Citizens of Fremantle and Rockingham have a greater chance of being called for jury duty next year as a result of construction work at Perth’s Supreme Court.
The work will cut the court’s capacity to hold defendants and, as a result, Fremantle and Rockingham courts will be required for some Supreme Court criminal trials.
As a result, the jury selection districts will also alter to incorporate jurors from those areas.
From January to June of next year, a temporary custodial centre will be constructed at the Supreme Court, rendering only one court suitable for criminal trials.
The Sheriff’s office has the responsibility for summoning all juries in criminal trials, and Sheriff Peter Mitchell said the Fremantle and Rockingham Court Houses were equipped with jury facilities, and had been previously used by the Supreme Court on their circuits to the areas.
“The chief justice has endorsed jury districts to change for trials in those areas so that people summoned will not have to travel long distances,” Mr Mitchell said.
“Those courts have both been built in the last thee years and have all the appropriate technologies required for Supreme Court trials.
“The purpose of a jury is to have an accused’s peers sit in determination of a verdict.
“Juries in Fremantle trials will be selected from the Fremantle jury district, which includes the electoral districts of Fremantle, Willagee, Alfred Cove and Cockburn.
“Juries in Rockingham trials will include jurors selected from the electoral districts of Mandurah, Peel and Rockingham.
“The Perth jury district is very large, but in order to save jurors travel time, it has been decided to select jurors from those electoral districts.”
Under the Juries Act, jury rolls are created in March from the electoral role on a random basis. Mr Mitchell said more jurors could be requested from the electoral commission if necessary.
Mr Mitchell said there would be security enhancements for certain trials.
The need for an upgrade of holding facilities at the Supreme Court was highlighted by the escape in June of nine defendants awaiting trial.