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Jury Duty

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Whire Rabbit

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 6, 2001
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607
Location
Sydney, Australia
I recently got a jury duty notice, so I'll have to attend some time this year (which I don't mind, first time should be interesting at least). But my friend mentioned that I'll have to get drug tested before the trial. Is that true? If so, how much notice we get before the testing? I never heard of such procedure but I sure hope it's not true :(

Peace...
 
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My friend just did jury service and went through no drug testing - what state are you in?
 
I recently got a jury duty notice
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hahaha thats unfortunate...i know i would hate it.

id say they have enough trouble getting people to show up for jury duty, that drug testing woudl be an unneccesary barrier.
 
No Victoria - I've never heard of people being drug tested for jury service, but this could be state dependant?
 
If you can't find out for sure give them a call and ask them. You won't get in trouble.
 
Cheers, thanks for your replies. Had a read through that document but couldn't find anything on drug testing.

Diegoblunt,
it's my first time on jury duty so I don't mind going, I'd like to see what it's like. Also I get excemption from uni :)
 
I did jury duty around 8 years ago in Vic. no drug testing. I actually found it really interesting and would recommend not getting out of it if you don't have anything better to do! I was on a civil case, it was settled out of court before we got to make a decision anyway. I also got called up for a rape case, glad I didn't get picked for that one!

It's the luck of the draw, you could be unlucky to get called up on a murder (or high profile) case which can take months. Civil seems to be the easiest, people suing people.
 
i kind of wouldn't mind a bit of jury duty at the moment.. would get me off my ass and earning a bit of money.

apparently the 8 week trials or so become quite lucrative! :P
 
yeah
its completely random.. done of the electoral lists if i'm correct?

i think you get paid a set amount per hour for the first couple of weeks, then past a certain point (2 weeks?) the pay goes up at the end of each week.
so by the 11th week you're raking it in!

i think that's how it works...
 
Last time I asked, urine drug screening cost about $50 a pop. That doesn't count the additional costs of having a Dr around to order the test and review the results. It isn't economically viable to do such a thing. Not to mention the impingement on ones civil liberties...and the relevance?? (A UDS wouldn't show up a pissed juror for example.)

I would enjoy doing jury duty, to a point - I know I'd start vagueing out after a while. ;)
 
Nope, no drug testing when I did jury duty and I seriously doubt it would be worth their while.

I got a letter a couple of years back to say I was on the roll (and yes, it does come from the electoral rolls). Two weeks later I received another asking me to come in the next week. I got picked on the last case of the day and the trial lasted 3 weeks. After the first week, we got hot meals for lunch each day. The pay was decent (not huge), but as others have said, it goes up - I think it was after each 7 day block. Some work places will pay your normal wage for a period while you are on jury duty so you'd want to check that out (especially if it is more!) But as a uni student... it'd be a nice bonus :)

I found it to be a really interesting experience. Mentally draining, but a good look at the way the legal system works. A lot of people I mentioned it to were really negative about the whole thing, but I say it's something worth doing (and taking seriously - you never know when it may be you or someone you know at the hands of the jury =D )
 
i have never received a letter for jury duty, and i really wouldnt mind doing it, to see how the system works as i have never been caught on the wrong side of it (touch wood). My dad has had quite few letters and he always gets out of it, but my mum who really wants to do it has never received a jury duty letter.
 
My my. So ready to condemn the guilty!

I'm surprised so many of you are/ have been keen to do it. I guess I would do my duty if I had to, but I would detest the whole procedure. ATM I'm attempting to finish Forensic Chem before the term commences (get that study guide early ;)), and much as I find the subject fascinating, I can say that I would definitely NOT want to be a part of deciding someones future. I would continually go over every detail of a case for years before I'd feel settled.

For those of you keen to hold an 1/8 of the power stick, how would you feel if you got a drug case which was taken to a higher court by the individual? Perhaps someone who couldn't really afford either the Queens Council representation, or the blemish to his name from being found guilty.

Or what if you had to sit on a murder case. Perhaps love related. Was it murder or manslaughter?

In effect, you are not only confined to ignoring your views on the laws pertaining to the case, but you're also as much influenced by the best council as is the rest of the court. Unless you know the law inside out, or someone challenges a point, then you're still none-the-wiser in many cases.

Then there's the individual personalities of the other jurors. A "charming mouth" who becomes jury leader can influence others by his own coercion. You've all seen the movies. I've never spoken to anyone who served a long case, or has dealt with a difficult decision, who feel they have come out unscathed. This would especially be true if your memory's good and your conscience resides in the virtues of a beyond all doubt justice system.

I know it's all we have, and criticism such as this does nothing to improve it, but I do ask that you consider carefully what could be involved if you are unable to escape the call up.

Edit: Here's the Supreme Court Jury Duty FAQ
 
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I've been called up twice before and have not been able to attend due to having holidays booked interstate - the legal system interest me and for this reason it would be an experience - but on the other hand, I'm not sure how well the fate of someone's future would sit on my shoulders.
 
I got called when I was 19. Was in the courtroom where they were picking the jurors for a murder charge, and I was the twelfth ... woohoo ;)

Got $500 for 2 weeks... the hours arent bad either. 10-4 with a two hour lunch break.

Oh and we found the guy guilty. Funnily enough, he was being charged for a murder which took place 15 years before the trial!!

Turns out he killed two people a few months apart.. got caught for one and sent to jail.. when he was released they arrested him again for the other one...

He should have confessed to the other one at the same time! Oh well...

Didn't like finding the guy guilty. On a sidenote, he looked like santa claus. Big white beard. I bet he has a nasty present for me if he sees me again 8(

EDIT: Sorry! I got so caught up in reliving my jury experience, that I forgot what the poster was asking.

NO DRUG TESTING when I did it (In Vic!)
 
As a juror you are not only judging whether the defendant is guilty or not, you can also judge whether or not you think the law is fair. Particularly in drug related cases, if you believe the drug should be legal, you can say not guilty. This is called juror nullification and will lead to a hung jury, resulting in a mistrial, clogging up the legal system and furthering the case for drug decriminalisation.

The defendant's lawyer can not tell the jury about nullification and it is not widely known about but it has been accepted as part of the legal system for hundreds of years. You would be best to say to the other jurors that you do not believe there is enough proof, rather than telling them you dont believe in the law, as they can ask the judge to remove you from the jury.

Everybody who does not believe in the current legal status of drugs should know about this and excercise their right of jury nullification.
 
just to continue on the jury discussion, i think that i would do it (as in, i wouldn't try to get out of it), if i was called up, though -like phase_dancer detailed- i would have some serious issues of morality with the process.

however, i'd be really interested in observing the process, and in regards to the moral dillemma, would make my utmost attempt to be entirely impartial, but also to find out anything i could about the case as to aid this.
 
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