“Department means the department of State that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act

“Minister means the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of a warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act”.

• “(3) Every jury district comprises every place that is within—

  • “(a) 45 km by the most practicable route from the courthouse in the Court town in which jury trials may be held; and

  • “(b) if the jury district is a District Court jury district, any boundary of the district that is declared by the Governor-General by a notice under subsection (4).”

• “(b) no place included in a District Court jury district for a Court town is more than 45 km by the most practicable route from the courthouse in that town.”

• “(3) No person is required to attend for jury service at the new venue if that venue is outside the jury district and is more than 45 km by the most practicable route from that person's place of residence.”

• “(aa) the Governor-General:”.

• “(haa) employees of the Legal Services Agency continued by section 91 of the Legal Services Act 2000 (but nothing in this paragraph applies to members of—

  • “(i) the Board of that Agency; or

  • “(ii) the Review Panel established under section 62 of that Act; or

  • “(iii) the Public Advisory Committee established under Part 7 of that Act):”.

• “(da) an applicant for deferral of jury service, under section 14B, whose application has been accepted but who has not yet been issued with a replacement summons under section 14C(1)(d); or”.

• “(1) The Registrar must comply with a request to make a copy of a panel available for inspection by or on behalf of an eligible person if the request is made—

  • “(a) by or on behalf of that eligible person; and

  • “(b) at a time not earlier than 7 days before the commencement of the week for which the jurors on the panel are summoned to attend for jury service.

• “(1A) In subsection (1), eligible person means—

  • “(a) a barrister or solicitor acting for a party to proceedings that are due to be heard during the week for which the jurors on the panel are summoned to attend for jury service; or

  • “(b) a person who is a party to proceedings that are due to be heard during that week and who is not represented by a barrister or solicitor; or

  • “(c) the Crown or other prosecutor in criminal proceedings that are due to be heard during that week; or

  • “(d) a member of the police.”

“14A Restrictions on use of jury panel

• “(1) The purpose of this section is to help to prevent names or other information disclosed in a copy of the panel from being used to facilitate actions (for example, actions prejudicing a juror's safety or security) to interfere with the performance of a juror's duties.

  “(2) A barrister or solicitor to whom a copy of the panel is made available under section 14(1) because the barrister or solicitor is acting for a party to criminal proceedings, and any person acting on behalf of that barrister or solicitor,—

  • “(a) may show the copy (the document) to a defendant in proceedings that are due to be heard during the week for which the jurors on the panel are summoned to attend for jury service; but

  • “(b) must not leave the document in the defendant's possession; and

  • “(ba) must not leave the document in the possession of any witness for either party; and

  • “(bc) must not leave the document in the possession of any victim (within the meaning of section 4 of the Victims' Rights Act 2002); and

  • “(c) must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the defendant, any witness, or any victim, as the case requires, does not copy the document.

  “(3) A barrister or solicitor to whom a copy of the panel is made available under section 14(1) because the barrister or solicitor is acting for a party to civil proceedings, and any person acting on behalf of that barrister or solicitor,—

  • “(a) may show the copy or any copies of it (the document) to a party in proceedings that are due to be heard during the week for which the jurors on the panel are summoned to attend for jury service; but

  • “(b) must not leave the document in the party's possession; and

  • “(c) must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the party does not copy the document.

  “(4) Every person who, in connection with proceedings that are due to be heard during the week for which the jurors on the panel are summoned to attend for jury service, receives, or makes a copy or copies of, a copy of the panel must return the copy or copies to the Registrar or a member of the Court registry staff as soon as practicable after the case is opened or the accused is given in charge.

  “(5) However, subsection (4) does not apply to—

  • “(a) the Registrar or a member of the Court registry staff; and

  • “(b) any other person if the Court or a Judge, in the Court's or Judge's discretion and on a written application for the purpose, orders that the other person need not return the copy or copies.

  “(6) A breach of subsection (2), (3), or (4) may be dealt with as contempt of Court.”

“14B Deferral of jury service

• “(1) The Registrar may permit a person summoned to attend as a juror on an occasion to defer that person's attendance to a time that—

  • “(a) is within 12 months after the date on which the person is required to attend under the summons; and

  • “(b) is specified by the Registrar; and

  • “(c) the person has indicated would be more convenient.

