78APanel member or juror must not make enquiries about trial matters

78A Panel member or juror must not make enquiries about trial matters (1) A person who is— (a) on a panel for a trial; or (b) a juror in a trial— must not make an enquiry for the purpose of obtaining information about a party to the trial or any matter relevant to the trial, except in the proper exercise of his or her functions as a juror. 1. 120 penalty units. (2) This section applies from the time a person is selected or allocated as part of a panel for a trial until— (a) the person is excused from jury service on the trial; or (b) the person returns to the jury pool; or (c) if the person is empanelled as a juror, the juror, or the jury of which the juror is a member, is discharged by the trial judge. (3) Nothing in this section prevents a juror from— (a) making an enquiry of the court or another member of the jury, in the proper exercise of his or her functions as a juror; or (b) making an enquiry authorised by the trial judge. (4) Anything done by a juror in contravention of a direction given to the jury by the trial judge is not a proper exercise by the juror of his or her functions as a juror. (5) In this section, ***making an enquiry*** includes— (a) consulting with another person; (b) conducting any research by any means; **Example** Using the Internet to search an electronic database for information. (c) viewing or inspecting a place or object that is relevant to the trial; (d) conducting an experiment; (e) requesting another person to make an enquiry. S. 78B inserted by No. 38/2008 s. 7, amended by No. 6/2018 s. 68(Sch. 2 item 74.9).