Juries Act 1981

Challenges

25: Challenges for cause

You could also call this:

"Challenging a juror who may not be fair or able to do their job"

Illustration for Juries Act 1981

You can challenge a juror for a reason. This is called a challenge for cause. You can do this if you think a juror is not impartial or cannot do their job properly because of a disability. You can challenge a juror for these reasons, in addition to the reasons stated in sections 23 and 24. You cannot challenge a juror for any other reason, except as provided in section 23. The Judge will decide if a challenge for cause is allowed. They will make this decision in private, using the evidence they think is relevant. The Judge has the power to decide how to consider a challenge for cause and what evidence to use. They will look at the challenge and make a decision based on the information they have.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM44827.

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24: Challenges without cause, or

"Challenging Jurors Without a Reason"


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26: Time for challenging, or

"Challenging a Juror Before They Sit Down"

25Challenges for cause

  1. In addition to the right to challenge under sections 23 and 24, each party to the proceedings is entitled to any number of challenges for cause on the ground that—

  2. a juror is not indifferent between the parties; or
    1. a juror is not capable of acting effectively as a juror in the proceedings because of disability.
      1. Except as provided in section 23, no other ground of challenge for cause shall be allowed.

      2. The Judge shall determine every challenge for cause, in private, in such manner and on such evidence as he thinks fit.

      Compare
      Notes
      • Section 25(1): replaced, on , by section 13 of the Juries Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 2).
      • Section 25(1)(b): amended, on , by section 5(9) of the Disability (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Act 2008 (2008 No 64).
      • Section 25(3): amended, on , by section 3 of the Juries Amendment Act 1985 (1985 No 181).