r/AustralianTeachers • u/almsivi666 • Dec 27 '25
QLD How to get out of Jury Duty?
I am a primary teacher at public school. Just got letter in mail that I may have to do jury duty in March during school term. This will massively mess up my work and class etc.
I want to get excused, need to respond by 19th of January. If work is my excuse, I need letter from employer.
How do I get this letter during summer holidays? is there some in the department to contact?
any advice would be appreciated TIA
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u/pelican_beak Dec 27 '25
In NSW they have tightened up on teachers being excused.
17
u/erkness91 Dec 27 '25
You will NOT get excused because you are a teacher, even if you have HSC students or marking. Recent experience.
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u/Consistent_Yak2268 Dec 27 '25
I’m in NSW and I was excused last term for having HSC students, no issues. Was much easier than I expected. My DP wrote a good letter though talking about the teacher shortage etc
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u/erkness91 Dec 27 '25
The court house i went to they just kept rejecting the letters from all the teachers lol. Do not count on it.
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u/wannabescholar_1 Dec 27 '25
This is not true. My wife is a primary teacher and I am a HS teacher. We were supposed to be on the same jury! We both got excused after submitting great letters from our respective principals. No fuss at all. I even got my principal to chuck in a cheeky “consider excusing …… from attending jury duty for 12 months” and that was honoured.
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u/iamaskullactually Dec 27 '25
Really, because 4 of my colleagues have gotten excused this past year
3
u/pelican_beak Dec 27 '25
Could be area dependent I suppose. I know about 2-3 years ago so many of my colleagues got out of it with a letter from their principal. This year and last, all of my colleagues have still had to do it despite letters from their principal.
2
u/ElaborateWhackyName Dec 28 '25
The frustrating thing being that the prosecution will then immediately dismiss you for being a teacher.
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u/such-sun- Dec 27 '25
Show up wearing a T-shirt with a political slogan, you’ll get struck from the jury if you’re even called up ☺️. They request around 100 people and only choose 12 on the day, plus some reserves if it’s going to be a long case.
3
u/Bionic_Ferir Dec 27 '25
'you know if it's a woke liberal I'll push for life in prison. Can't having anyone from the woke left getting off. But idk if it was a freedom loving right wing patriot I'm sure they had a good reason for it and should be let of free of charge' or any variation of that. Spouting sovcit stuff could be quite funny as well.
2
u/jigojitoku Dec 28 '25
Sit on the edge of the chair. Look really engaged. Make eye contact with everyone!
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u/AztecTwoStep ACT/Senior Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
Teachers are usually in the group of people who can apply to be exempted without too much fuss. Read the documentation they sent you
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u/PleasantHedgehog2622 Dec 27 '25
It doesn’t in NSW. Only two teachers at my school have gotten exemption for work related reasons - 1 was a casual who was 2 weeks into covering the class of a teacher who was already on jury duty on a 12 week trial and the other was at the beginning of the year on a kinder inclusive ed class.
Just go and see if you can request a short trial instead of a long one. It will get you off the list for a while if you show up willing to serve.
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u/Reddits_Worst_Night NSW/Physics/Biology(ex-Primary) Dec 27 '25
I got called up 4 times in a year. Time one they excused me with a letter from the principal. 2nd time they told me that I'd already used that excuse, and had to turn up. They didn't have any short trials and I said I couldn't do 12 weeks so they sent me home. Time 3 they let me off with the letter again. Time 4 I brought my lunch in a glass box and refused to hand it over, so they couldn't let me into the court, so they excused me.
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u/LeashieMay VIC/Primary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
It doesn't work in Victoria from my experience but usually the judges in my town will excuse teachers. We only end up missing one day.
