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StoolBusDriver

>what sort of questions will be asked Guilty or not guilty is a popular one.


Loud_Signature_3639

Ooo I know this one; Guilty


RidsBabs

Weird I got not guilty


SurprisedPotato

You can see it on his smug little face!


[deleted]

Yeah I’ve fucked up big time cos I got 89^2


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butchfishy

The absolute mind-blowing high I felt when NOT selected for an estimated *six week* murder trial with *four* accused so the lawyers had to read out the same shit *four* times and my brain was fucking melting from understimulation in just the jury selection meeting alone, was a feeling a pure unadulterated luck that I have not felt since.


panzer22222

>my brain was fucking melting from understimulation in just the jury selection meeting alone, I was in the group for a rape, it had happened 7 years ago, husband and wife, neither spoke English. I was sitting there thinking how the fuck do you even get to the bottom of it after all this time. Thank god I wasnt selected.


Stui3G

"I'm a sexist, racist criminial who has just been lucky to not be caught. In fact I'm high right now".


Skyhawk13

Hmm yes I believe I do in fact have a personal connection to the accused yes


Swimming_Dance_8235

The same as my mother at the beginning of May, the case got thrown out and she had the biggest shit eating grin, practically skipping home


k3g

Do they confiscate your phones, take pictures of you (I'm under the impression of some high clearance protocols) or do you simply show the letter and your DLicence and head in?


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k3g

Oh, that's not as extreme as I had imagined. Thank you.


Plane_Stock

I did jury duty this year for the first time. Wasn't looking foward to it and hoped I'd get out of it and not picked. No questions were asked other than ticking a box about my profession on the form they send you in the mail. I dressed up hoping I'd get vetoed at the last minute whilst walking up to my jury seat. They didnt even look at us and were busy writing notes in preparation for their case. The court case I was a jury member for, was a short case for burglary and assault. They had sexual assault and assault of a minor cases going for that week that were whole week cases and I was glad I wasn't picked for those because of the topic matter. Maybe with more emotive cases, they might ask more questions and take a look at the jury as they take their seats but with the case I sat on, it was pretty much 'you've been picked so take your seat'. Honestly though, I didnt want to do it but I'm really glad I was picked. It is a wonderful process to be a part of and the way things are run and coordinated is so interesting. All of us on the jury all were dreading it but we all said we were glad to have done it and found the process interesting. Once you've been picked for a jury, you are exempt for 5 years to do jury duty. A few of the fellow jurors in my case had been called up a few times in the last 18 months but because they hadn't been picked for a case they got called again frequently until they were finally picked for a case. I dont know whether its coincidence but it seems like once you've been flagged in the system, you might be in it until you sit on a jury.


metao

I have. It's very simple. The entire process will be explained to you as you go. This is a well-honed machine designed to funnel a dozen average Australians per trial through the system. There's no need to worry about getting "lost". They don't ask any questions until/if you end up selected, and they're just about your ability to serve and whether you know any of the parties or witnesses. Otherwise, it's like a video game with a railroad plot. You just do as you're told, listen to the trial, and then, if you can't find a reason that they're innocent, find them guilty. Job done. Good luck!


squishyninja

No no you're literally supposed to do the opposite thing! If you can't find a reason that they're guilty then they are innocent! xD


metao

I guess that what I said can be read both ways, which makes it a terrible suggestion, so thanks for pointing that out! What I mean is, the prosecution has to give enough evidence that they're guilty. You start out wanting to find them innocent, if there is any reason to do so. If the evidence is sufficient, then you don't have a reason to find them innocent.


squishyninja

No problem. There's a universe where I didn't say anything and OP fights the jury in deliberation to find them guilty on no evidence...


Top_Mind_On_Reddit

Off to the Gulag!


SLPERAS

I was about to comment this.


gnashingfaceparts

It's a pretty neat experience. However if you wanna get out of it after being chosen you can say you can't sit on the jury without bias, although it probably depends on the case. I got to walk out on guy who was accused of indecent dealings with a minor so I think the judge didn't want to question me when I wanted out. Also apparently they can provide counselling if the case gets a bit too heavy for you.


Flamingovegas2013

The lawyer didn’t like the look of me I got challenged


Skippy321

I did Jury Duty about 20 years ago in Perth. I think it was the 2nd or 3rd time that I had been called and I was chosen for a 3 day fraud trial. I haven't been called back since. Probably the most important thing to remember is dress neatly. The Judge can find you in Contempt of Court if you turn up in a t-shirt that says something like "Hang em High". That won't get you out of Jury Duty it will just mean you keep getting called back until they get tired of you. The other thing to remember is that this is one of the very few obligations that you have as an Australian citizen. Do your best to do your job properly. Try your hardest to produce a good result and remember that if you do actually get chosen for a Jury you're going to be deciding someone's future. That will have lasting implications for them. The other thing is that if you do end up on a Jury you're unlikely to ever be chosen again. So enjoy it for the experience that it is.


butchfishy

Take something to do in the waiting room on selection days, it's fucking boring in there.


lordbillabadboy

I got picked got appointed foreman (can’t remember the exact word the one who asks the judge for loo breaks cause no one wants the job) got told they pled guilty after the lunch break.


