VPRS 5290 Registers Of Common Jurors

This series was created to identify men eligible to serve as common jurors at the Nhill Courts. Generally speaking, 12 common jurors were required for trials of criminal indictable offences in the Supreme Court and Court of General Sessions and 6 special jurors were required for civil trials in the Supreme or County Court. Under provisions established in a number of Juries Acts until the end of August 1957, men could be chosen to serve as special or common jurors provided a number of criteria were met, the key ones being a age greater than 21 years and the value of property owned. There were also a number of criteria that resulted in a man being disqualified from eligibility. The same acts specified in great detail, the steps that resulted in the section of a pool of eligible men as potential jurors. Essentially this task was undertaken by the Sheriff of the Court Bailiwick after receiving the list of eligible voters for the year. The pool ultimately chosen for each Court District was to be entered into either a Common Juror's Book or a Special Jurors Book. Each book was to be considered active and the individuals liable for service until such time as it was superseded by a new book. For each juror the following information was recorded; number, name, residence, title/calling/business, and the distance from the courthouse if greater than 5 miles. Later books excluded the latter entry. The distinction between special and common jurors ended when a new Juries Act (No. 5995) commenced operation on 1 September 1957. Women could also be called as of that date.