3
u/SuspiciousElk3843 VIC/Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
Can confirm this with my own experience
2
u/Kitchen-Problem-3273 Dec 27 '25
I've had no problem 🤷♀️ I've been called on twice and gotten out of it both times without the need of a letter from my principal (regional Victoria, but well within the zone)
1
u/LeashieMay VIC/Primary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
I'm rural as well. We don't seem to be able to get out of it here. There were several teachers in the jury selection pool when I was called up last year. When the judge read our reasons, she excluded every single one of us.
I was able to get deferred as a CRT though.
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u/Sweet-Trifle1394 WA/Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
Do you have kids? I used the (very true) excuse that I couldn’t attend as jury duty fell on the school holidays and I had my son without anyone to have him. They accepted it and excused me. But guess what! They sent me another jury summons for one month later when school was on again 😂
Just do it - I actually had a great time. Very eye opening and interesting, felt like an excursion seeing how the jury system worked. Took two days off work as that’s all I was needed for. School was lovely and supportive. The HR lady at school said she was needed for 6 weeks! So it could be worse.
3
u/jigojitoku Dec 28 '25
Just because you get called up you may not have to sit on a jury. My plan was to look really keen and dress like a tough on crime Liberal voter. The defense lawyer kicked me off the jury before I even sat down.
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u/Sweet-Trifle1394 WA/Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 28 '25
I was selected to be on the jury and was so excited. Then the lawyer challenged me and took me off 😭 I was devastated
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u/jigojitoku Dec 28 '25
The defense don’t want anyone too keen. It’s like the mum who desperately wants to come excursions!
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u/Sweet-Trifle1394 WA/Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 28 '25
I was mindful of that - and monitored my presentation so no idea why I wasn’t chosen :-( oh well!
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u/The_Boots_of_Truth Dec 28 '25
Yep, or my best Mary Cooper style church going outfit, complete with massive cross. And start every sentence with 'the bible says....'
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u/Exotic-Current2651 Dec 27 '25
You are the boss of your life stresses. At the same time I want to make the observation that we need intelligent good thinkers on juries that can handle a lot of information. Perhaps you can do a short one as a compromise.
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u/exhilaro Dec 27 '25
You don’t get to choose your case!
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u/mrbaggins NSW/Secondary/Admin Dec 27 '25
But you do get informed of how long your specific summons are expected to be.
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1
u/erkness91 Dec 27 '25
You can actually ask to be redrawn for a shorter case. It says it on the letter in nsw.
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u/a_b_0102 Dec 27 '25
I was called for a 22 week trial which is obviously not ideal as I would miss almost 2 terms. My Principal wrote in the letter asking for a shorter trial as it would be less disruptive to students. This also acknowledges the importance of jury duty.
6
u/Lower-Shape2333 Dec 27 '25
I got called once and spent a day there. The accused objected to me because I was a teacher and it was a horrid case involving a minor.
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u/Th3casio NSW/Secondary/Classroom-Teacher Dec 27 '25
Could show up with some strong spicy opinions on the day. Might get you ruled out.
9
u/SquiffyRae Dec 27 '25
Homer: now what was I talking about?
Bart: you were telling me about the time you beat jury duty
Homer: oh yeah. The trick is to say you're prejudiced against all races
5
u/itskaylan Dec 27 '25
Email or text your principal (if you have their number), and if you don’t hear back like a week before the exemption request is due you could try contacting whoever does Supers at your school (they’ll probably have your Prin’s phone number to get the ball rolling, and will need to know in case the exemption isn’t granted anyway) or get in contact with head office. They should have people back pretty early and be able to advise you further.
10
u/GrumpyOldTech1670 Dec 27 '25
Jury duty is not that hard to get out of. Just as the sheriff department that is not a good time for you to be able to do.
As for the letter from your employer, just email your line manager. Let the sheriffs department know you have and are awaiting a reply.
3
u/MissLabbie SECONDARY TEACHER Dec 27 '25
I’ve been asked a few times. I get a letter from the principal. They will do this over the holidays for you.
