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JURY DIRECTIONS AND OTHER ACTS AMENDMENT ACT 2017 (NO. 37 OF 2017) - SECT 12

New section 223A inserted

After section 223 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 insert

        " 223A     General jury guide

    (1)     For the purpose of helping the jury to perform its functions and understand the trial process, the trial judge may order, at any time during the trial, that copies of a general jury guide are to be given to the jury in any form that the trial judge considers appropriate.

    (2)     Despite subsection (1), if regulations referred to in subsection (5) are made, the trial judge must order, at the prescribed time (if any) during the trial, that copies of a general jury guide that complies with those regulations be given to the jury.

    (3)     A general jury guide may contain any of the following—

        (a)     general information about the process of criminal trials, including information about—

              (i)     the roles of the jury, the judge and the parties; and

              (ii)     the usual order of events in a trial;

        (b)     general information about legal concepts that are relevant to criminal trials, including information about—

              (i)     the presumption of innocence; and

              (ii)     the requirement of proof beyond reasonable doubt;

        (c)     general information about jury deliberations and processes, including information about—

              (i)     what to do if a juror has a question; and

              (ii)     appointing a foreperson; and

              (iii)     ways in which the jury may wish to organise itself, discuss the evidence and the law, and vote;

        (d)     any other general information.

    (4)     A general jury guide may include pictures and diagrams.

    (5)     The regulations may prescribe—

        (a)     matters that are to be addressed in, or the form and content of, a general jury guide that must be given to the jury; and

        (b)     the time at which that general jury guide must be given to the jury.".



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