David Lock

If you've done Jury Service have you got any tips? Is there anything you'd wished you had known before you were dragged into court?

Can you decline if it's likely to be a long case?

dl

Mostly sensible answers only please

tony de wonderful

Don't post about the case on facebook!

David Lock

Or Tweet during the summing up

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

The trick to getting out of Jury duty is to say you are prejudiced against all races

bigredrob

Try to stay awake.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

DO take a book, talking book, i-pod etc for the times when you just sit, waiting. There are lots of them.

DON'T expect to get into court.......there are 24 people there and they draw names out of a hat, 12 plus two reserves, the rest sit it out.....or get sent home if it's going to be a long case.

DO keep all receipts.

And no, you can't get out of it unless you can show it will make your job vulnerable/jeopardise your income. When I went, the only one released was a lad who was a hairdresser who said his clientele would go elsewhere and maybe not come back.

But why WOULD anyone want to get out of it? The more people who do that, the more we'll have the socialists trying to do away with jury trials.

DYK

yes i got a tip,don't do it .If its your first call up a sensible excuse will get you out of it...

David Lock

Thanks, that's useul info. For receipts do you mean travel costs and a snack for lunch?

dl

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Because alot of people work for a small business or are self-employed.

Whilst an employer can't force an employee not to do jury service, if it can be proven it will jeopdise the business it can be put forward as a mitigating circumstance.

Our business would not survive if people were regularly called up for Jury duty every year (and the one guy was called up three times on the trot), we only employ three people, so his absence does serve a big impact to business operations....he did two and on the third call-up we said hang on, this is not on, and appealed - sucessfully.

Also I have a friend who is a co-owner of a small business and he managed to sucessfully appeal against doing jury duty on the same grounds (father-son business).

A livelihood is far more important than ensuring some ****** gets sent down - Assumsing he is a ****** and not Mrs Mildred who forgot to put a packet of frozen peas through the reader at a Tesco self-service till ).


Now if it were a big faceless company employing tens or hundreds of people; no chance! The boss would be in contempt unless the employee was overseas.

JTaylor

We had vouchers for lunch which we redeemed in the courts' canteen, but you'll need to keep receipts for parking (if it's not provided) or if you're to use public transport. They'll give you a comprehensive induction, anyway. I enjoyed it, met some cool people and found it interesting.

Tenby

iTrader: (1)

Expect plenty of waiting about. Books and ipod is a good suggestion

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Yes, travel, parking, lunch etc. Any tolls you may have to pay.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Yes, Ali, but if you read my post, that's what I said: get out of it only if it's going to have a detrimental effect on your job.
otherwise, it's a civic duty.

SirFozzalot

I've done it. Didn't really want too and my work got me out of it the first time but once I got there I quite enjoyed it actually, and found it pretty interesting.

Was a bit of waiting around at the start so definitely take a book or something but once it started it only lasted about 4-5 days.

Biggest pain was parking as there was no parking at the court and the closest carparks were a fair walk away. Claimed all the parking fees back though.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Your employer can get your jury service postponed, but it is most likely something that you will have to do at some point.

I've been summoned twice now, both times I've got out of it.
The times I've been summoned were bad times, because we were very busy with large contracts in work, and it really would have a detrimental effect if I was unavailable for a period of weeks.

paulr

I've done it twice, never had a case, therefore lots of sitting around and going home early.
As has been said, take something to do.

If i'm ever on jury service again, i'd be tempted to take a board game like trivial pursuit. There's nowt worse than 20 strangers sat in a room on their phones.

dpb

Something I won't have to do

Could it be more tedious than being an extra though , I doubt it

David Lock

Criminal record??


Thanks guys,

It's my daughter who has been called up. She works in an NHS team so her employers know all about this.

She doesn't mind doing it although I think she is mildly apprehensive.

I'll post up any juicy cases

dl

ScoobyWon't

I'd avoid that, just in case

ritchie21

The quote about 12 called up and two in reserve is completely wrong!!

IF a jury is sworn, it is 12 and that is it-no reserves.

Contrary to what is shown on the TV, it's mainly waiting about and very boring!! Take a kindle/ipod/book etc to keep her occupied!!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Must have changed since I went then.
Twelve in the box, two sat in the jury room, rest of us sent home.

David Lock

Anyway I have given her strict instructions on who she should find guilty

d

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

They are guilty.. thats my tip. why else are they there?

jef

iTrader: (13)

i was called up and forgot about it, eek!

but i phoned a week later and explained, all was good.

but i was hearing scare stories about getting into trouble for not showing up

paulr

When i was there they were guilty indeed.

The police that is, who arrested a guy at 3am in bed and one of the coppers got a good going over. My jury associates found the guy innocent, and the coppers guilty.

jef

iTrader: (13)

try aviod pre-concieved thoughts or generalisations and assess the information given and give verdict on that alone.

other wise you shouldnt be on a jury!

some people are innocent and some coppers not, and equally vice versa - hence a neutral stance needs to be applied.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Would you get into trouble if you took whodunnit?

jods

I've done jury duty at St Albans Crown Court, Quite a serious case as it goes. I was gutted when the accused all fessed up on day one and we, the jury, were dismissed. I'd gone to the trouble of making a black cloth cover for my head and everything. I never got compensated for it either, despite offering it up for sale to one of the woodentops guarding the court!

Can't talk details but it was women in court facing years inside due to "Boyfriends" talking them into relieving people of money / property.

David Lock

I expect you had a decent length of rope in the back of the car as well

What do you mean you can't talk details. It was a public hearing.

dl

JTaylor

Good to see you've honoured your oath.