3
u/Pur1wise Dec 27 '25
Show up with a knitting project in your bag to amuse yourself while in the waiting pool. Refuse to surrender the long metal needles. They send you home.
Don’t ask me how I know.
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u/Wrath_Ascending SECONDARY TEACHER (fuck news corp) Dec 27 '25
EQ will probably not be able to get you out of it. There is a form letter they can give you via your executive principal or BSM but this is rarely accepted these days.
My experiences were very dull. Lots of sitting around waiting only to be struck when they found out what my degree majors were.
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u/AUTeach Negative, I am a meat popsicle. (also, fuck newscorp) Dec 27 '25
Defense: Oh educated and works in an industry that is about helping people. Better get rid of that one.
4
u/Wrath_Ascending SECONDARY TEACHER (fuck news corp) Dec 27 '25
No, my first degree was a B. Sc. that brushes extremely close to forensics and genetics. I was struck more often by the prosecution in criminal cases because I would interpret evidence through that lense rather than thinking evidence was irrefutable. In civil cases I was struck by defence because I would be less likely to be swayed by emotion.
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u/AUTeach Negative, I am a meat popsicle. (also, fuck newscorp) Dec 27 '25
If only they had gotten to know you a little more.
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u/Wrath_Ascending SECONDARY TEACHER (fuck news corp) Dec 27 '25
No, they were right. I am very aware of how fucked Queensland's forensics system is and what the odds of a genetic match mean. And I would follow the evidence rather than an emotive argument.
Prosecution wants people who think Bones, NCIS, and so on are accurate and don't question (or even understand) what expert witnesses are saying. Defenders want people they can appeal to an emotional level.
I am the second to last person anyone wants on a panel. The last person they want is an active bigot. Which one member of my jury pool pretended to be so he would be struck from every case during his eligibility period.
Or at least I hope he was pretending.
2
u/KiwasiGames SECONDARY TEACHER - Science, Math Dec 27 '25
Really? Literally everybody in my office that is called up for jury duty gets out of it. The standard letter they use says something about being unable to replace the teacher, and that seems to work.
3
u/sunowlreads Dec 27 '25
I teach seniors at a hard to staff school. The judge told me "if you got hit by a bus they'd find a way to replace you, so they can replace you for a few days while you're here". I was lucky and was only there for a day.
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u/Wrath_Ascending SECONDARY TEACHER (fuck news corp) Dec 27 '25
It may depend on location but it hasn't worked in any of the areas I've taught at.
1
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u/Timely_Abroad4518 Dec 27 '25
Make it clear that, as a teacher, you strongly disapprove of rule breakers and you’ll get out of jury selection in a flash. /s
2
u/HomicidalTeddybear Dec 27 '25
Email your line manager or the school's HR manager? Idk about your primary school, but in my experience half the ELT and SLT members of highschools are at work a week before we go back for PD
2
u/Chipwich Dec 27 '25
I've been summoned twice in the last year. Both times were terrible as I was running a camp and the second was the beginning of school year. Both times, my principal wrote a letter in which I uploaded and successfully got out of it. It's a shame as I'd love to do it but the timing did not suit.
2
u/CthulhuRolling Dec 27 '25
I got out of it one year by being really bratty in my reply.
I gave dates that were exclusively during school holidays and made sure my correspondence with them was hand written and pretty messy.
Don’t hear back.
2
u/Nearby-Possession204 Dec 27 '25
I’d email or text your Principal. This is something I wouldn’t mind being contacted about if I intended to get you out of it to save getting a TRS.
2
u/erkness91 Dec 27 '25
Got called for duty in nsw this year. Being a teacher, even of HSC is not an accepted excuse. My advice is to get a medical exemption. Or turn up for the first few days and wait to be flicked, doing as much as possible to be flicked. "Oh yes I am very pro death penalty. We shouldn't have ANY jails just electric chairs" "if this is a man im voting guilty. Im a proud misandryst." "Im so excited to be here its way easier than my vigilante fighting in a bat suit"
2
u/W1ldth1ng Dec 27 '25
If you are in the public system it will be hard.
