Hi Guys

Have come home from work today to find that I have been summoned for Jury Duty. Have any of you done it and, more importantly, has anyone got out of doing it? I've had a quick glance through the details and it seems like they don't accept many excuses short of death but I really, really don't want to do it!!  Can anyone put my mind at ease or give me a foolproof method of getting out of it? I personally think I'd be cr*p as a jury member anyway.... Any info, suggestions would be great.

Thanks

I don't think you have to be actually dead to get out of it - just very close to it! The only way to be excused is to actually know the defendent - but you won't know who it is until you're there. One of my friends did it some years ago, and was terrified that she'd have to see horrible photos and suchlike ... it turned out to be a very boring case. It's actually something I've always wanted to do, but I've not been called yet!

I know my Mum got out of it years ago as she was heavily pregnant with my brother. Haven't got time for that :D (nor would I want to really, think even Jury Duty has to be easier than having kids). having had a closer read of the literature, it appears I have a couple of options open to me...
1. fake my own death
2. get myself arrested and bailed (can't do it if you're on bail)
3. be diagnosed as suffering from a mental disorder (looking like the likely option)
4. join a religious order (afraid to get too near to a church for fear of being struck by the inevitable bolt of lightning)

No. 3 definatley looking promising!!!

Know what you mean i am probably tempting fate now,i have never been called i would do it but for some reason feel i wouldnt want too,dont know why,hubbie did it few years ago he deferred once when he was a teacher because it was in term time,he got called again though,and they made sure it was in his hols so he couldnt refuse,seems once they get you they dont let go,unless like you say there is some really good reason for you never to be able to do it,good luck thinking of you,let us know how you get on.

I think you should do it if you are called .....civic duty and all that :) I was called in 1976 but I had only just had my oldest son and was excused as they didn't think that a breast feeding Juror was a good thing way back then ;)

Would love to be called again though ....

I did it back in 1987, my son was about a year old, so it was a while ago.  Out of the two weeks, I think I spent about two and a half days actually sitting on a jury and heard two cases.  My advice would be to take plenty of books.  I managed to get through Dune, Children of Dune, Dune Messiah........:D  And don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine as a jury member.

I did it about 4 years ago. I really enjoyed it :) I only got onto one case - an assault (nothing horrible) and parts were very funny (think rugby club antics) :D So most of my two weeks I wasn't needed. All you need to be able to do is to form an opinion after hearing all the facts :)

Daisy

Big Dave got called about 4 years ago, as he was self emplyed and contracted to a Gov. dept, his superior wrote him a letter to say that vital work would be affected if he was away.......

I got called up about 25 years ago and was looking forward to doing it but my boss took it upon himself to write to the court and say he could not spare me with it being holiday period, lots of people off etc.  I was only the office junior and I thought pah! he'll never get away with that, but he did!!  I was very miffed as I thought it would be very interesting and have been hoping ever since to get another shot at it but no joy yet.

i got called a few years ago now, but didnt do it. I told them that my OH was working away from home and i have 2 children to look after ( although at school) and no family around to help out if i couldnt pick them up from school ( all true :-) ).
I was told They call more people up than needed for each case because they know that some cant do it for whatever reason. Even on the day you could still get dismissed as not needed.

I did it when I was 18 at the Guildhall in Westminster. I got called again when I had 2 young children but got out of it then as had no one to look after them.

My OH has just been called up - but its just the time the baby is due and his busiest time at work and he already has paternity leave booked - so he has deferred and they were very accomodating. You can only defer once - but they do allow you to state any other times that you will not be available :) I would do it like a shot if I were called - but I was shocked to see you don't get paid from work any more - just the standard court payments

I've been called twice, but never got further than the drawing the names out of the goldfish bowl stage, although it still meant sitting around for a couple of days before being told to go   My employer still paid me, but I had to claim the court allowance and they deducted that from my pay - this was fairly recent too, only this year.  Just as well, because the court allowance was a good deal less than my pay! I always thought the employer didn't have to pay you, but many did/do as a courtesy.  Certainly one lady there said she had had to take annual leave to attend because her employer wouldn't pay her and the allowance was less than she would earn.    I'm in Scotland though, so I don't know if that is different from England/Wales/Northern Ireland.

Lesley

I got called when I was 18, to go to the Old Bailey and I was almost in tears when I read the letter, I was petrified and begging my mum and dad to get me out of it, which of course they couldn't!

However, the night before (or around that time, maybe on the morning, something like that) I got a telephone call to say I wasn't needed - apparently they write to more people than they need, in case of 'drop-outs' and as an extra I wasn't required and I breathed the biggest sigh of relief!

So I think that's probably you're only chance of escaping it, keeping your fingers crossed that you will be surplus to requirements!

Keeping fingers crossed that something like this might happen, then.

I got called up a few months ago but just told them that I was away on holiday. Of course, they wrote back asking me to provide booking details etc but my dogs must have chewed it up as i don't recall seeing it ;-)  I've been half expecting a fine to come through my door but so far, so good!!

Id love to get called up. How does it happen then? Do some people get called up more than once? How do they pick the people? Why not pick all the people who are on the dole and then they can earn their money!!

Not sure about in England/Scotland/Wales but here (N. Ireland) you get chosen at random of the electoral register. Once you have completed your jury service you can't be called up again for 15 years or, if you sit on the jury for a particularly difficult trial the judge can recoomend that you don't be called again for a longer period of time (if ever).

