Jury Duty

[TCIB]

GUILTY

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

Or you could right back to them expressing your delight at being selected and specifically request that you would love to serve on a jury trying some black, Asian or Muslim as you know they're all criminals and would love to send them down.

Ah, to spend the day playing JOTL would be quite fun I suppose.

The novelty of an afternoon drooling uncontrollably, crayoning in Ben 10 cartoons and trying to microchip your teddy would soon wane.

 

[Manc in London]

Just had a Jury Summons come through the post, never had one before.

But I have a question, having seen it lass at least 2 weeks and the "pay" for loss of earnings is a maximum of £64.95 per day, has anyone ever been able to get themselves excused from doing Jury Service? It says only "exceptional circumstances" will allow that to happen.

My view is that those who are asked to be a juror should make the necessary sacrifices. It's a civic duty, one of the few times that many of us give something back to society.

I was on a jury last year. A horrible case involving physical abuse of a young boy. While it was distressing, it was also very interesting. It represented one of the few times I have given something back to society. I lost out financially but I am glad I did it.

 

[Tourist since 1971]

Did jury service a few years ago and started out opened minded about the process. I thought I would take it seriously as a contribution to the community blah blah blah.

However, the reality was truly alarming. I was on 2 juries, one for a domestic violence case and one for driving a stolen car the wrong way down one-way streets in Sunderland. When we got in the jury room I was staggered by the prejudices, ignorance and general thickness of most of my 'colleagues'. Now, I appreciate that the jury should be representative of society, but fuck me how that lot would have coped with a detailed fraud trial I shudder to think.

I got elected foreman on both juries; the first time, and I kid you not, was because I was wearing glasses so I must be clever! And the second time was because some of the jurors had been on the first case and said 'you're the only one who's done it before'.

Having said all that (and please dont report me to the CPS for telling you) we probably got the verdict right in both cases, although in the second case not for the right reason. The case rested on the evidence of a copper who clocked the defendent driving the car and knew who he was - however, his mate was in the car at the time but had actually been convicted of nicking the same car in a previous case. So to my mind there was reasonable doubt as to who had been driving in our case (even though I thought the kid was banged to rights) - my fellow jurors though acquitted the scrote on the basis the 'coppers always lie anyway'.

The only memorable thing about the first case was hearing the judge and both barristers having to say 'spunk-bucket' several times. Don't ask.

So if you are thinking of committing a complicated foreign currency exchange fraud involving derivative contracts - go for it, the jury won't have a clue.

 

[monkey-trousers]

A work mate of mine was aked to do it about 10 years ago and he wrote back to them telling them that he was a 'conscientious objector' and that he didn't believe in the 'jury system'. They thanked him for his honesty and he didn't have to do it.

 

[Paulpowersleftfoot]

Just had a Jury Summons come through the post, never had one before.

But I have a question, having seen it lass at least 2 weeks and the "pay" for loss of earnings is a maximum of £64.95 per day, has anyone ever been able to get themselves excused from doing Jury Service? It says only "exceptional circumstances" will allow that to happen.

My view is that those who are asked to be a juror should make the necessary sacrifices. It's a civic duty, one of the few times that many of us give something back to society.

I was on a jury last year. A horrible case involving physical abuse of a young boy. While it was distressing, it was also very interesting. It represented one of the few times I have given something back to society. I lost out financially but I am glad I did it.

^^ this

I was only jury duty a few years ago
The CPS & the police decided to prosecute an 18yr old lad with learning difficulties with grooming a 10yr old girl.He had the mind of a 10yr old himself and we got the impression that the police struggle to see anything but bad in people. This took nearly 2 weeks but I went away content that our legal system can be seen to be working as common sense prevailed and he was free to go.

 

[sir baconface]

I know people who have done it that really enjoyed it. Suck it up you big girl !

64.95 per day won't get near paying 1/4 of my business expenses (office rent, indemnity insurance etc) whilst I was on duty. That's the issue

I was excused a few years ago by arguing I was self-employed, would be mid-stream on important assignments and couldn't possibly let my clients down. (Yes, yes, I know....)

As with you, my real beef was the loss of earnings. Although it worked I have heard they are less sanguine if they come knocking a second time.

 

[cyberblue]

You can be excused if you have a criminal record.

If you have a criminal record you can still do jury service<br /><br />-- Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:02 pm --<br /><br />

Did it a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. There's quite a bit of waiting around, but had a good craic with the rest of the jurors to the point where they made me foreman. I found it interesting how inept the barristers were and how the judge was getting increasingly pissed off with them.

My experience was similar to yours you realise how much time & money is wasted

 

[DrBlueBob]

Just had a Jury Summons come through the post, never had one before.

But I have a question, having seen it lass at least 2 weeks and the "pay" for loss of earnings is a maximum of £64.95 per day, has anyone ever been able to get themselves excused from doing Jury Service? It says only "exceptional circumstances" will allow that to happen.

If you say you know someone involved in the case then you can get out of it. Although I think you may have to prove how which may prove slightly problematic.

He won't know which case though, and by that time he will be already attending jury service. I think SWP just wants to know how to get out of it full stop. You get allocated cases when you're there.

Don't know if it's the same south of the border but here in sunny Scotland I was requested to attend a High Court case and they said a similar case had lasted four weeks. Maybe High Court cases differ but the one I was due to attend was already allocated.

 

[tamworthblue]

A work mate of mine was aked to do it about 10 years ago and he wrote back to them telling them that he was a 'conscientious objector' and that he didn't believe in the 'jury system'. They thanked him for his honesty and he didn't have to do it.

From memory, I think you can decline the first time (simply if it's inconvenient)but you will still get asked again and I think then you have no choice. Everybody told me there was no way out of it...bollocks. I wrote something like 'I do not feel I have the moral right to determine the future of another individual'. Job done as the above poster says. I run my own business and the bastards tax me enough without having to work for the fuckers for next to nothing.