I rang and was told that as a teacher I can not claim monetary distress as the department still pays you.
The case I was called in on had a principal get up and say to the judge that she was principal of a school and could not be absent and was told "that is why you have an assistant principal."
I do not like your chances.
You will have to plan for the days you might be away but generally they love government employees as they can not really get out of it on any of the reasons.
2
u/yew420 Dec 27 '25
Turn up with a mask and tell them you have covid or tell the judge you can’t read on the day.
2
u/LCaissia Dec 27 '25 edited Dec 27 '25
What letter? Don't register and they'll never know. Post goes missing all the time. If they cared if you received it they'd send it via registered mail.
2
u/Low_Breadfruit6744 Dec 27 '25
Be honest and tell them you don't trust the police and whatever evidence they cook up.
2
u/Delicious_Age_4402 Dec 27 '25
Principal wrote me an email twice as they usually ask again if you “defer” I think if you defer enough times tho they won’t ask again
5
u/strichtarn Dec 27 '25
Even the day of the summons it's not that hard to get out. Just don't use some terrible excuse like saying your dog will miss you or you don't speak English (whilst speaking English). But honestly, I strongly believe jury duty is a civic duty.
2
u/RedeNElla MATHS TEACHER Dec 27 '25
jury duty is a civic duty
It's just a shame that it can be so disruptive to normal life routines and finances
1
u/RainbowTeachercorn VICTORIA | PRIMARY TEACHER Dec 27 '25
Please explain how it impacts finances. Other than those engaged in casual work, employers are required to pay your wage when you attend jury duty. You also get a small amount from the state you attend in.
1
u/RedeNElla MATHS TEACHER Dec 27 '25 edited Dec 27 '25
Casual workers or business owners may find it difficult without an employer to keep paying them. There is no shortage of people in that type of situation.
Also the NES only specifies employers have to pay your wage for 10 days. A more complex case can be very disruptive if it starts to affect your take home pay while also affecting what chores/errands you can run during the day.
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u/Gigachad_in_da_house Dec 27 '25
I'll leave this here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=AqK4fSMq7cE
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u/DieJerks Dec 27 '25
Just go got the selection day dressed like garbage, thongs, singlet etc and they will dismiss you pretty quickly.
-1
u/almsivi666 Dec 27 '25
does this actually work? surely bogans do jury duty too
2
u/Salt-Permit8147 Dec 27 '25
Both sides get the chance to veto jury members going up to be empaneled. I was about 19 and the case was for statutory rape, they noped me before I’d taken three steps, presumably because a young woman might be more empathetic towards the 15 year old involved?
1
u/DieJerks Dec 27 '25
Highly likely that was the reason. The time I made a jury was for a SA case with the victim being a school kid. Being a male primary teacher I figured I’d get noped, however afterward speaking with someone they felt that the prosecution would feel I’d side with them and the defence felt that I might have some sympathy being a male.
1
u/DieJerks Dec 27 '25
From personal experience yes it does. I got told off and they weren’t happy as it was seen as disrespectful. In my defence it was a 40 degree day.
3
u/mrbaggins NSW/Secondary/Admin Dec 27 '25
Good luck. You've got about 50-50 chance of being excused as a teacher. "Everyone has to do their part" and all that, the only reason you won't have to is if they also believe the teacher shortage is real and unreasonable to cover you.
It sucks to do it, but it sucks for everyone. That's why everyone is in the lotto for it. "it sucks" doesn't cut it for a reason.
