Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Juries Act 1981

Jury service

8: Certain persons not to serve

You could also call this:

"Some people cannot do jury service, like judges, politicians, and police officers."

Illustration for Juries Act 1981

You cannot serve on a jury if you are the Governor-General. You also cannot serve if you are a member of the Executive Council of New Zealand or a member of the House of Representatives. Some judges and court staff cannot serve on a jury either. You cannot serve on a jury if you are a lawyer, or if you work for the Police or as a traffic officer. Some public servants, like those who work in the Ministry of Justice or the Department of Corrections, also cannot serve. You cannot serve if you have a contract with a prison or if you are a security officer. People with an intellectual disability cannot serve on a jury. If you are excused from jury service by the Registrar, you also cannot serve, unless the excusal is cancelled. There are other rules that might stop you from serving on a jury, like if you work in a particular role in a court or if you have a certain job in the public service, such as working for the High Court or the District Court, or if you are a party to a prison management contract entered into under section 198(1) of the Corrections Act 2004, or to a security contract entered into under section 166 of the Corrections Act 2004, or if you are a security officer within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Corrections Act 2004.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM44673.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Work and jobs > Worker rights
Previous

7: Disqualification, or

"Who Can't Be on a Jury"

Next

9: Preparation of jury lists, or

"How jury lists are made for court cases"

8Certain persons not to serve

  1. The following persons shall not serve on any jury in any court on any occasion:

  2. the Governor-General:
    1. members of the Executive Council of New Zealand:
      1. members of the House of Representatives:
        1. Judges of the High Court, Associate Judges of the High Court, Judges of the Employment Court, Judges and Commissioners of the Maori Land Court, District Court Judges, and Community Magistrates:
          1. visiting Justices under the Corrections Act 2004, and members of the Parole Board:
            1. Justices who have agreed to make themselves available from time to time to exercise the summary jurisdiction of the District Court:
              1. lawyers within the meaning of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006:
                1. employees of the Police, and traffic officers:
                  1. an employee of the public service who is employed—
                    1. in the Ministry of Justice; or
                      1. in the Department of Corrections; or
                          1. as an officer of the High Court or of the District Court; or
                            1. a party to a prison management contract entered into under section 198(1) of the Corrections Act 2004 or to a security contract entered into under section 166 of the Corrections Act 2004; or
                              1. a security officer within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Corrections Act 2004:
                                1. a person who, under section 15A, is excused by the Registrar from attending as a juror in any court on any occasion (unless the person's permanent excusal is cancelled under section 15A(3)):
                                      1. persons with an intellectual disability.

                                        Compare
                                        • 1908 No 90 s 6(1), (2)
                                        • 1951 No 39 s 2(1)
                                        • 1958 No 109 s 66(4)
                                        • 1963 No 141 s 4(1)–(8)
                                        • 1964 No 135 s 2(2)(c), (d)
                                        • 1968 No 87 s 2(1)
                                        • 1973 No 19 s 234(2)(d)
                                        • 1974 No 133 s 50(2)
                                        • 1976 No 48 s 2(1)–(3)
                                        Notes
                                        • Section 8(aa): inserted, on , by section 6(1) of the Juries Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 40).
                                        • Section 8(c): amended, on , by section 6(1) of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
                                        • Section 8(c): amended, on , by section 7 of the District Courts Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 76).
                                        • Section 8(d): amended, on , by section 206 of the Corrections Act 2004 (2004 No 50).
                                        • Section 8(d): amended, on , by section 150(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1985 (1985 No 120).
                                        • Section 8(e): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
                                        • Section 8(f): replaced, on , by section 348 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (2006 No 1).
                                        • Section 8(g): amended, on , by section 130(1) of the Policing Act 2008 (2008 No 72).
                                        • Section 8(h): replaced, on , by section 6(2) of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
                                        • Section 8(h): amended, on , by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).
                                        • Section 8(h)(iii): repealed, on , by section 12(2) of the State Sector Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 41).
                                        • Section 8(h)(iv): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
                                        • Section 8(haa): repealed, on , by section 144 of the Legal Services Act 2011 (2011 No 4).
                                        • Section 8(ha): inserted, on , by section 6(2) of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
                                        • Section 8(ha): amended, on , by section 8(2) of the Corrections (Contract Management of Prisons) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 59).
                                        • Section 8(ha): amended, on , by section 206 of the Corrections Act 2004 (2004 No 50).
                                        • Section 8(hb): inserted, on , by section 6(2) of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
                                        • Section 8(hb): amended, on , by section 206 of the Corrections Act 2004 (2004 No 50).
                                        • Section 8(hc): inserted, on , by section 6 of the Juries (Jury Service and Protection of Particulars of Jury List Information) Amendment Act 2012 (2012 No 75).
                                        • Section 8(i): repealed, on , by section 5(4) of the Disability (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Act 2008 (2008 No 64).
                                        • Section 8(j): repealed, on , by section 6(3) of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
                                        • Section 8(k): inserted, on , by section 51 of the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003 (2003 No 115).