The band quickly made their mark on the local scene, playing their first major gig on June 15, 2002, alongside Bonus Donor, a band from Onslow College with whom they shared a playful rivalry. In July 2002, Hung Jury self-released their debut five-song EP, Spazms & Felafel Kebabs, recorded at Zeal. That October, they performed at Nevermind the Punkfest, with their set recorded and released on CD. In December 2002, they played a chaotic show at Underground Arts on Wigan Street with Dunedin’s Ritalin and local acts like The Deadline, Dirk Drent, and Bonus Donor, which ended with police in riot gear clearing the street and multiple arrests.

In 2003, Hung Jury’s song “Falsified” appeared on the Underground Resistance compilation by Punkas.com, part of a four-song recording session for an EP that wasn’t released until 2013 as Bonus Donor, Fuck You. That same year, their track “Catholic Manipulation” was featured on the Stop The Bypass compilation. The Bonus Donor, Fuck You EP, intended as a split with the Carnys, faced delays when the recordings were lost after the producer left the country. The drums and vocals were recorded at Zeal, with guitars tracked at Dan’s house by Tim Shann, funded by Bonus Donor members Dan and Ollie.

Between 2003 and 2004, Nick and Kathi also played in the Wellington punk band If I Had A Gun alongside Blair Jones, Adam Cohn and Gwylim. In 2005, Hung Jury’s song “Off Daze” was included on Auckland’s Puppy Killer Records’ Pick Of The Litter 2 compilation. That August, they supported Australian band Dropped At Birth at Valve Bar alongside Missing Teeth. In 2006, the band performed at Sharkfest and Punkfest but went on hiatus after a November show at The Adelaide tavern in Newtown.

Hung Jury briefly reunited in January 2008 for the Toots and Grooves ska fest in Horowhenua, playing alongside Skaface Claw, The Offbeats, Blistering Tongues, and Roofdog. After the band’s dissolution, drummer Nick Oakes continued his career in Wellington’s punk and metal scenes, drumming in bands like Numbskull, Stalker, Coexister, and Entrails. Hung Jury left a lasting impression on New Zealand’s early 2000s punk and ska scene with their raw energy and unapologetic social commentary.