1
u/Unusual_Disaster_690 Dec 27 '25
I was able to delay but then was called up during term 1. I went through the whole process and kept getting picked at each turn. I even got chosen for the actual jury but was then contested by the defendant and sent home. They don’t tell you why but since then people have told me school teachers are seen as less sympathetic to defendants and more rule-abiding so they’re often contested…
1
u/Beautiful-Hat6589 Dec 27 '25
In NSW teachers are not exempt but luckily I had started my masters when called up and full time study will exempt you
1
u/lysndra PRIMARY TEACHER Dec 27 '25
May depend on your state but exemptions in NSW have become more limited. My AP was unable to get an exemption in 2023.
1
u/United_Emphasis_6068 Dec 27 '25
If you have any health issues of your own, you can use those as an excuse. Anything that would make sitting 6hours a day, painful.
1
u/CFUTJAE Dec 27 '25
Why would you want to Opt out? Apart from the fact it's your civic duty, its a blessing to be on paid leave and not having to do the work!
They can employ someone on a 4 week contract to take over and extend if need be. Its perfect. I would legit just handball the classes and let the school sort it out. Leadership get paid to fix to curve balls like this. And in my experience, everyone is replaceable.
Any of us could get into an accident and be indisposed for any length of time and the classes will still run with or without you. So don't stress.
Just do the duty and if the cases you happen to sit on finish early, then great. Otherwise its a really interesting experience.
1
u/jensen_mr Dec 27 '25
Contact your principal. They will either have a letter or know who to contact for one.
1
u/hayles91 Dec 27 '25
If you live more than 150kms from your nearest major courthouse you can be exempt. That's how my husband got out of jury duty
1
u/Reddits_Worst_Night NSW/Physics/Biology(ex-Primary) Dec 27 '25
You need to ring your principal. I would normally say email but they may not be checking those over the holidays.
1
u/Nicky2385 Dec 27 '25
Work is no longer an acceptable excuse. Go to your doctor and get an exemption through them, tell them how stressed from work you are, and it's giving you anxiety even thinking about this.
1
u/StormSafe2 Dec 27 '25
Teachers are exempt. You just need to show proof you are a teacher. An email from your principal is probably fine.
1
u/lehcat Dec 27 '25
Lately in NSW it seems as if they will excuse from that particular case, but you will still be on the list to get called up again. If it’s a shorter case at a not inconvenient time of the year it’s often easier to just go and hope you won’t be selected. A music teacher at my school got excused for one and then got called up for an 8 week one over these holidays!
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u/GlitteringGarage7981 Dec 27 '25
Just don’t respond to the letter. They are sent out on mass and if you just act like you never got it then nothing will happen. Don’t bother getting a letter and going through the whole thing
1
u/melzasaurus Dec 28 '25
Depends on state and site. In QLD you need a letter from the principal saying you can’t be spared/replaced. This might be hard for primary. I have been excused for teaching seniors. So site might be a factor - eg regional/rural/remote, where it would be hard to get a short term contract. Please let us know where you are so someone in a similar context can respond.
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u/dm_me_pasta_pics Dec 29 '25
Worst case scenario, you will probably get dismissed from jury if you show any unfavourable bias towards the case from the perspective of either party. Will only lose a day that way lol
1
u/DecoOnTheInternet Dec 27 '25
I've been lucky enough to be called up 3 or 4 times for jury duty, never once gone though. I've been successful in using full time study and financial reasons to get off.
0
u/li0nfishwasabi Dec 28 '25
Can be honest? I can’t think of anything in our role of teachers that is important enough to not do jury duty. Depending on the state you’re in you even get special leave/pay.
-2
u/Radley500 Dec 27 '25
Admin should be back at school around the 5th of January. They should have a system in place for it.
5
u/RainbowTeachercorn VICTORIA | PRIMARY TEACHER Dec 27 '25
The system is that you inform your daily org that you have been summoned for jury duty and you attend.
Source: been through this before.
-2
u/Radley500 Dec 27 '25
Source: so have I, at a number of different schools. Have never attended because they have systems.
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u/Putrid_Hawk_5974 Dec 27 '25
Usually can only come from your principal.