  “(2) However, the Registrar may exercise that power—

  • “(a) only in respect of a summons that is not a replacement summons under section 14C(1)(d); and

  • “(b) only once for each summons of that kind; and

  • “(c) only if satisfied, on a written application for the purpose made by or on behalf of that person, that, because of 1 or more matters specified in subsection (3), attendance on that occasion would cause or result in undue hardship or serious inconvenience to that person, any other person, or the general public.

  “(3) The matters referred to in subsection (2)(c) (and in section 15(1A)(a) and (c)) are—

  • “(a) the nature of that person's occupation or business, or of any special and pressing commitment arising in the course of that person's occupation or business:

  • “(b) that person's physical disability:

  • “(c) that person's state of health, or family commitments, or other personal circumstances.

“14C Further provisions relating to deferral of jury service

• “(1) On or after accepting an application under section 14B, the Registrar must—

  • “(a) record in some manner the exercise of the power of deferral in respect of the summons concerned; and

  • “(b) delete the person's details from the panel that was—

    • “(i) compiled under section 13(1); and

    • “(ii) the basis of the issue of that summons; and

  • “(c) ensure the person's details are included, in accordance with the jury rules, in a later panel compiled under section 13(1); and

  • “(d) issue under section 13(1), and on the basis of the later panel compiled under that section, a replacement summons that states the time specified under section 14B(1)(b).

  “(2) If the Registrar declines an application under section 14B, the applicant may, in accordance with the jury rules, appeal against that decision to the Court before which the applicant is summoned to appear.

  “(3) The acceptance of an application under section 14B in respect of a summons does not prevent an application under section 15 or 16 in respect of a replacement summons under subsection (1)(d) of this section.

  “(4) The Registrar may, if the Registrar thinks fit, treat an application under section 14B as if it were an application for excusal under section 15(1) and, if the Registrar does so, the application must be determined accordingly.”

• “(3A) Subsection (3) does not apply to a person who is summoned for jury service if—

  • “(a) the Registrar has, under section 14B, permitted the person to defer that person's jury service (in which case the person is liable to serve until the end of the week for which the person is summoned under the replacement summons issued under section 14C(1)(d)); or

  • “(b) the Registrar has, under section 15, excused the person from jury service; or

  • “(c) a Judge has, under section 16, excused the person from jury service; or

  • “(d) a Judge has, under section 16AA, discharged the summons of the person.”

• “(d) prescribing the method or methods by which any of the following applications can be made:

  • “(i) an application under section 14B for deferral of jury service:

  • “(ii) an application under section 15 or 16 to be excused from jury service:”.

• “(1) The Registrar may excuse a person summoned to attend as a juror on an occasion from attending on that occasion.

• “(1A) However, the Registrar may exercise that power only if satisfied, on a written application for the purpose made by or on behalf of that person, that,—

  • “(a) because of 1 or more matters specified in section 14B(3), attendance on that occasion would cause or result in undue hardship or serious inconvenience to that person, any other person, or the general public; and

  • “(b) in the circumstances, a deferral of jury service under section 14B is not reasonably practicable; and

  • “(c) because of 1 or more matters specified in section 14B(3), that person would not, if required to attend as a juror on that occasion, be able to perform a juror's duties satisfactorily.

• “(1B) The Registrar may, if the Registrar thinks fit, treat an application under this section as if it were an application for deferral under section 14B and, if the Registrar does so, the application must be determined accordingly.”

• “(2) Despite subsection (1) the Court may direct that the jury choose a foreperson at a time different from that specified in subsection (1).”

“22 Discharge of juror or jury

• “(1) When this subsection applies, the Court, having regard to the interests of justice, may either—

  • “(a) discharge the jury without the jury giving a verdict (whether unanimous or majority); or

  • “(b) discharge the juror or jurors concerned from the panel and jury and proceed with the remaining jurors and take their verdict (whether unanimous or majority).

  “(2) Subsection (1) applies if, and only if, before or after the jury is constituted but before the jury's verdict is taken, the Court considers that—

  • “(a) a juror is incapable of performing, or continuing to perform, the juror's duty as a juror in the case; or

  • “(b) a juror is disqualified; or

  • “(c) a juror's spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner, member of the juror's family, or member of the family of the juror's spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner, is ill or has died; or

  • “(d) a juror is personally concerned in the facts of the case; or

  • “(e) a juror is closely connected with a party or witness or prospective witness.

