Jury duty in today's economic climate

[FROSTY:Me]

Hey folks just wondering how you feel about High Court Jury duty.
Or more important I guess the financial impact jury duty has on Jurors.
It seems to me that theres a huge gap between cost of living and the money Jurors get paid.
I'm thinking of the likes of the David Bain retrial or similar when its 6 to 8 weeks off work on $30 a day.

[JayRacer37]

Hey folks just wondering how you feel about High Court Jury duty.
Or more important I guess the financial impact jury duty has on Jurors.
It seems to me that theres a huge gap between cost of living and the money Jurors get paid.
I'm thinking of the likes of the David Bain retrial or similar when its 6 to 8 weeks off work on $30 a day.

Yeah it's fairly harsh there. Also, in today's economy, in the offices anyway, your performance stats will be down and a lot of people are being laid off based on those...

[PirateJafa]

Logically they should be being paid at least the minimum wage of $12 an hour.

$30 a day wouldn't even pay for the parking outside the Auckland court.

[YellowDog]

Jurors get their expenses paid (parking lunch etc.) plus a few $ extra.

They are probably not attracting the right calibre of person and if the payments will result in financial hardship then any excuse will be given to get out of it.

[James Deuce]

If you work for a decent employer they'll just keep paying you.

[Mully]

My contract provides for my full salary, LESS anything I get from the Court.

So my income would stay the same.

The only time I've been called, my employer wrote me a letter to get out of it (it was peak season). Gutted really, cos I'd be keen to have a go. I'd have to change my name to "hang-em high Mully"

For you, Frosty, I'd suggest you could get out of it on the grounds of self-employment and causing extreme hardship.

[p.dath]

Jury duty! It's worse being a witness.

I was stupid enough to help someone out about 18 months ago. The person I caught is having their case heard in the high court.

So far I have been subpeoned by the crown to appear on three seperate occassions, for a total of 9 days - and as of yet, have still not actually appeared in court. The crown solicitor has already told me I will be subpeoned for another 3 days.

As a subpeonoed witness I get NO compensation at all. It sucks being a witness.

I'm now far less likely to help someone in the future. Grrr. Angry.

[Big Dave]

I could not do it and stay in business. Been excused when called.

[Drunken Monkey]

Well technically they don't need to pay you anything, it's your civic duty to turn up.

Sod that though. The only time I got called up it clashed with a trip to Greece for a wedding I had already booked and paid for, so got I got out of it.

Jury of peers is an outdated system anyway, scrap it and replace it with professional jurors trained in police procedure, law and criminal psychology. I don't see why court cases should get decided by, more often than not, a bunch of losers too stupid to get out of jury duty...

[Genestho]

The only time I've been called, my employer wrote me a letter to get out of it (it was peak season). Gutted really, cos I'd be keen to have a go. I'd have to change my name to "hang-em high Mully"

Hah, funny you say that, I was called for Jury duty not even a month after my Husband and friends were killed. I wrote back and said to be quite honest, with the type of people I'd be facing as a juror, they'd be getting my very pissed off opinion in the light of the three deaths in the forefront of my mind.
I was very quickly dismissed from the call of duty.

[p.dath]

Hah, funny you say that, I was called for Jury duty not even a month after my Husband and friends were killed. I wrote back and said to be quite honest, with the type of people I'd be facing as a juror, they'd be getting my very pissed off opinion in the light of the three deaths in the forefront of my mind.
I was very quickly dismissed from the call of duty.

I'd have to say I'd be like you. I'd be pre-disposed to wanting to find someone guilty at the moment.

[Dooly]

I was last called several years ago.
We were flat out at work, and it really was'nt possible.
So I wrote a letter telling them that because of all my multiple fractures in a recent accident (true) and the pain and shit I suffer daily from it, i thought I would'nt be able to sit for long on a jury.
I said if you dont believe me, here's my doctor's number.........

Got a letter back a week later saying, 'sorry to hear about blah, blah, blah, we've decided to excuse you from jury duty for life!!!' 'Please keep this letter as proof if you are mistakenly called again.'

O for awesome!!!!

[Beemer]

Considering I'm getting sweet FA work lately, I'd be rapt to be on a trial right now, at least I'd have a regular income for a while!

But to be honest, I've been on a jury once before and was pretty appalled at what passes for a jury of your 'peers' in today's society. I think they should have professional juries who are trained and who can actually understand and debate the real issues properly.

Edited to add, I hadn't seen Drunken Monkey's post but I'm 100% in agreement. The jury I sat on contained a woman who determined the guy was guilty right from the start because he had Maori friends... let's put it this way, I'd be shit scared to be faced with trial by jury if that can get you convicted in some people's eyes!

[Ragingrob]

$30 a day?! When I did Jury service I got over $200 for 4 days.

[GurlRacer]

I recently had to go to a court case, whereby my best friend was assaulted by a family member on 3 counts and the family member broke protection orders on 3 counts by her, and 2 counts by her mother.

Now, what I find complete and utter bullshit was that, the jury all looked to be stay at home Mom's or retired men. I thought this would work in our advantage... it didn't. The bastard got away with all counts, because he started crying and showed remorse. Didn't matter that evidence was overwhelming, or that she, to this day, is too scared to go anywhere on her own for fear that this person will be around the corner. Didn't matter that the Police arrested this person for obstruction either, for they would not let them into the house to retrieve the girl who had dialled 111. AND she had a doctors report, stating she did have swelling on the head and so on.

BULLSHIT.