39Information for jury

39 Information for jury

(1)  The court is to inform the jury, or cause the jury to be informed, of the following:

(a) the type of action or charge involved in the trial;

(b) the name of the accused in a criminal trial or the names of the parties in a civil trial;

(c) the names of the principal witnesses expected to be called in the trial;

(d) the estimated length of the trial;

(e) any other information that the court considers relevant.

(2)  The court is to call on the jurors to seek to be excused from jury service for the trial.

(3)  [Section 39 Subsection (3) substituted by No. 13 of 2012, s. 35, Applied:30 May 2012] The court may excuse a juror from jury service for the trial if –

(a) the court suspects on reasonable grounds that the juror may not be able to consider the case impartially; or

(b) the court is satisfied that the person is unable to perform jury service for any other reason.

(4)  If the court excuses a juror from jury service for the trial, the court may direct that another person be selected and sworn in for that trial.

(5)  Unless the court otherwise orders, a juror excused from jury service under subsection (3)  –

(a) is to return to the panel; and

(b) may be selected on a jury for another trial.