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Original poster

How long do I have to be available for jury service?

22 replies

psychedelephant · 17/02/2020 15:23

Is there a minimum period of time I'm required to make myself available for jury service? I can't seem to find specific info online.
I haven't had the letter yet but after deferring last year I know I'll be called for jury service in April. I need to arrange travel for a longstanding medical appointment for my mum in May but don't know how much time to leave between the two dates, or if I should book the flight or not. I rang the court but there are no suitable options on the recording (ie the police, CPS etc).
Not trying to evade my responsibilities Smile just want to know if/when I can safely arrange to help my mother.

OP posts:
LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 17/02/2020 15:26

You’re expected to show up at the court every day for two weeks.

BigFatLiar · 17/02/2020 15:27

It'll tell you on the letter but I think its two weeks.

However that can be extended if you're assigned a long trial. If you get called to attend then you need to tell them if there is a clash of dates.

When I was on jury duty there was another trial on that was being suspended for two weeks as the barristers had other commitments for the time, it had been on for eight weeks and was likely to go on longer.

Iliketonamechangealot9876542 · 17/02/2020 15:27

Two weeks, if you get picked for a longer trial then you just have to tell them your not available and you wouldn’t be on the jury

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Meme05 · 17/02/2020 15:29

Yes, normally two weeks

IntermittentParps · 17/02/2020 15:33

You’re expected to show up at the court every day for two weeks.

It's more flexible than this IME. I did two weeks (one week on one case, then got put on another) and there were some people on my second one for whom it was the first. They got dismissed after that case finished, so only did one week.

Is it possible to phone the court and speak to a real person? Again only my personal experience, but I found the actual staff of the court very helpful.

8by8 · 17/02/2020 15:36

You need to be available for two weeks. When you arrive, if they have any cases they expect to take longer than two weeks, they will ask if anybody has a reason they can’t do more than two weeks.
You’ll need to show evidence that you have plans, eg proof you have booked flights.

Original poster
psychedelephant · 17/02/2020 15:43

Intermittent yes, I read here that they were helpful but I couldn't figure out how to speak to someone relevant, there seemed only to be recordings or 'if you know your party's extension' - or the police, CPS etc.

I suspect this was why I deferred last year, we have these appointments twice a year at the same time.

Thanks all.

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 17/02/2020 15:52

Oh, that's a pity. It was so easy with mine (big court in north London); I think I just rang the number on the paperwork for 'jury office' or something. Do you have similar? Or google the court and just try the main number, if there is one? (might be a switchboard who can put you through).

Again, I wouldn't 100% accept the views on here that you absolutely have to be available for two weeks; it was more reasonable and flexible than that for me.

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 17/02/2020 16:04

Maybe it depends on area then. My letter made it very clear that I was to present myself at court every morning for the two weeks.

TrashPanda · 17/02/2020 16:11

I don't think OP has had a letter yet, just that she previously deferred so is expecting one soon.

You will need to make yourself available for the two weeks. You may be told that you are no longer required at some point in those two weeks or you may be assigned a case that lasts longer, they will ask about clashes beyond the two weeks if this happens.

Mine was due to start on a Monday but I was contacted the Friday before to say don't come until Tuesday, I was selected for one simple non distressing case that only lasted 3 days then released. Other people called at the same time ended up on a long running historical sex abuse case, listened to evidence for more than a week then he changed his plea to guilty.

Lots of it is luck of the draw but you will need to be available for 2 weeks. The dates etc will be in the letter when you get one and that will also have details of how to contact your jury officer who will answer queries. Good luck, I'd love to so it again.

happypotamus · 17/02/2020 16:12

Mine was 2 weeks, but then a couple of weeks before they sent a letter asking if you could extend it to 6 weeks. You had to had a good reason to say no to that, but fortunately my employer (NHS) said it wasn't feasible for me to be away for so long in winter. We were expected to turn up everyday for the 2 weeks, but it does vary because a relative of mine in a different location only had to go for 2 days.

IntermittentParps · 17/02/2020 16:48

LeekMunching, interesting. My letter was a lot more non-committal!

BarbaraofSeville · 17/02/2020 16:50

How do you know you'll get asked again in April? Many people who defer never get asked again.

If they haven't formally given you dates then you can just go about your life as normal, book the flights you need to and then if they come back to you, you'll have to defer again because you already have a commitment. They don't expect you to put your life on hold just in case they come back to you about an as yet unspecified time period in the future.

Original poster
psychedelephant · 17/02/2020 17:36

Barbara you can't defer again sadly, that I'm very clear on.

If you defer you can ring at any time in the next year and tell them when you're available, so I rang to say I'd be available and they told me my date was already set for April.

Thanks for all the replies. I may ring the central number again to say I'm available earlier and see if they can bump it up. The person I spoke to kept talking over me and mainly seemed to want to say that I was not allowed to defer again. Despite saying I was ringing to get a jury date and that I wasn't asking to defer, we were unable to get anywhere so I decided to just wait for the letter.

OP posts:
Ellmau · 17/02/2020 19:52

My mum managed to get out of it twice bc on both occasions my dad was about to have an operation.

CharitySchmarity · 17/02/2020 21:24

Out of curiosity - I am 53 and I have never been asked to do jury service. How unusual is that and will I ever be chosen?

yaychocolateginandwine · 17/02/2020 21:45

On the first day I turned up for jury service , we were asked if we were prepared for longer ....... some people looked horrified ! I was open to the idea and there was no pressure - other than two weeks was the expected availability. I went on to sit on a six week case and loved it ! It was so interesting ( it would make a good film ! )

EggysMom · 17/02/2020 21:49

Out of curiosity - I am 53 and I have never been asked to do jury service. How unusual is that and will I ever be chosen? Well, i made it to the age of 49 before I was chosen, so it can't be that unusual!

You need to be available for two weeks. If they anticipate a long case, they'll let you know before jury selection and ask if anybody has a reason why they would not be available. In my case, I cited school holidays a couple of weeks later; and hey presto, wasn't selected for the long case.

IntermittentParps · 18/02/2020 11:09

I was 44. Neither of my parents (in their 70s) has done it, nor my DP (47). On the other hand, I know two people who were called in their early 20s; one of them deferred but was called again just a few years later. It's totally arbitrary.

baggies · 07/03/2020 14:23

Just been called for a second time. 25 years after the first time!

ArnoldBee · 07/03/2020 14:36

My mum got called - unfortunately she had been dead for 6 months. Its taken off the electoral register.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 07/03/2020 16:04

When I did it, they asked for volunteers for any cases likely to last longer than 2 weeks. And I gather there were enough willing ones. I was called for 2 cases - one lasting about a week, the other just a couple of days.
It was a big Crown Court - 12 courts so a lot of jurors present at any one time.

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