Why so worried?  Its a fantastic opportunity!  Go along and enjoy the experience!  If you actually make it into the court room and you know ANYONE at all (defendant, witness or victim) you wont be able to sit as a juror.  I dont know why people worry so much about jury service....All we do as a nation is complain about the criminal justice system and when we get a chance to voice our opinions or even sway a decision we should consider ourselves lucky to be given the opportunity.  Admittedly you may get a particularly nasty case (it is crown after all) and if you are struggling to come to terms with what is going on you can bring it to the courts attention - they are more accomodating than most people think!  You may particularly enjoy the expert witnesses such as the forensic scientists and pathologists etc...All very exciting...Enjoy :)
Sarah

Id love to be called for Jury service but cant cos Im related to a JP. Tracy I found your comment very offensive about people on the dole as I am myself through no fault of my own

My feeling is that we are lucky enough as a country to have a jury, and to be given a fair trial, just think of all the people in the world who wont get a fair trial, or a trial at all. I think if you get called you should go, and if your capable of thinking you might find it hard, or difficult then your capable of being a member of a jury. Think of it as a privilage that you can have a say and that we have a jury system. Thats my view anyway. :)

This Link explains 99% of questions re being on a jury & the reasons why you cannot serve on a jury

There's no mention of being related to a JP though ! but I might have missed it

LOL being in court loads of times(for the prosecution I must add) I find it totally fascinating

I think because I've never been in a court I'm a bit overwhelmed by the idea of it. I'm not particularly worried by anything I might see or hear as I think I have a pretty macabre side to me anyway. Knowing my luck it'll be some boring tax fraud case or the like. I think the thing that I'm most worried about is being able to make the right decision if required. After all, a decision made in a court room has dramatic repercussions for all concerned, whatever the verdict.

I'm probably worrying unnecessarily. At least I know it won't be a terrorism related case (which, given where I live, a high percentage of cases are) as a jury doesn't sit on those, thankfully. That would be my worst nightmare. And yes, i am one of the many who regularly complain about the criminal justice system so I will stop whinging and get on with it.

Thanks guys for the info, advice and much needed verbal kick up the a**e. Knew I could count on you lot!! :D :D

Hi Acorah - You probably could get called these days ;)  Up until recently I was told I have to be exempt because I work in forensics and could show bias to scientific evidence   However, the rules have changed recently and pretty much anyone who is anyone (on the electoral role) can act as juror....:)
Sarah

If you are involved with forsenics you can still be excused(you would never have been disqulalified I understand)

Hi MM - When I began in my field of work I was told I could not serve on a jury.  However since the beginning of this year we have been advised that we could indeed serve if called AND we have not had any involvement with that case.
I guess I could interpret scientific evidence differently from an impartial 'average Joe' juror??
I think my career would probably excuse me if I really didn't want involvement?  I believe there is a general drive by the government to up the IQ of your average, everyday jury - Which reminds me!  I strongly recommend that anyone doing jury service dress smartly ;)
Sarah :D

Didnt mean to offend but surely if you have nothing to do wouldnt you benefit from being out of the house and giving something back to the community? You would feel better in yourself and you'd be helping someone else out!

I was the same as you, I got called when I was 20.  I still remember reading the letter and bursting into tears.  I really really did not want to do it.  I had no valid excuse to get out of it so off I went.  Was on a case that lasted two weeks and am really glad I did it.  I found it very interesting.

Wouldn't mind doing it again either.  But I was worried that I would end up with some horrid murder or something but thankfully I didn't.

Just remember to take plenty to read for those occasional long boring stretches where they send you out so that they can discuss "points of law".

The only way to get out of it that I know of is to do what I do. Work for the Police. If you work for Law Enforcement you are exempt from Jury Duty.

Hi All

Just thought I'd post a quick update on this.

I've now been on Jury Service for 3 weeks and I am presently sitting on a Jury for the second time. the first trial lasted only two days, was a minor offence and we didn't have to reach a verdict as the judge was unhappy with the evidence.

The trial I am now assigned to has been ongoing since last Monday. It was originally scheduled to end today but is nowhere near finished. Things move very slowly in the justice system and Barristers will not work before 10am or after 4pm it would seem (lucky them!!). The details of the trial itself are pretty unpleasant and it's tough going a lot of the time. Plus I've got a horrible cold and its very difficult to sit in a court room, listening to evidence whilst coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose :rolleyes: However, it has been a very interesting experience so far and I wonder now what I was so worried about in the first place! You lot were right, as usual :D

Glad you are enjoying it SL :)  Its very interesting see :D
Sarah

Hi Shaynlola,
You might injoy it!! opens your eyes to how the other half live a!!
I think your given lunch your days pay, and travelling expences.
Just DON'T go to sleep a!!
Regards
Denese

Hi wondered where you had been can't get onto cd,when in a courtroom glad its not as bad as you thought.
Hope your'e cold is better soon.:-)

I was cited for jury duty this week and have just finished.  I can honestly say, what a waste of taxpayers money!  Over the two and a half days that we had to go to court we were only actually in the courtroom for about an hour and a half max.  The rest of the time was spent having coffee breaks, sitting in the jury room while the lawyers discussed points of law and having lunch.  Surely they could find a way to speed the whole process up and save the country some money.  Rant over, sorry!  :D

I was called nearly four years ago but couldn't do it as I was still breastfeeding my daughter - I was really disappointed!
I bet I'll never get another chance now! :rolleyes: