thadocta

....not sure if this is the best place to ask, but here is as good as anywhere until tomorrow morning.

Have a trip to AKL planned for later this month, over five days. Has been booked and paid for now for the last three months. Nothing special, just a holiday. Appropriate travel insurance has been bought and paid for.

Only thing is, I received a love letter from the NSW Sheriff about three months before I booked it advising me I was on the jury roll for the next three years. Still, this is no reason to not book overseas trips, since some people on the jury roll never get called up.

Except today I received another love letter from the NSW Sheriff, in the form of a jury summons, timed appropriately enough for the day before I am due to leave. And "travel plans" is not one of the grounds for exclusion.

Not that I want to be excluded. I know the old saying, "You do not want a trial by jury because juries are made up of people too stupid to get out of jury duty", but I have done it before, and I want to do it again.

My thoughts are that cancelling the tip won't be covered by the insurance, since I received the initial notification that I was on the jury roll BEFORE I booked the trip.

Have been through the policy wording, and can't seem to find anything on it.

Thoughts?

Dave

abcedaria

I could be unbelievably wrong, however I did once have the wonders of travel insurance explained to me. I was informed that when it comes to the insurance company being liable to pay out, the policy was explicit in what it would pay for. Anything not listed in the policy wording is thus not their problem.

Perhaps I was being warned off ever bothering trying to use my insurance...but it sounds pretty realistic.

kpc

Because of my profession, I can usually get an exemption from jury duty...I'm sure you will ring up tomorrow and ask the travel insurance company if you are covered in this instance...

Otherwise, you can ask whether you can be exempted because you will be overseas at the time or use one of the reasons mentioned in this link...

I see somthing about a firefighter

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/ots.nsf/pages/jury12

thadocta

Except I actually want to do the jury duty, and am more looking for ways to get the travel insurance to kick in rather than a way of getting out of sitting in a courtroom for a week.

Doesn't apply. This link includes the following (my emphasis) "A person employed or engaged (except on a casual or voluntary basis) in the provision of fire, ambulance, rescue, or other emergency services, whether or not in the public sector."

Dave

Globaliser

Can you ask for a deferral? In the UK, courts have been told to be sympathetic and flexible when people are scheduled to be away, so long as they only want a deferral and not to be excused jury duty altogether.

NM

And I am assuming a Tennis Umpire is not one of the professions able to decline the invitation .

However, looking at the standard QBE travel Insurance policy details, under the section on cancellation payments, they specifically include jury duty as:
So it looks like if yoiu have a QBE policy you will be covered.

bravoecho

I had a friend in August who was summonsed two weeks before a 2 month RTW trip.

There was a number on the notice and she called and explained the situation and they were happy with it.

Thadocta, I know you are not trying to get out of it, I thought I would just highlight that the courts (well, QLD anyway) are lenient with the travelling public.

QF ExLurker

This could not be a reason for exclusion; there are millions of people on the jury roll; are they all expected never to buy a ticket to anywhere just in case they are called up?

QF WP

Dave, why don't you tell me who is your insurer and I'll ask the experts in my employ or even the insurer themselves (without naming names, of course )

OTOH, so long as the jury service doesn't conflict with the SYD QP Xmas Drinks, then everything should be rosy. But if it does, I can just see thadocta

Itsalongwaydown

If the insurance won't pay then try ringing the courthouse number and "politely" explaining the situation. This normally works as all that you are asking for is an exclusion for for the 5 day period. The courthouse staff will be used to people with MAJOR sob stories so this will literally be a no brainer for them.

og

Just notify the Sheriff's Officer that you had a trip booked & paid before receiving the notice of jury duty. Supply proof and you most likely will get a deferrment notice saying something like "we'll allow it for this time but don't ask again" (or whatever). Make sure you say you're happy to do it some other time.

thadocta

Ok, made some phone calls today. Long and short of it is that they won't pay, since it would be ridiculously easy to get out of the summons.

Only thing is, I actually WANT to do the jury service - this would be my third time on a jury, the last two being District Court, this one being Supreme Court (so potentially juicier).

The only way that they will pay is if I can get a letter from the Sheriff saying my request to be excused has been refused - and that won't happen.

Dave

Kiwi Flyer

This goes against my grain usually, but have you considered going to the media? Great human interest story - good citizen wants to do jury duty but evil insurer wont refund travel.

QF ExLurker

Better be a bit careful with volunteering too eagerly, or they will put you on a special list to serve on the trials which take six months.

Dave Noble

Long trials are cool. I had an excellent 3 months on jury service when I did it

Dave