[Tomsk]

Sorry, couldn't decide which section this belonged in, so I hope this is OK?
Anyway, I've not yet been in NZ for 6 months......and I've already been called for Jury Service, which has come as a bit of a shock to say the least. I've managed to reach my mid 40s without ever needing to it since until very recently nurses were exempt in the UK, and they never managed to catch up with me after the rule changes. I've got ages before I've got to do it, called for the first week of March, but I'm feeling a bit anxious, not convinced that I'm familiar enough with the laws of the land and all that, not enough of a NZer yet. But I don't see any exemptions that could be made to apply to me unfortunately, so I guess I've got to do it. Has any one else been called up for jury service as a new-ish immigrant? Do I have anything to worry about. They're going to pay me $31 per half day plus travel expenses, but I earn more at work. Will my employers pay me anything, or do I have to accept that I'm on a reduced income that week? Thank goodness it should only be one week or else that drop in income could really hurt.

[IanW99]

Sorry, couldn't decide which section this belonged in, so I hope this is OK?
Anyway, I've not yet been in NZ for 6 months......and I've already been called for Jury Service, which has come as a bit of a shock to say the least. I've managed to reach my mid 40s without ever needing to it since until very recently nurses were exempt in the UK, and they never managed to catch up with me after the rule changes. I've got ages before I've got to do it, called for the first week of March, but I'm feeling a bit anxious, not convinced that I'm familiar enough with the laws of the land and all that, not enough of a NZer yet. But I don't see any exemptions that could be made to apply to me unfortunately, so I guess I've got to do it. Has any one else been called up for jury service as a new-ish immigrant? Do I have anything to worry about. They're going to pay me $31 per half day plus travel expenses, but I earn more at work. Will my employers pay me anything, or do I have to accept that I'm on a reduced income that week? Thank goodness it should only be one week or else that drop in income could really hurt.

My OH was also called up for jury service (and is also a nurse).

IIRC, she had to pay the $31 per half day to the DHB and they paid her wages as normal, so worth checking with your employers what the rules are?

Ian

[mylesdw]

You don't need to know anything about the law; you're a juror not a lawyer. The judge will explain points of law to you very clearly. All you have to do is be a "reasonable person".

Incidentally on the allowance side, my contract specifically states that any payments that I get as a juror are subtracted from my wages; so don't assume you're going to make a profit!

[Parsley]

You don't need to know anything about the law; you're a juror not a lawyer. The judge will explain points of law to you very clearly. All you have to do is be a "reasonable person".


What he said! Honestly, don't worry about it - even if you were in the UK, the chances are that half the jury would express the same concerns, but, odd as it sounds, your knowledge of the law is irrelevant. It sounds like you're possibly going to have an interesting experience anyway (or you'll be bored to tears!)

P:)