Calls for jury duty reform as ‘only 20’ fined for no-shows

THERE are records of only 20 people slapped with fines for failing to show up for jury duty in the last three years, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.

In all, the figures available show, 377,433 people were summoned nationwide for jury service between 2016 and 2018.

Of these, 25,649 failed to show up without an excuse.

However, there were only 20 recorded impositions of fines for such no-shows.

Reacting to the astonishing figures, Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan has demanded reform in this area. The ‘It’s unfair’: TD Jim O’Callaghan Dublin Bay South TD told the Mail that failure to pursue those who ignore jury summonses ‘undermines the justice system’.

‘If citizens don’t attend when summoned for jury service then our justice system is damaged. Courts are sympathetic to people who simply can’t undertake jury service, but they can only be excused provided that they have obeyed the summons by attending court and explaining their excuse to that court,’ he said.

Mr O’Callaghan said that failure to obey a jury summons is a serious matter and should ‘result in the automatic imposition of a fine that should be sought and paid’.

He added: ‘The failure to pursue those who ignore jury summonses undermines the justice system and is unfair to those who obey jury summonses.’

Court Service figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show almost 123,000 people were called for jury service last year. More than 14,000 of those didn’t appear without an excuse. The fine for non-attendance without a reasonable excuse is €500.

Limerick has one of the highest no-show rates in the country, but many courts outside of Dublin do not fine those who fail to appear.

Solicitors, gardaí, judges, court officials, members of the defence forces and the President are ineligible for jury service. In addition practising doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, vets and chemists are excluded. A further third are excused by the judge or the country registrar for legitimate excuses such as illness or connections to a defendant or witness in a trial.

A Department of Justice spokesman told the Mail that a working group is currently examining issues raised by the Law Reform Commission in 2013.

‘Some of the concerns being examined include how representative juries are of their communities; the wide group of people who can currently be excused as of right from jury service; juries serving in lengthy or complex criminal trials; the reasonable accommodation of persons with disabilities to serve as jurors; the implications of online activity and wireless technology for the work and conduct of juries; and issues of remuneration arising from jury service,’ said the spokesman.

A Juries Service Bill, based on the Law Reform Commission report, is expected to be completed later in 2019. Comment – Page 12 sean.dunne@dailymail.ie

‘Issues of remuneration’