks for the replies. Just want to make sure I understand process. You get your summons and go into the particular court to a room. You may then be picked out for a particular jury and it is only then that the jury selection kicks in and you may be challenged? If you are accepted for the jury then you are on it. Is it only then that they tell you what the trial is about? Can you clarify thedaddyman at what stage you found out you knew people? It seems wrong if they start the trial thinking they have a jury and then is delayed by someone saying they know someone!

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Got told before the trial what it was about. It can happen in a trial that a jury member says they know someone but it is rare

As for being an Anglo alumnui, I once found one of their golf balls at a driving range, closest I've ever been to them.

Its part of the jury selection process that they check if you know anyone.
Thet dont start a trial until the jury is selected.

Peoples names are called and then sometimes rejected for a number of valid reasons.
The jury selection is not complete until they have 12 members who are available, suitable etc etc.

partnership said:

Thanks for the replies. Just want to make sure I understand process. You get your summons and go into the particular court to a room. You may then be picked out for a particular jury and it is only then that the jury selection kicks in and you may be challenged? If you are accepted for the jury then you are on it. Is it only then that they tell you what the trial is about?

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At the start of selection, they shuffle 30-50 potential jurors into the court. Candidates will be called up one at a time by lottery. At that point, both councils may question candidates (eg. age, occupation), and reject any they don't like. This will continue until 12 have been accepted by both councils.

Now the judge will read out the key names and locations involved in the case. At that point, the 12 selected candidates will have a chance to declare any reason that they shouldn't be part of this jury (eg personal connection to a victim/accused, inside information on the circumstances of the case, prejudice based on media coverage etc). Any of the 12 candidates who drop out at this point will again be replaced from the pool.

The potential jurors who didn't end up in the final 12 will be shuffled off to another court to go through the same process again. If somebody isn't selected for any jury after a couple of days, they will be released.

The process is slow and fairly tedious. It seems like all excuses are accepted - I've seen a guy excused on the basis that he was self employed and couldn't afford the time away from work. They bring lots of candidates, so it seems like they are happy to settle for 12 who are actually willing take part.

trasneoir said:

The potential jurors who didn't end up in the final 12 will be shuffled off to another court to go through the same process again. If somebody isn't selected for any jury after a couple of days, they will be released.

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In my case it was a district court and I had to go back on 3 separate Wednesdays. I was given a number to ring the day before to check that court was going ahead

District Court????????????????

No juries in District Court