Jury Service pending

57Deluxe

When I was younger (and in boring full time employ I thought being called for Jury Service would be great fun but now it has happened, and I am not in employment (or younger) I am not happy.

Not only will I lose income from my guitar lessons but the reimbursement is derisory - they don't even compensate for your parking!

Where I live is (rural) is no option but to drive the 20 miles to the court each day, but when I contested the issue with the court, they suggested I get a lift from someone or get a train or... walk!

Other experiences??

RaymondLin

A friend of mine got called to a murder case in the Old Bailey, 2 weeks trial, national news.  Pittance reimbursements but it's the price we pay if we want the legal system that we want.

robgilmo

Tell them to piss off.

Keiko

Apparently if you are self employed or run a business you can ring them up and tell them you can't do it. Also if you are a carer. Worth a try.

I had to do it just before xmas. It was only coroners court though not crown court. It only lasted 2 days, but was a load of time wasting nonsense in my opinion.

LionAquaLooper

You can decline it can't you?  
I did jury service years ago and was the most boring thing I'd ever done.  Was in the waiting room most of the time and when I did get called for a case, we were dismissed because one of my fellow jurors knew the defendant.  Sods law.  

RaymondLin

LionAquaLooper said:

You can decline it can't you?  
I did jury service years ago and was the most boring thing I'd ever done.  Was in the waiting room most of the time and when I did get called for a case, we were dismissed because one of my fellow jurors knew the defendant.  Sods law.  

I think you can defer twice, but then have to do it on the 3rd time asking....i think.

CHRISB50

robgilmo said:

Tell them to piss off.

It doesn't work like that. It's not that easy to get out of.

I've done it twice now. 

Once as a 20 something. No cases, sent home after a week and a bit.

2nd time was a couple of years ago.

I was the foreman on a jury. I found it a very interesting experience.

They paid everything. And encouraged us to claim as much as possible.

I got fuel costs and parking costs all covered. And food.

Sounds like they are being pretty stingy with you.

robgilmo

CHRISB50 said:

robgilmo said:

Tell them to piss off.

It doesn't work like that. It's not that easy to get out of.

I've done it twice now. 

Once as a 20 something. No cases, sent home after a week and a bit.

2nd time was a couple of years ago.

I was the foreman on a jury. I found it a very interesting experience.

They paid everything. And encouraged us to claim as much as possible.

I got fuel costs and parking costs all covered. And food.

Sounds like they are being pretty stingy with you.

My mum was called a few weeks back, she is an OAP with a heart condition, I believe she told them to piss off. 

barnstorm

There is a lot of hanging around, even when you're not waiting to be allocated to a case. Sometimes we were being sent out every few minutes while the barristers discussed a point of law with the judge. 

It is sort of interesting to see how it all works – or doesn't. Be prepared to deliver a 'not guilty' verdict because someone has failed to do their job properly, and to earn your derisory reimbursement during deliberations. Several of the people I served with shouldn't have been anywhere near a jury.

steer

Can't you just turn up on day 1 and pretend that you know the alleged perpetrator? 

57Deluxe

I just hope that it is not an Albanian drug lord trial and there is attempts at Jury knobbling...

mrkb

You could respond saying that you’d love to do it as you think the system is too lenient and more people need locking up. That makes you less suitable in their eyes, so you probably won’t get called in.

fretmeister

steer said:

Can't you just turn up on day 1 and pretend that you know the alleged perpetrator? 

No because you'll just get used in another case that day.
Cannot claim you know everybody!

fretmeister

The public's reaction to being called for jury service is yet another reason why we need Civics and Basic Law as part of the national curriculum.

Jury service is how we hold the crown / government to account and to make sure, as best we can, that only the guilty are found guilty.

But some people complain about having any duties at all to their peers, others just fancy a week off work, others want to brag about it later etc etc.

The amount of jury trials that are ruined by jurors not following the rules is stupid. Personally I'd be in favour of billing any juror who knowingly does something against the rules for the entire cost of the ruined trial.

It's an important part of civic duty. It only takes 1 phone call and any of us could be getting investigated and maybe charged for something we didn't do.

It's important and not to be taken lightly.

guitars4you

I've essentially been self employed most of my life, other than a spell working for a firm - I've been called up twice and managed to get out of it each time - Basically a one man business so who covers for me and runs the business in my absence - Worked each time - Genuine reason in my eyes to bail out, so not 'making it up'

Wazmeister

You can decline but only for a short while...

Embrace it. It's on honour and an eye opener. I did 2 weeks in November...

They do pay you an extra £5.75, which you can use for parking

Timcito

CHRISB50 said:

robgilmo said:

Tell them to piss off.

It doesn't work like that. It's not that easy to get out of.

Precisely. I was called here in the US around six months ago and tried to wriggle out of it. But they have strict and limited cases where someone can refuse, and you are warned that there will be consequences if you do. I forget what they were, but I gritted my teeth and went to the courthouse. Fortunately, the system here is that they call a whole bunch of people and choose just a small number out of that group. I was sent home after about four hours, and that was that. Phew!

Wazmeister

fretmeister said:

The public's reaction to being called for jury service is yet another reason why we need Civics and Basic Law as part of the national curriculum.

Jury service is how we hold the crown / government to account and to make sure, as best we can, that only the guilty are found guilty.

But some people complain about having any duties at all to their peers, others just fancy a week off work, others want to brag about it later etc etc.

The amount of jury trials that are ruined by jurors not following the rules is stupid. Personally I'd be in favour of billing any juror who knowingly does something against the rules for the entire cost of the ruined trial.

It's an important part of civic duty. It only takes 1 phone call and any of us could be getting investigated and maybe charged for something we didn't do.

It's important and not to be taken lightly.

Great post.

Snags

If you have valid reasons you can request to either defer or be excused.

In my lifetime I've been called three times, and have been excused each time because of extenuating circumstances. Fill in the form, write the narrative, and they get back to you pretty quickly.

Obviously you do need to have valid reasons, and if you're excused you're likely to come round on the list again sooner than if not, but they're not totally unreasonable.

Ironically, I actually agree with the principle of jury service (although I do sometimes have concerns about the quality of the verdicts when I talk to friends/clients and consider their analytical and reasoning skills), and am happy to do it conceptually. I am, however, glad to have ducked it at times when to do so would have had very negative impacts on not just my life, but multiple others.

Kurtis

Go and commit a crime? 

robgilmo

fretmeister said:

The public's reaction to being called for jury service is yet another reason why we need Civics and Basic Law as part of the national curriculum.

Jury service is how we hold the crown / government to account and to make sure, as best we can, that only the guilty are found guilty.

But some people complain about having any duties at all to their peers, others just fancy a week off work, others want to brag about it later etc etc.

The amount of jury trials that are ruined by jurors not following the rules is stupid. Personally I'd be in favour of billing any juror who knowingly does something against the rules for the entire cost of the ruined trial.

It's an important part of civic duty. It only takes 1 phone call and any of us could be getting investigated and maybe charged for something we didn't do.

It's important and not to be taken lightly.

And if you were would you want your fate put in the hands of a few randoms called up in a lottery? I wouldnt, courts are a battle ground the outcome of which has nothing to do with guilty or not, its down to how good your representation is, how strong your case is and how convincing a lier the guilty actually is. Our court system is a travesty, Having come out the other end of a 4 year family court battle I can state that with the upmost certainty.