Comments | splanky: New Jury Duty Laws

splanky

New Jury Duty Laws

Jul 26, 2011 12:46

I got a summons to jury duty yesterday. There seem to have been some recent laws passed to make it harder to get out of. Fine, I'm all for fair trials and the process of law working well and all that. What happens is you now get once chance to defer your jury duty for up to six months. I'm going to use that, as the date of my duty happens to fall ( Read more... )

Comments 5

joyeuce July 26 2011, 09:41:00 UTC

That's *very* stupid. Here, you can be reimbursed for any childcare costs over what you would normally have to pay. (Though I don't know whether "needing more time to make childcare arrangements" is seen as a valid reason to defer.) I don't know whether it's worth making the comparison with other countries (or states, if it's state law), but there's the information if it's any use. Good luck!

emma_in_oz July 28 2011, 05:42:30 UTC

It's ridiculous that child care arrangements (and other caring arrangements) aren't covered.

grouchiegrrl July 29 2011, 08:09:27 UTC

I think that is only at the first instance. Once you get into a court, you can apply to the judge to be excused. But come to think of it, I think you have to keep turning up for that week (but a court week is never all five days, most likely only three ( ... )

redbraids July 29 2011, 11:53:33 UTC

They do need to considerchildcare for all of the reasons you said.That is very stressful.

I widner if being a carer count?I am worried that I might get called up for jury duty. Mikey did last year, and I sent in medical documents. For me and my job, time off only means I have to make e work up on the weekend or fit it into the next week on top of other activities, so there is no way I could do jury duty and do my carer role, plus make up the work. Hopefully I won't get called up.

I do believe in the importance of jury duty in a democracy. It is just that with so many eligible people dodging it some cases, like those mentioned here, can slip through the cracks and cause genuine difficulties.

kremmen July 29 2011, 17:06:17 UTC

Typical problem. WA's system was so generous that almost anyone could get out of jury duty, so tons of people abused it, so the government over-reacted and made things hard for everyone.