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Jury service! Crown Court. Experiences, please!

34 replies

Miljea · 03/05/2021 01:02

I'm looking for 'how it works', likelihood of being called, length of trials ; how each day in court works.

Anyone's experience will be welcomed!

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Tanfastic · 04/05/2021 22:35

@AnneElliott

I've done it twice. Definitely take a good book or two as it's boring waiting around.

I really enjoyed it but didn't enjoy discussing the case with some of my fellow jurors who were in fact a bit dim. For example the judge said "you don't have to find the stolen goods on the defendants property to find him guilty of burglary". First thing the juror said "well they didn't actually find the stolen goods on his property".

Oh god yes this, having to sit with other members of your jury deliberating on the outcome, a broad spectrum of people from all walks of life with massively different opinions....such a frustrating process. I had to bite my tongue a few times 😂

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SeanIsTheBestChaser · 04/05/2021 22:37

I was called a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed it and would love to do it again.
I was called on my first day and did a 3 day trial. The 4th and 5th day I wasn’t called, so those of us not called played cards together and watched films until lunch time and then we were sent home.
The second week I had a text to say I was released from jury service. I was gutted as I really wanted to do another case!

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EastWestWhosBest · 04/05/2021 22:39

Echoing what others have said about the waiting around.

The first day I was there it seemed there were lots of us. Only two juries selected and the rest sent home. It was meant to be random but I noticed that everyone who was scruffy was not selected.

The case I was on was child abuse. I found it very stressful. I would have liked some kind of debrief or a small amount of counselling after. I recognise now that I found it hard to cope.

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Pinkpiglet · 04/05/2021 22:49

I was called up and due to serve last month. I got a phone call the Wednesday before it was due to start to say that the Jury for the first week had already been selected. The case for the second week was going to be long and I was asked if I could do a trial that might be 3 months long, which I could not do. I will now have to see if I’m called again.

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Miljea · 04/05/2021 23:45

Interesting.

DS had to be there for 11, but they were all sent home at 1.30 as the one trial schedule didn't happen due to lack of evidence....

He has to be there tomorrow for 9.30am.

I am not sure he'll be selected as he's a young looking 19 year old.

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leeds2glasgow · 05/05/2021 00:40

Depends where it is. When I did mine you were there for two weeks regardless. I got called on day two and was there for nearly three weeks. Some people who were there fir that two weeks slot dud two or three smaller cases.

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leeds2glasgow · 05/05/2021 00:46

@Miljea

That's not how it works. It's literally names pulled out of a hat!

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CrochetyCrochet · 05/05/2021 00:51

Selection from the jury pool is entirely random and nothing to do with age or appearance. Names/numbers are literally picked out of a hat.

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Councilworker · 05/05/2021 01:12

Selection of the jury is totally random once you're in there. It's not like the USA where the lawyers can object to you.
I did it about 8 years ago. Tax fraud that was part of a bigger scheme. Of the pool of 15 taken down to the room one had to be excused due to conflict of interest as he worked for HMRC. I'd spent the first week waiting made it as far as the 15 and then was the extra not needed body
and went back to the waiting room. Two of the jurors on that trial didn't turn up the next day and I think the police were sent to bring them in under contempt of court. I'm not sure if the trail was abandoned or born
After a few days of being sent home I got called in the second week and lasted about 5 days I think. Deliberation was the worst part as some of the other jurors were severely stupid and using Judge Judy as a reference point. I was forewoman and delivered the verdict which was quite nerve-wracking once I volunteered but was ok actually doing it. The man was convicted and served 2 years.