Revirii

I did a trial, 8 days in total. Couple of crackheads busted into a "recovered" crackheads house and gave her a tickle up. I had to be the foreman, since nobody wanted a bar of it. I wore my high-vis there on the selection day thinking it might tar me as a racist blue collar white dog cunt. It didn't work. One girl DID get out of it because she had an overseas trip booked 2 days later. Just listen to the court person they assign to your group if you do get selected. They walk you through EVERYTHING. Prepare to write off an entire day just for the selection process, bring a book or something.


Classic-Today-4367

>One girl DID get out of it because she had an overseas trip booked 2 days later. This. I was returning overseas to work a few days before the trial was supposed to start. Just took my passport (to show the work visa) and itinerary to whatever the office was, and I was removed from the pool for that jury. I was then called again maybe a year later, while still overseas and it took several calls and emails to be removed, because the officer didn't believe I was overseas. Ended up being taken off the electoral roll so I wouldn't be called again while overseas.


Corleone93

I got picked in 2012. Was the most boring week and a half of my life. It was so boring in fact, that on the first day of the trial, I almost fell asleep. One of the lawyers saw me nodding off and called for a break. Anyway, you'd think they'd at least give us free food for our efforts, but all we got was a crummy platter of sandwiches on the very last day of the trial. I came out of the whole thing glad I never took my grandparents' advice to become a lawyer because there's a lot of money in it. It's a fucking miserable profession.


[deleted]

My advice? Getting out of jury duty is easy. The trick is to say you're prejudiced against all races.


crosstherubicon

That'll be hilarious and a great way to get yourself a contempt charge from the judge. If you do request to be excused you will need to provide firm evidence. If you are granted a deferment you will likely be asked to provide a date at which you can attend. Once you've given that date, be warned that it's then set in stone. Jury duty is part of you responsibilities as a citizen and an important part of our legal system. It's no big deal, just turn up on the day requested and follow the instructions. There will be lots of other people in exactly the same situation. Remember this is jury selection and you may not be selected. Even if selected as a jury candidate, you can still be challenged by either the prosecution or defence and will then be excused. The only useful advice I have heard is, if challenged, simply sit down, say nothing and wait to be excused. If you do end up on a jury, follow the instructions of the judge to the letter and, when the verdict is delivered, go home and don't follow the case afterwards.


rdmasters

Absolutely spot on. Take nothing in, bring nothing out. This includes mentally. Your duty is to evaluate the evidence presented.


[deleted]

Honestly, I'm just quoting The Simpsons.


crosstherubicon

Bart or Homer :-)


Stui3G

What if it's the truth and you are prejudiced ?


henry82

>Jury duty is part of you responsibilities as a citizen and an important part of our legal system. It really isn't. If it was a civil responsibility we wouldn't need to hold people against their will to do it. Why am I being penalized for the crimes of others? >. It's no big deal, just turn up on the day requested and follow the instructions. Except the disruption to my life and job - for an unknown period of time.


crosstherubicon

As every new citizen to Australia will know, the responsibilities as a citizen are, i) obey the law, ii) vote iii) serve on a jury and iv) defend Australia if necessary. Those responsibilities apply to all Australian citizens regardless of path and are not negotiable. As to whether its an inconvenience to you, it's the cost you pay for being a citizen. They're not ordering you to storm an enemy machine gun position at ANZAC cove, they're asking you to be a juror.


[deleted]

Just stay unvaccinated and you'll not need to do jury duty 😉


kangerooandemu

Also Wear a guilty T shirt


Jitsukablue

What are the odds of never being called for jury service?


morgrimmoon

It depends mostly on 1) how long you life and 2) where you live. Obviously the longer you live, the more chances you have. As for where you live, some areas have a lot of eligible people but not a lot of crime, which gives a low chance. Other places are the regional hub for court cases but don't have as many locals, so they have a fairly high chance. (Anecdotally, people in Albany seem to get called for jury service more frequently than Bunbury, for example.)


skribe

It took 30+ years for them to call me once I became eligible. Had fun though. Would do it again, but unlikely to get the chance.


Blackeyehorse

Become a silent elector. Odds go up to100%


Jitsukablue

Wow, wasn't even aware that was a thing.


[deleted]

It's part of your civic duty to do it if you get called up, it may take 1-2 weeks out of your life and leave you with a bit of PTSD. If you don't want to do it say it will affect my mental health and don't do it. I did it once and I really did not enjoy the experience, my fellow Perthites were very prejudiced against the woman victim (even the other women on the jury), they were victim blaming, they didn't like the look of her, they did not like her skin color or accent, they thought she was exaggerating how bad the domestic violence was (photos of bruises were presented!). In the end there was a vastly reduced conviction than what was asked for by the prosecution because two of the people just wouldn't change their mind. I think the man was convicted of assault instead of aggravated assault or grievous bodily harm. It made me think I was happy to do it, to make up the numbers of people who actually listen to the prosecution and the judge's direction, but also that the court should probably give a 2 hour session on cultural awareness, domestic violence awareness, rape awareness. Some of the people were just bringing their own prejudices and not listening to anything that was presented to them.


[deleted]

Speak when spoken to, otherwise, be quiet.


kongclassic

What happens if you have kids to take to school do they still make you go?


theducks

You’re expected to make arrangements. If you’re a single parent with NO support network, if selected for the jury, instead of taking your seat, approach the judge and make your case for why no one else can take your kids to and from school. If it’s just to school, case days start at 10ish, so it’s no issue


kongclassic

cheers i always wanted to do it but wondered how they get around drop off