Jury

[AutumnalRose]

Hello. I've had my summons to do jury duty in the next few months - I'm so excited!
As any of you done it, and how did you find it?

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I do think jury members should have a certain level of intelligence, education, and life experience before they are called upon.
And I do feel people should be looking at the evidence objectively, but I can imagine lots don't.

You need more than a book

You need 3 books , snacks and a sense of humour

🤭

Haha thanks for this advice. I'll pack all the books and snacks. And my sense of humour hat 🫶🏻

I've done it twice now, last time was child sa and anal rape on the mother along with coercive control and DV. It was harrowing.

Jesus Christ that's awful! Tbh, I say I'm excited about doing jury duty, and I am, but remembering cases like this that exist, it makes me take off the rose tinted spectacles

Can I ask what it is that you’re excited about? I’ve done it twice and both times were awful for different reasons.

Yeah of course you can. I thinks it's just something that as always interested me: seeing what goes on in court; how evidence is discussed and a decision made. And seeing justice being served. Though I'm under no illusion that it always happens.

I did it about seven years ago, and I was excited to be called too - I've got a bit of a layman's interest in the law and judicial process anyway. I only did one case in the two weeks, that lasted about three days. I was selected but then surplus for another. I read two hardback fiction books while waiting around.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, that's why I'm looking forward to it. Obviously not any harrowing cases, but the process.

I did it several years ago. I found the process fascinating. The case stayed with me - DV and child abuse. The jury was very mixed, but I am confident we got it right. The thing that struck me was how very mundane and ordinary it all appeared on the surface. Just very normal-appearing people with this horrible behind-closed-doors thing going on.

DH did it more recently, his case was very tough. It can affect you deeply.

I haven’t been on a jury but a few years ago had a job that involved going to court reasonably often. I found it very interesting initially and I loved listening to the barristers (the good ones, at any rate). My role involved listening closely to the language used in court and I found that aspect very interesting indeed. But there can be some very, very boring days, depending on the case, and it can be difficult to stay focused when the topic under discussion is a bit dry. I sat in one case where scores of phone numbers were being read out and then some long winded discussion/disagreement of a particular walking route, all of which took hours. It was relevant to the case and needed discussion but it was very hard to concentrate at moments like that.

Calm your enthusiasm OP. I found it awful. Not just the grim subject matter, but one of the jurors actually refused to find anyone guilty of anything, so that her conscience was clean.

2 women victims, sexual assault and rape by one filthy man in a position of power.

Guess who's still walking the streets.

Everything is slow, there is no justice. It made me hate our society.

When I did jury duty I didn’t actually get a single case. I trudged to the court every day for about 10 days, sat about in the waiting room bit but wasn’t actually selected for a single jury. I was released for the last few days. It was incredibly dull and a complete waste of time.

Went for 8 days and didn't get chosen once! It was so boring just sitting there all day!

Boring. BORING. B-O-R-I-N-G!!

So much waiting around. So much inefficiency! With the torture of daytime TV playing in the waiting area that you could not escape. Fellow jurors who didn't know the difference between anonymous and unanimous 😱

But something that less people should try to get out of if at all possible. Jurors are an important cog in the wheel.

Yes I know from experience of how those creatures can appear 'normal.'
But it is a worry that if I get a harrowing case, how it will stick with me. But it's a bridge I'll cross when/if it comes to it.

I did it a few years ago.
Honestly, I still have nightmares from the horrific evidence we had to listen to and view.

There was absolutely nothing to be 'buzzing' about.

This is an interesting reply. I can imagine after a while it does become somewhat boring. Thank you for your reply.

Completely agree! I half joked about only wanting a bench trial (judge, no jury) if I was ever in the position.

A cushion! Victorian beaches are not made for modern bottoms!

And neither are the benches 😂@CuriousRunner

🤣🤣 damn that autocorrect

I know. And this is one of the reasons why I asked for people to tell me their views, so that I can get an honest look into what it's really like.

Yeah that happening and seeing the lack of justice would make me hate society too.

Oh no, how rubbish. It does make one wonder why folk are summoned if they aren't needed.

Oh I bet it was!