Jury duty: defer?

Minier81

Hi all. Does anybody know if you can defer jury duty by a week or two? Have just been called and have no problem doing my civic duty, but it is a very busy week in work, and the following two weeks would be much better.

hullaballoo

The way it works is that the Courts sit at specific times for trials that require juries. The dates are not moveable because the legal diary is very full. It is certainly not possible to stop the whole process because one of the potential jurors is having a busy few days at the office.

Unless you are on the list of excluded or excusable persons, you have to attend or you will receive a fine.

Cody Pomeray

Registrars tend to be accommodating of genuine cases.

No formal deferral system, yet. Was recommended by the LRC and would be a good idea.

Minier81

Thanks for that. I would qualify under one of the exclusions given my duties for that week then, so I guess I'll have to go that route. Seems like a pity since I'd be happy to do it with more notice.

Minier81

Thanks Cody Pomeray, will try contacting them to see, as I would prefer to defer rather than get out of it.

Leo Demidov

hullaballoo wrote: »

The way it works is that the Courts sit at specific times for trials that require juries. The dates are not moveable because the legal diary is very full. It is certainly not possible to stop the whole process because one of the potential jurors is having a busy few days at the office.

Condescending much? OP was quite clear about their situation, trying to do right by their employer in tandem with their civic duty.

hullaballoo

wexfjord wrote: »

Condescending much? OP was quite clear about their situation, trying to do right by their employer in tandem with their civic duty.

http://www.boards.ie/search/submit/?subforums=1&forum=633&query=jury+duty

Everyone claims to have a "good reason" to want to get out of jury duty. I find the prevailing attitude towards jury duty disrespectful to the justice system. I toned down my comments in my above reply but I stand over my flippancy as a means to subtly communicate my views.

Cody Pomeray

200 results in the history of boards?

If you stop 200 random people in a car park comig out of Tesco or Superquinn, the chances are a good few of them are going to have *something* of personal importance in the coming week.

I'm sure if users were to look into their own calendars they'd find some event in the coming weeks which would make jury service really really bad timing. Many of these people would be more than happy to defer to another time in the near future. They should have that option IMO, as they do in many other countries.

Carawaystick

hullaballoo wrote: »

I find the prevailing attitude towards jury duty disrespectful to the justice system.

Are you a lawyer? Always seems strange how people who never have to do jury duty harp on about citizen's duty to do it.

Pro Hoc Vice

hullaballoo wrote: »

The way it works is that the Courts sit at specific times for trials that require juries. The dates are not moveable because the legal diary is very full. It is certainly not possible to stop the whole process because one of the potential jurors is having a busy few days at the office.

Unless you are on the list of excluded or excusable persons, you have to attend or you will receive a fine.

Dublin has jury trials sitting every week of term, so if deferral an option then no problem. Jury trials on Circuit usually (unless special criminal court) have sessions that last a number of weeks, example say in Cork criminal sessions last 4 weeks, there will be 4 jury panels one for each week, so again no issue if deferrals possible. But as has been said not possible so then two options 1ring court and explain problem more than likely will be excused 2 don't turn up and be fined.

Pro Hoc Vice

Carawaystick wrote: »

Are you a lawyer? Always seems strange how people who never have to do jury duty harp on about citizen's duty to do it.

Maybe it is because lawyers understand what a mess it would be if nobody turned up for jury service.

hullaballoo

Carawaystick wrote: »

Are you a lawyer? Always seems strange how people who never have to do jury duty harp on about citizen's duty to do it.

Yes, but I also did jury duty when I was a student and was selected for 2 trials on that occasion.

And it is a citizen's duty to do it. If it wasn't, no one would do it because it's not exactly pleasant.

bazza1

I turned up for jury duty at the end of July. One jury picked on Monday morning, Judge comes on TV screen and says no further jurys needed for the rest of the week and we were all free to go! Seemed like a bit of bad planning or maybe close to court holidays and they wont start new cases?

Carawaystick

hullaballoo wrote: »

And it is a citizen's duty to do it. If it wasn't, no one would do it because it's not exactly pleasant.

It is only certain citizen's duty, some seem to be more equal than others.

kippy

Carawaystick wrote: »

It is only certain citizen's duty, some seem to be more equal than others.

If you're not on the electoral register you will never be called, as far as I know.

Not sure about the meaning of your statement otherwise tbh.....

Leo Demidov

I for one am more equal than others, but certainly a lesser equal than some.