Belly, if you want to live in a free society like ours, you can't exercise the 'cop-out' when your contribution is needed. If everyone came up with an excuse to avoid jury duty, what would happen? The paladins at the top of the legal system would jump at the chance to abolish jury duty and run the show by themselves. Kangaroo courts. As you seem to see yourself as a supporter of freedom, how would you like that?

As for if we were invaded, would you avoid conscription?

SURE-FIRE METHOD OF AVOIDING JURY SERVICE:

http://bushlawyer.blogspot.com/2006/12/application-for-excusal-from-jury.html

If the State decides that too many people are avoiding jury service by this method, it will have three options, which I list in my order of preference:

(1) Address the injustices cited as grounds for objection;

(2) Accept the services of jurors who are willing, when justice demands it, to acquit in the teeth of both the law and the facts;

(3) Pay jurors at a decent rate, so that there is no longer any need for compulsion, or at least so that there is less motivation to avoid service.

My motivation is to force the State to do at least one of the above. But I accept that fact that, if I am to achieve my goal, I will need help from many people whose motivation is simply to avoid jury service.

Of all the posts yours DEMOS surprised me the most, your dislike of me and my views colored it, do you truly think like that?
On investigating did you know a crime or even prison sentence served more than 5 years ago is not reason for disqualification?
The sheriff told me, no do not jump to conclusions you would be wrong.
And in asking in real life what others thought these two answers came.
Mate I got him off! at the start of negotiations 5 wanted him off 7 wanted him found guilty!
I swung it around , only one for guilty so we got discharged! oh yes he was guilty but bugger the police!
Second said just say not guilty and stick to it mate!
What pay is the judge on? the lawyers? court officials?
Is it not true we are being had with this doing your duty rubbish?
Why not fair wages?
And last as a union official I am an industrial advocate too can be called on any time so I do not do it exemption is given every time.
Question remains do you think the system is the best we can do?
Does it always work?
Anyone you know who should not be sitting in judgment?
I have a list.

I served on a jury a few years ago and would like to serve again as I found it very interesting. However I was disillusioned by the system as in Queensland (unlike NSW) a unanimous decision is required, so you only need one dissenter for the culprit to walk free. The particular trial I was involved in was a pedophilia and rape case. It was obvious to 10 members of our jury that the defendant was guilty, but we had one elderly female who could not believe that a man might be interested in little boys AND little girls and we could not persuade her otherwise. As a result several of the charges were dismissed. It was very traumatic for the children who gave graphic evidence, but our juror considered they were making it all up in spite of relating things that 6 year old kids would never have been able to describe if they had not experienced it.

Yes, I would like to see the jury system maintained but some thought should be give to picking the jury and also adopting the NSW system

Belly said~ "Anyone you know who should not be sitting in judgment?
I have a list."

Lol. You're sitting in judgement of them.

Your argument is nonsensical Belly. Your point on the pay side of it is valid however.

Belly, I object to conscription and Jury Duty is conscription but at the same time it's the best way I know of to minimise the risks of institutional corruption and to give us a fighting chance of judgments not being formulated by people with an ax to grind.

You might ask yourself what type of people would take on Jury work full time.

I've done it once, received the advance notice once but not been called and had to be excused once (I was due to be out of the country for part of the period). I mostly enjoyed it but did not like how clearly jurors are treated as second class. Back then the officials seem to go to pains to ensure we knew that there was a pecking order and that we were on the bottom.

I'm fortunate enough to have an employer who pays me my normal pay if on Jury Duty so the finances were not a problem.

If you get the chance do it, if for no other reason than to ensure that you have that exposure to our legal system.

R0bert