Jury Service in Victoria - Parliament of Victoria

LAW REFORM COMMITTEE

Jury Service in Victoria

FINAL REPORT Volume 1

DECEMBER 1996

PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA LAW REFORM COMMITTEE

Jury Service in Victoria

FINAL REPORT VOLUME 1

Ordered to be Printed

N? 24 Session 1996

Melbourne

Government Printer December 1997

MEMBERSHIP

LAW REFORM COMMITTEE

Mr Victor Perton, MP, Chairman Mr Neil Cole, MP, Deputy Chair Mr Florian Andrighetto, MP Hon Carlo Furletti, MLC Hon Monica Gould, MLC Mr Peter Loney, MP Mr Noel Maughan, MP Mr Alister Paterson, MP Mr John Thwaites, MP

STAFF

EXECUTIVE OFFICER and DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

Mr Douglas Trapnell

RESEARCH OFFICER

Ms Rebecca Waechter

OFFICE MANAGER

Mrs Rhonda MacMahon (until 18 October 1996) Ms Rosemary Campbell (acting)

The committee's address is -- Telephone inquiries --

Level 8, 35 Spring Street MELBOURNE VICTORIA 3000

(03) 9651 3644

Facsimile --

(03) 9651 3674

Email --

lawrefvc@.au

Internet--



CONTENTS

Membership........................... iii

Functions of the Committee...........................................................................................................ix Terms of Reference .......................................................................................................................xi Chairman's Foreword .................................................................................................................. xiii List of Recommendations .............................................................................................................xv

1

INTRODUCTION

Scope of the Inquiry.......................................................................................................... 1

Background to the Inquiry................................................................................................. 3

Meaning of Representativeness ....................................................................................... 7

Committee's Approach to its Inquiry................................................................................. 8

Qualification Criteria and the Categories of Exclusion from Jury Service ................... 8

Jury District Formation...................................................................................................... 9

Conditions of Jury Service................................................................................................ 9

Community Education .................................................................................................... 10

Other Recommendations................................................................................................ 11

2

GENERAL PRINCIPALS

Historical Origin of Trial by Jury in Victoria..................................................................... 13

Meaning of `Peers' and `Community' .............................................................................. 16

Importance of Jury Trial within the Civil and Criminal Justice System ........................... 17

Representativeness and the Jury System...................................................................... 19

Random Selection as a Means of Achieving a Representative Jury.............................. 20

Powers of Courts Regarding the Representativeness of Juries..................................... 22

Striking a balance between Obtaining an Impartial Jury and Promoting Representativeness........................................................................................................ 24

3

QUALIFICATION AND THE CATEGORIES OF EXCLUSION

Basic Qualifications for Jury Service .............................................................................. 27

Categories of Disqualification ......................................................................................... 31

Preliminary Observations ............................................................................................... 31 Disqualification by Reason of Bankruptcy ...................................................................... 32 Disqualification by Reason of Criminal Conduct ............................................................ 33 Lifetime Disqualification.................................................................................................. 34 Five Year Disqualification ............................................................................................... 37 Persons Subject to Certain Court Orders....................................................................... 38 New Categories of Disqualification................................................................................. 40 Categories of Ineligibility and Excusal as of Right.......................................................... 44 Categories of Ineligible Persons..................................................................................... 48 Persons Ineligible by Reason of Current or Former Occupation.................................... 49 Persons Ineligible by Reason of Perceived Practical Difficulties in their Serving .......... 66 Categories of Entitlement to be Excused as a Right ...................................................... 68 Redefining the Categories of Excusal as of Right .......................................................... 69 Obsolete Categories....................................................................................................... 73 Occupational Categories ................................................................................................ 74 Categories of Excusal of Right Based on Grounds of Personal Hardship ..................... 78 Certificates of Exemption................................................................................................ 83 Entitlement to be Excused for Good Reason ................................................................. 85 Civil Juries ...................................................................................................................... 90 Commonwealth Exemptions........................................................................................... 91

4

JURY DISTRICTS, JURY LISTS AND THE PRESELECTION OF JURORS

Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 93

Jury District Formation.................................................................................................... 93

Defining Jury Districts..................................................................................................... 97

Changes to Jury District ................................................................................................. 98

Overlapping Jury Districts .............................................................................................. 99

Jury List Compilation .................................................................................................... 100

Improvements to the Process of Jury List Compilation ................................................ 103

Preselection of Jurors................................................................................................... 105

Improving the Process of Preselection......................................................................... 106

Enforcement of Fines for Failure to Return Questionnaires......................................... 107

Quantum of Fines ......................................................................................................... 107

Method of Enforcement of Fines .................................................................................. 108

5

JURY PANEL PREPARATION AND SUMMONING JURORS

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