  “(3) The Court may also discharge the jury without it giving a verdict (whether unanimous or majority) if—

  • “(a) a casualty or emergency makes it, in the Court's opinion, highly expedient for the ends of justice to do so; or

  • “(b) the jury has remained in deliberation for at least 4 hours and the jurors do not agree on the verdict (whether unanimous or majority) to be given, and the Court thinks the period for which the jury has remained in deliberation is reasonable.

  “(4) Nothing in this section affects any rules of Court that—

  • “(a) permit a jury for a civil case to be discharged without giving a verdict if all parties consent; or

  • “(b) apply when a Judge sitting with a jury on the trial of any civil case becomes incapable of acting.

  “(5) In this section and sections 22A and 22B, Court includes, without limitation, a Judge of the Court.

“22A Consequences of discharge under section 22

• “(1) If a juror is discharged under section 22(1)(b),—

  • “(a) the discharge of the juror does not affect the juror's liability to serve on any other jury:

  • “(b) the Court may, if the discharge occurs before the case is opened or the accused is given in charge, require a further juror to be selected from the panel and sworn under sections 18 and 20:

  • “(c) the choice of a foreperson is not affected (even if 1 or more replacement jurors are selected and sworn under paragraph (b)) if that choice has already been made and the juror who was chosen as foreperson is not the juror discharged:

  • “(d) if the juror has, by the time he or she is discharged, been chosen as foreperson, another foreperson must be chosen under section 21 from among the other jurors (including any 1 or more replacement jurors selected and sworn under paragraph (b)).

  “(2) Despite section 22(1)(b), the Court may proceed with fewer than 11 jurors only if—

  • “(a) all parties consent and the Court, having regard to the interests of justice, considers that the Court should proceed in accordance with that consent; or

  • “(b) the Court considers that, because of exceptional circumstances relating to the trial (for example, the length or expected length of the trial), and having regard to the interests of justice, the Court should proceed with fewer than 11 jurors; and in that case the Court may proceed with 10 jurors but no fewer, even though all parties do not consent.

  “(3) If the Court proceeds with fewer than 12 jurors, their verdict (whether unanimous or majority) has, despite section 17, the same effect as a verdict of 12 jurors.

  “(4) On discharging the jury under section 22(1)(a) or (3), the Court must either—

  • “(a) direct that a new jury be empanelled during the sitting of the Court; or

  • “(b) postpone the trial on any terms justice requires.

“22B Further provisions about discharge under section 22

• “(1) The Court may discharge the jury or a juror or jurors under section 22(1) or (3)—

  • “(a) on an application for the purpose; or

  • “(b) on its own initiative.

  “(2) A defendant is entitled to appear and be heard on an application under section 22.

  “(3) In considering whether to discharge the jury or a juror or jurors under section 22(1) or (3), the Court may conduct a hearing, and consider any evidence (other than evidence of the jury's deliberations) it thinks fit.

“22C Procedure if Judge sitting with jury on trial of criminal case becomes incapable of acting

• “(1) If a Judge sitting with a jury on the trial of any criminal case becomes incapable of acting before the jury has retired to consider its verdict,—

  • “(a) another Judge or the Registrar must discharge the jury; and

  • “(b) on or after the discharge of the jury, another Judge may order a new trial.

  “(2) If the Judge sitting with a jury on the trial of a criminal case becomes incapable of acting after the jury has retired to consider its verdict and before judgment has been given, another Judge—

  • “(a) may give any further directions required by the jury; and

  • “(b) may take the verdict and give judgment on it or may discharge the jury without verdict; and

  • “(c) may generally do all things in the same way as the Judge formerly presiding at the trial might have done had that Judge not become incapable of acting.”

“374 Discharge of juror or jury

• Nothing in this Act affects the powers of a Court or Judge or Registrar to discharge a juror or jury for a criminal case under section 22 or 22C of the Juries Act 1981.”

“54B Discharge of juror or jury

• Nothing in this Act affects the powers of a Court or Judge to discharge a juror or jury for a civil case under section 22 of the Juries Act 1981.”

“24 Challenges without cause

• “(1) In every case to be tried before a jury, each of the parties is entitled to challenge without cause 4 jurors only.

  “(2) However, if 2 or more accused persons in a criminal case are indicted together, the Crown or other prosecutor is entitled to challenge without cause 8 jurors only.

