Jury service - do i really have to do it as a lone parent?

[Lizita]

I am really surprised that i have been called for jury service, asked for exemption because i'm a sahm (lone) on benefits, and i am still required to do it! My dd is only just 2 and has never been cared for by anyone other than me, except a friend once a week up until last month (unfortunately she's moved away). I am not happy about finding a stranger to look after my dd while i do jury service and am VERY worried about whether I will receive the full child care cost back from the courts. Plus, are there childminders flexible enough to just be paid by the hour for the amount of time they're with my dd, because the court can send you home for chunks of time any time? Anyone else had to do this or got out of it?

[anorak]

I was called up for jury service when I was a single mum of two (they were about 4 and 7 at the time). I was also working full-time in self-employment and had no one to cover for me. I asked to be excused and did not hear anything back. I phoned them a week before the date I was due to appear and they told me that I had been excused. Unfortunately no one had bothered to inform me so I had to worry myself silly for weeks.

My advice would be that if you don't hear back from them within a reasonable time, phone them to put your mind at rest.

[SoupDragon]

I was excused on childcare grounds and I'm not a lone parent. Can you appeal?

[zippitippitoes]

It's interesting, because I believe there is a Bill going through Parliament to remove the exempt parties list and make all eligible for jury service including court staff, professional witnesses etc etc who don't do it at the moment.

It is considered a public duty and too many people are pleading against doing it so it's getting too difficult to form a balanced jury.

Only the unemployed who are not carers and those working for large organisations are potentially not inconvenienced by it.

[wartywitch]

oh yes
think thats straetd already
a bit of a problem when local colicitors are aclled

[zippitippitoes]

So I wondered whether it is now much more difficult to get exemption..for any one

[wartywitch]

hmm no idea
wiull ask tomoroow

[Lizita]

I totally understand about having a balanced jury etc, and I would really, really love to do it. But I don't want to risk losing lots of money I haven't got, and also if they are so adamant about getting everyone to do it, they ought to provide child care or organise it for you. I have got a friend and my mum to do some of the child care for me, and I haven't yet started phoning childminders to see how possible it is to arrange for flexible child care for the other few days (I don't even know for definite yet what days I need!)

[Nevada]

Dh had to do jury service. He is a contractor and they wouldn't exempt him.

Dh lost his contract because of it and we had no money for 6 months plus.

[ScummyMummy]

Really surprised at this, Lizita. I was exempted on childcare grounds under much less difficult circumstances. Ring them up and express your utter bafflement and also ask them to find you childcare.

[expatinscotland]

Bring the child with you. Tell them she has diarrhea and therefore no child minder will take her.

[zippitippitoes]

I had a friend under similar circumstances (but ages ago) who wasn't exempted

maybe it depends on how hard they are finding it to make up juries in any given area

I would find it financially and commercially crippling if i had to do it

[expatinscotland]

Like I said, if they don't exempt you, bring child in. Tell them she has diarrhea. It's true, most childminders won't take a child w/gatroenteritis into their care. So you have no choice but to bring her.

Civic duty, my ass! When was the last time we saw Gordon Brown the Clown or Blair called up for jury duty.

[nikkie]

I think they would be exempt?

I was called up at 8 months pregnent and it was for crwon court 60 miles away.I was exempted but was told if it was local I would have had to go.

[jodee]

I think the minimum age for jury service should be raised to about 25 - I was nearly 20 when I did it and didn't have a clue about what was going on.

[JoPG]

Don't know how true this is, but someone told me that if you have to go then all you hqave to say is 'I think anyone accused is guilty anyway' and you will be exempted cos you are obviously not going to be open minded.
Maybe worth a try if it gets to that stage??

[NotQuiteCockney]

I was called up when DS1 was under 2 (maybe under 1?), and just explained the circumstances (SAHM, not lone parent though), and was exempted.

They must have tightened the rules quite a bit if they've not exempted you!

[saadia]

I was excused when ds1 was about 6mths old, I said I had no-one to look after him.

[Lizita]

Thanks all, sounds like it is worth a try. I will ring them today before I even try childminders & tell them I am struggling finding child care.