When the elders invite someone to a judicial committee does the person under scrutiny have the right to ask beforehand what evidence will be adduced against him and what witnesses will be called? In other words is there pre-trial disclosure within the Watchtower's quasi legal process?
Judicial committee questions
by slimboyfat 20 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
So this isn't covered in the elder's manual.
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Newly Enlightened
We just had a friend of ours go thru this. He wrote a letter asking for the accusation in writing, evidence against him and names of the accusers and gave a copy to each elder. They all destroyed them and he doesn't know what is going on now but one elder told him he has a bad attitude.
Funny thing about all of this, his crime was only having dinner with my husband who is technically still a JW in good standing. By the way, my mom in law has maliciously slandered all of us on hearsay. We know they have NO evidence. But that isn't stopping them.
I did talk to a lawyer regarding this and our civil rights guarantee that we know what we're being accused of and we're entitled to representation, even in a religious setting. Unfortunately most lawyers don't want to get into a religious issue. So technically our civil rights are being violated in this situation.
We wish you the best and hope your JC goes the way you want it to.
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insearchoftruth4
Slim, if you let them they will do what the hell they want.....dog shit on them is on them is what works, and they are afraid of it...... Them sissy B...turds....
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slimboyfat
Blondie? Is this in the elder's manual?
Do you know where I can view the elder's manual online?
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cha ching
Never, ever, ever go to an "judicial committee meeting" or any other "investigative committee".... period.
It's 3 (or you may as well say "the whole world") against you.
They will do what they have decided to do ahead of time to you.
Do not give them the power.
We have personally experienced pre-meditated lying.
You will end up with post traumatic stress.
Skip the bad nightmares that will haunt you for years.
It is just a formality, so that they can say "we tried, they are brazen, we are righteous."
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Ding
It's amazing to me that it's considered a bad attitude to insist on knowing beforehand what you are being accused of and by whom.
In fact, sometimes you aren't even aware that you are being accused of anything until the elders start questioning you.
I wonder how the elders would like to be treated in such a fashion.
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designs
I only let the process go as far as the 'Shepheding call' at my home. The two Elders, friends I thought, tried to set me up so I shut down and refused to answer any questions. They left me a Wt. to read and said a prayer and that was the last time I ever spoke to them.
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blondie
SBF, I would think it would have the general facts but with supplemental BOE letters. The danger in keeping it an "oral" tradition, BOEs will have their version. Elder bodies want to avoid any basis of appeal. Appeals do not retry the sin but the procedure.
An elder has told me that they are are instructed not to put the "sin" they are accused of in writing. Even if they send a letter requesting they meeting with the elders, they do not put in writing what they are accused of (legal reasons). The accused will not know who the "witnesses" are until they walk into the room where the JC is happening. I would wonder how you can provide your own witnesses when that happens...would the JC be suspended until you could bring your own witnesses?
Same elder says though that elders can and will disregard even directions from the WTS on handling JCs then reinvent what they put in their report. The accused is not allowed to take notes but the elders are. No taping is allowed. Three against one.