  “(3) If a juror is discharged and is to be replaced with another under section 22A(1)(b), each party is entitled in the selection of the new juror to exercise the number of challenges without cause that the party has not already exercised.

  “Compare: 1908 No 90 ss 121–123, 125”.

“Sequestration, separation, retirement, and non-communication

“29A Routine sequestration on deliberation abolished

• “(1) If, at the end of a day of deliberation, a jury that has been directed to consider its verdict has reached no verdict,—

  • “(a) the jury is not required to be sequestered; and

  • “(b) the jurors are with the leave of the Court permitted to separate until the time when the Court requires the jury's deliberation to resume.

  “(2) If the Court or a Judge considers that it is required in the interests of justice, the Court or Judge may order that the jury be sequestered until it reaches a verdict or until an earlier time or event specified in the Court's or Judge's order.

  “(3) An order under subsection (2) overrides subsection (1), and may be made on—

  • “(a) a written or oral application for the purpose; or

  • “(b) the Court's or Judge's own initiative.

  “(4) Every rule of common law that requires a jury to be sequestered, or under which jurors who separate without leave of the Court are guilty of misconduct, is abolished.

“29B Retirement and non-communication

• “(1) If the jury retires to consider its verdict, the jurors must be kept under the charge of 1 or more members of the Court registry staff in some private place provided with sufficient heating and lighting, and allowed to have reasonable refreshment.

  “(2) However, for the purpose of having refreshment the jurors may with the Court's consent be taken under the charge of 1 or more members of the Court registry staff to a place of public refreshment instead of remaining in a private place.

  “(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to any period during which the jurors are permitted to separate under section 29A.

  “(4) After retiring to consider their verdict and until returning a verdict or being discharged, the jurors must not discuss the case except in the course of their deliberations.

  “(5) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section does not affect the validity of the proceedings.

  “(6) However, if a failure of that kind is discovered before the verdict of the jury is returned, the Court may, if it considers that the failure makes it highly expedient for the ends of justice to do so,—

  • “(a) discharge the jury and direct a new jury to be sworn or empanelled during the sitting of the Court; or

  • “(b) postpone the trial on any terms justice requires.

  “(7) In this section, member of the Court registry staff includes the Registrar.

  “Compare: 1961 No 43 s 370”.

“Majority verdicts

“29C Criminal cases

• “(1) In this section, majority verdict means, in relation to a jury that, at the time of its verdict, consists of a certain number of jurors, a verdict agreed to by all except 1 of them.

  “(2) The Court may accept a majority verdict in a criminal case if—

  • “(a) the jury, having retired to consider its verdict, has deliberated for at least 4 hours; and

  • “(b) the jurors have not reached a unanimous verdict; and

  • “(c) the foreperson of the jury has stated in open Court—

    • “(i) that there is no probability of the jury reaching a unanimous verdict; and

    • “(ii) that the jury has reached a majority verdict; and

  • “(d) the Court considers that the jury has had a period of time for deliberation that the Court thinks reasonable, having regard to the nature and complexity of the trial.

  “(3) If the case involves 2 or more charges, or 2 or more persons charged, the Court may accept a majority verdict in relation to 1 or some of the charges or persons charged, in which case nothing in this section applies to the other charges or the other persons charged.

  “(4) Nothing in this section—

  • “(a) prevents the Court from taking a poll of the jury; or

  • “(b) affects section 339 of the Crimes Act 1961 (which relates to criminal cases where part of the charge is proved).

  “(5) If, in terms of section 339 of the Crimes Act 1961, the crime charged, as described in the enactment creating the crime or as charged in the count, includes the commission of any other crime, the Court may accept a majority verdict on the crime charged instead of a unanimous verdict on the included crime.

“29D Civil cases

• “(1) In this section, majority verdict means, in relation to a jury that, at the time of its verdict, consists of a certain number of jurors, a verdict agreed to by at least three-fourths of them.

  “(2) The Court may accept a majority verdict in a civil case if—

  • “(a) the jury, having retired to consider its verdict, has deliberated for at least 4 hours; and

  • “(b) the jurors have not reached a unanimous verdict; and

  • “(c) the foreperson of the jury has stated in open Court—

    • “(i) that there is no probability of the jury reaching a unanimous verdict; and

    • “(ii) that the jury has reached a majority verdict; and

  • “(d) the Court considers that the jury has had a period of time for deliberation that the Court thinks reasonable, having regard to the nature and complexity of the trial.

