Do you know anyone who has done jury duty?

[Soubriquet]

America seems to portray that most people have had at least one summons to do jury duty.

I haven’t known anyone to do it. Is it as common as it appears to be?

I got summoned to attend 31.03.20 and unsurprisingly it got suspended at very short notice.
I eventually attended in September 2020 but it was not the usual process due to strict Covid rules.
I was only asked to attend court on day 1 and day 3, then my whole group were called at home and dismissed on the fourth day. Never got to sit on a trial though.

I would love to do it!

Someone told me I wouldn’t be able to be though because I went to court for a driving ticket?

I got summons but was it was canceled the day before as there was a flood in the court building.

Me and my mum but no one else in my family circles.

I did know a couple of people on the jury with me though which was odd

I did, as soon as I turned 18. I'm 33 now and not been again.

Got called during my finals at Uni. and didn't do it, then got called again aged 38, and did do it. Lots of waiting round, and the second case we got was not very nice (the first was a fairly minor assault that took place when absolutely everyone involved was completely plastered and hardly anyone could remember any of the story so at times it was quite funny as the answers were often 'I dunno, I was pissed'). Overall - it was a change, and I would do it again.

I've done it, I've also regularly been the only person to answer yes in the wider conversation. It comes up a surprising amount.

@MrJollyLivesNextDoor your comment had me at a daily allowance! I didn't realize that in the U.K. you DON'T get paid as normal! In Ireland your employer must pay you as normal!!

My mum and dad met at jury service in the very early 80s and are still together now, my brother has just been called up. I would love to do it seems so interesting

@Soubriquet

Very interesting. Do most people only do it once?

Can you opt out if you know it’s going to be a very disturbing case such as the recent Star and Arthur?

My boss has done it twice. Not too far apart either maybe a year? He wasn't happy but found it interesting.

One of my close friends was called at 18 (were 35 now).

So I expect it one day. Dread the logistics with work though!

I was called once. After a few days of not being needed and being sent home, I did hear a case. When I was first in the jury room (not the courtroom) I was surprised to see a notice on the wall, offering counselling for any jurors who felt they needed it after hearing awful evidence. I'd never thought about that aspect of courts. I didn't have to hear anything horrid, but when I hear of cases like Star, I now think about the jurors who had to hear the details and see pictures.

I did it for 6 weeks, high court, very public murder case. Was very distressing and tough going at the time. However I made some lovely friends on the jury panel, 2 of which came to my wedding reception! I think we bonded through a fairly traumatic experience

I did it about 5 years ago. Historic childhood rape case. I was shocked at the attitude of some of the jurors to be honest- victim blaming ++, wanting to make a quick decision so they didn't have to come back an extra day etc..

I know several people that have done jury duty

I am the only person I know who has ever been summoned for jury service.

That was back in 1978 when I was very young!

Horrible case which lasted for 2 weeks - incestuous rape of a 2 yr old girl 😰 - but I have never been recalled. Also, I vividly recall having to battle through as I developed a horrendous cold midway through the first week which lasted throughout.

I am retired now so would love another opportunity.

I was summoned in the UK and did 2 cases. I moved to the US 4 years ago and was summoned 1 week after I got my drivers license which just seemed crazy. I was excused as I wasn't a citizen at the time. My American husband and most of his family have never been summoned- they thought it was hilarious.

My impression of the US system is that they dismiss more jurors, which may account for the appearance of more people being summoned. Jury selection, especially the demographics of the jury, is often quite a big issue for trials.

I've done it, my best friend has done it and my mum's friend has done it.

I've done it once and I discovered that some policemen lie.
There was a video of the incident and the policeman talked through the video explaining what happened which clearly didn't match what we were watching, myself and the other jurors were like wtaf 🙄 back in the jury room we'd found the accused not guilty before the kettle had boiled

I did it about 12 years ago. Only know a few other people who've been called up. It was interesting but I felt a bit stressed having to make such a massive decision that, if you got it wrong, could really destroy someone's life.

@HoobleDooble

I did it about 12 years ago. Only know a few other people who've been called up. It was interesting but I felt a bit stressed having to make such a massive decision that, if you got it wrong, could really destroy someone's life.

This is how I felt. I was on a murder trial and felt huge responsibility to get the right verdict. I'm satisfied that we did and 2 dangerous people got a long sentence. The victims daughter sat through the most horrible evidence day after day, my heart just went out to her. I didn't have the waiting around that most people describe, I think that is pretty common. Some jurors were in the waiting room for 2 weeks! I was also fortunate I still got full pay but it's very challenging for those that don't.

Did it five years ago and didn’t enjoy it. I was stunned that they allow people who present as having a low IQ to decide the defendants fate. One of the barristers couldn’t operate their laptop to connect to the large screen in court and the judge went berserk at her- spoke to her like a child.
I’m in no hurry to go back and do it again.

I was called up at 19 but got exempted as I was a full time student and a single mum. Called up again mid 20s and was a juror on an horrific child abuse trial. Called up again late 20s but just sat in the jurors room and sent home after a few days. Called up yet again mid 30s, by which point I had a criminal record and was disqualified from sitting.

I've never known anybody to be called up so many times. My parents are in their 70s and only one of them has been called up once. Weird.

DH has done it three times in the past 20 years and was due to do it a fourth this summer. He's a teacher and head of department so deferred until after teacher assessed grades were due. A week before he was due to start, he was asked to move to a different court (he's done a different London one each time he's been called) but on the Friday before, he received a phone call telling him they'd decided now wasn't the time to be pulling teachers out of school so would excuse him. I'm a primary teacher and have been called once but it was before DC2 was school aged (I had no childcare for the day I didn't teach), coincided with the first day of the school year and I was starting at a new school. I asked to defer until the following school year when DC2 would be at school but was excused instead. I've not been called again.

I know quite a few people who've been called and have done it. Mainly teachers and headteachers but also SAHPs.

I've done it, in my late 20s in outer London. Lucky I think as I was on 2 cases, one ABH I think and one drug case. All fascinating until we had to find the poor sod guilty. I think he was but I felt the process was futile tbh.

I work in HR for a group of schools and across about 1400 staff we have probably one off each half term.