Douglas, Isle of Man — A recent survey has revealed significant public backing for proposed changes to jury eligibility on the Isle of Man. The feedback was collected through a consultation on the Jury Act 1980, as a Tynwald select committee advocated for modernizing outdated criteria.
The survey attracted 223 participants, with about 70% favoring a case-by-case exemption system similar to that in England and Wales over the existing blanket exemptions. The Cabinet Office noted that the findings would guide potential revisions to the jury selection process, pending the approval of the Council of Ministers and Tynwald before the end of 2025.
Under current legislation, defendants in higher court criminal cases are entitled to a jury comprised of their peers. The original act, when established, expanded jury service to include women for the first time and raised the age eligibility to 18 years, while setting an upper limit of 65. Certain professions, such as politicians, clergy members, medical professionals, and judiciary personnel, are automatically excused from serving.
Many respondents described the current system as outdated and overly restrictive, which limits the pool of eligible jurors. Interestingly, there was broad support for keeping automatic exemptions for judicial members, with 52% of participants also agreeing that Tynwald members should not be called for jury duty.
Conversely, most participants felt that professions such as clergy, educators, medical practitioners, journalists, and emergency service workers should not be exempt from serving. A Cabinet Office spokesperson indicated that these groups might be removed from the exemption list in future revisions. However, individuals in these professions would still have the opportunity to seek exemptions if their absence from work could lead to significant financial loss or negatively impact essential services.
Close to 80% of survey participants supported eliminating the stipulation that individuals in exempt professions retain that status for ten years post-career. The consultation results also highlighted concerns regarding automatic exemptions for those with mental disorders and disabilities, suggesting that individual assessments may replace such blanket exemptions in line with the spirit of the Equality Act 2017.
Despite acknowledging potential administrative challenges and possible disruptions to essential services from these changes, the report conveyed a prevailing sentiment among respondents that reform is critical to upholding the integrity and impartiality of the jury system on the Isle of Man.
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