  “(3) Nothing in this section—

  • “(a) prevents the Court from taking a poll of the jury; or

  • “(b) affects any practice in civil cases by which a Court may, with the consent of all parties, accept a verdict that is not a unanimous verdict.

  “Compare: 1908 No 89 s 54A”.

• “(2) The jury rules prescribing those fees and expenses may authorise the chief executive, if satisfied in a particular case that it is desirable to do so, to increase a sum otherwise payable under those rules.”

“32 Failure to attend

• “(1) The Court may, after complying with subsection (2), fine a person a sum, not exceeding $1,000, the Court thinks fit if that person is summoned to attend and serve as a juror before the Court but—

  • “(a) fails without reasonable excuse to attend for service as required by the summons; or

  • “(b) wilfully refuses or neglects to serve when called upon.

  “(2) Before imposing a fine on a person under subsection (1), the Court must first inform that person of the default and afford that person a reasonable chance to explain it.

  “(3) If a person who is summoned to appear and serve as a juror fails to answer when called, the Court may issue a warrant to secure the attendance of that person before the Court.

  “(4) For the purposes of Part IV of the Summary Proceedings Act 1957 and, if the fine is imposed by the High Court, for the purposes of Part XIII of the Crimes Act 1961, the imposition of a fine under subsection (1) is to be treated as a sentence; and those Parts of those Acts apply as if the person on whom the fine has been imposed had been convicted on an information and sentenced.

  “Compare: 1908 No 90 ss 162, 163; 1925 No 19 s 3; 1960 No 115 s 4; 1963 No 141 s 6(1)

“32A Employees absent on jury service not to be prejudiced

• “(1) An employer commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 if the employer does either of the following actions because an employee of the employer is required to be absent from employment on jury service:

  • “(a) dismisses, or threatens to dismiss, the employee without the consent of the employee:

  • “(b) otherwise prejudices the position of the employee without the consent of the employee.

  “(2) If an employer is alleged to have committed, or is convicted of, an offence against subsection (1) in respect of an action and an employee, then that employee,—

  • “(a) if that action consists of or includes dismissal, may have a personal grievance, for the purposes of section 103(1)(a) of the Employment Relations Act 2000, because of an unjustifiable dismissal, and Part 9 of that Act applies accordingly; and

  • “(b) if that action consists of an action other than dismissal or includes an action in addition to dismissal, may have a personal grievance, for the purposes of section 103(1)(b) of the Employment Relations Act 2000, because of an action described in that paragraph, and Part 9 of that Act applies accordingly.

  “(3) In this section,—

  “employee has the meaning given in section 6 of the Employment Relations Act 2000

  “otherwise prejudicing the position of the employee—

  • “(a) means doing some act (other than dismissing, or threatening to dismiss, the employee) that affects either or both of the following to the employee's disadvantage:

    • “(i) the employee's employment:

    • “(ii) 1 or more conditions of the employee's employment; but

  • “(b) does not include not paying the employee remuneration of any kind for the period the employee is required to be absent from employment on jury service.

  “Compare: 2000 No 7 s 17; Juries Act 2000 (Victoria) s 76

“32B Identity and address of serving or former juror or prospective juror not generally to be disclosed

• “(1) A person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to the penalty stated in subsection (2) if the person wilfully publishes any material, broadcasts any matter, or otherwise discloses any information, that identifies, or that may lead to the identification of, a juror or former juror.

  “(2) The penalty is imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both.

  “(3) In this section,—

  “former juror includes a person who attended for jury service

  “identification of a juror or former juror includes disclosure of his or her address

  “juror includes a person attending for jury service.

  “(4) Subsection (1) does not apply to any of the following:

  • “(a) the identification of a former juror with the former juror's consent:

  • “(b) the identification of a juror or former juror if the identification forms part of the exercise or performance of a power, function, or duty conferred, imposed, or contemplated by this Act, the jury rules, or a rule of law or practice relating to the trial of civil or criminal cases:

  • “(c) the disclosure of information to a court or to an investigative or prosecuting authority if the disclosure is made for the purposes of an investigation or prosecution of a contempt of court or of an offence relating to a juror or jury:

  • “(d) the disclosure of information relating to a proceeding under this section.

  “Compare: Jury Act 1977 (New South Wales) s 68; Juries Act 2000 (Victoria) s 77”.