Jury Service- what to expect

[nj32]

Jury Service Uk, has anyone done it recently and can give an idea on what to expect. Have heard a few different things about multiple groups including one that stays at home waiting to be called?

I was called a couple of years ago. I was very interested to experience the process, and then got told the week before that I wouldn't be needed. So a total anti-climax, and I took it as a personal snub, even though I'm sure it was just a scheduling thing!

I did a couple of years ago.

There will be an usher who basically babysits the jury throughout. They will walk you through your role, the rules and participants very clearly, it was extremely user friendly.

That said, I got chosen, sworn in, heard opening comments and then the trial collapsed on Day 2!

I did jury service nearly 5 years ago. You won't be sequestered to a hotel overnight. If your name is called as the jury is being selected, you'll be asked whether you know any of parties involved in the case. Then it's straight into it - you get sworn in and the charges on the indictment are read out. The judge will guide you through the process, explain what's happening and give you breaks. If jurors are unsure of anything or feel something has not been asked they can pass notes to the judge.

Once all the evidence has been heard and the jury starts deliberating you cannot leave the jury room until the end of the day - we took lunches in, there was a fridge. If a fellow juror leaves the room to go to the loo, you have stop discussing the case until they come back.

We were under pressure to reach verdicts quickly, which I didn't like as it takes people different amounts of time to digest the information and decide on things for themselves. Some charges we were able to decide fairly quickly, others took longer. If you cannot all agree then you ask the judge for direction and they may allow a majority verdict instead of a unanimous one.

Expect lots of hanging around and take a good book.
I had to travel and hour to another town. Most days we were sent home again.
Finally in the third week got a case and was pretty surprised at the ineptitude of the barristers. It was quite interesting though especially as the incident had occurred in an area I'm very familiar with. There were lots of diagrams.

Did it in February. Absolutely loved it. Yes lots of waiting about as the process at our court was fairly slow but you’re so well looked after. Lots of breaks. I got onto two cases. Fascinating. It’s a like a front row seat at a play. Barristers were brilliant.

Have heard a few different things about multiple groups including one that stays at home waiting to be called?

Yes there will be lots of jury groups, depending on how many courtrooms and cases there are. Sometimes you’re sent home and told you will be contacted, but that very much depends on the case and any hold ups and if they can be sure they won’t need you. I had to go in every day (along with the rest of my group) and there was A LOT of sitting round doing nothing, so take a book or something.

I did it (for the second time!) in February.

They will call up more people than they need, as they have to allow for people dropping out/becoming ill, etc.

When you arrive you will go to the jurors' waiting area. In my case, this was a big room, lots of seating, and some tables for people wanting to do any work. There was also a café where you could buy your lunch and get teas/coffees etc.

You will also be asked about your availability beyond the 2 weeks that you're normally expected to be available for.

The jury officers will be in charge of allocating jurors to panels, and you'll be told what number panel you are in - and then it's a case of waiting for your panel to be called. In my case, I was waiting for all of Monday and Tuesday without being called - we finally got called in on Wednesday afternoon.

For each courtroom there were around 15-17 jurors in each panel - 12 of you will be picked at random. The others return to the jury waiting area, presumably to be allocated to another panel.

In the courtroom, you will be provided with paper and a pen to make any notes that you want. At various points the jury may be asked to leave the court, allowing the judge/barristers to discuss specific issues - you will be led in and out by an officer of the court. When you return (and on subsequent days) you will sit in the same place in the jury 'box'.

When all the evidence has been conveyed, you will be taken into a retiring room for you to begin your deliberations. The first thing you will have to do is to elect a foreman/woman, who will be responsible for delivering the verdict that you have all reached, to the judge.

There was no time pressure on us to reach a verdict. It's important that you contribute to the discussions that you'll have, even if you have a different view from others. The foreman/woman should also ensure that everyone has had an opportunity to say what they think - but all of the deliberation and discussion must be based on the evidence you've heard, and not just on your own opinion!

Once you have reached a verdict, you contact the officer in charge of your panel, and you'll be taken back into court for the foreman/woman to deliver the verdict to the judge.

At that point you will either be released back to the jurors' waiting room, or you may be discharged. In my case, we were discharged on the Friday after our case was complete, and I didn't have to attend for the second week.

You should receive a full information pack from your court before you go, which will also outline what expenses you can claim for.

As PP have said, there can be a LOT of waiting around, so make sure you take a book or something to do.

My experience was pretty much identical to BIWI although I wasn't selected in my first week. A couple of mornings I went in and was told by 10.30 I could leave so I went back to work. One day when we were released we were told to call a number at 8am to see if we were needed the next day. We were put into groups and if Yellow 5 , or whatever our code was, was in the groups listed on the message we didn't have to attend.
I did a tax fraud case which was quite complex but the expert witnesses were really good at explaining it. I volunteered as forewoman and my fellow jurors selected me. It was about a week of hearing the case then a day of deliberation. I am confident we reached the correct verdict

I was called earlier this year (Scotland, high court). Phoned on the Sunday evening and recorded message said there was a trial going ahead and our group of jurors were to call back Monday evening.

Recorded message Monday evening said ballot would take place and those selected would be called. Had a call on Tuesday to say trial starting Wednesday and asked if I was available the next 10 days.

Attended court on Wednesday and they went through how the court works, jurors could not discuss case at breaks, witnesses would be on video links/pre recorded etc. Then they read out the name of the accused and the shopping list of charges against him over a ten year period and multiple victims. We were then asked if we had any concerns about being impartial to let them know and we could speak to judge privately. I raised my hand and was taken outside to discuss with the clerk of court, the clerk of court then spoke to judge and I was excused/could go home, another juror was also excused at this point.

There are some idiots called as jurors, one was saying they expected breaks every couple of hours to go out and top up the parking meter 🤦🏻‍♀️

When I got home after being excused from service I looked the accused up, nasty piece of work with a long history of offending of this type. I checked the outcome of the case too and he got off with all the charges. Although I didn’t hear any evidence (or lack of) it did make me feel guilty I didn’t help get him convicted ☹️ (but that was why I was excused because I couldn’t be impartial!)

Was told I would not be called again for 2 years, but if selected again to let the clerk of court know when they called there could be an impartially problem if it was that type of case again.

When you all say take a book, is that because you are not allowed a phone? Could I crochet or sew?

Yes you can knit/ crochet. No tech is allowed and there is a lot of sitting about waiting to be called. I was on a six week trail and got through so many books. We switched with the other jurors.

OH did it some time ago. Left him disillusioned with juries. Basically they got no guidance from the judge and they had an overpowering woman as chair who insisted that they only needed to think that he may have did it to find him guilty, 'beyond reasonable doubt' only applies to murder. It was a foregone conclusion as she started off with the police wouldn't have arrested him if he wasn't guilty, surprisingly several other jurors supported the idea.

You can have laptops and phones

I did it earlier this year. Everyone had their phones in the jury room and lots brought laptops. It’s only when you’re deliberating that they remove devices.

Thanks all, very helpful. I am worried about being sent home early as I don't work set days and have been excluded from the rota for two weeks so going back to work on an early finish wouldn't be straightforward.

Just don't go back to work then! But are you being paid for your two weeks?

I would check with your workplace and with the court how that works.

I could only claim expenses (including a small amount for loss of earnings) for the one day I was required in court not for the full period.

I did it many years ago. I was fascinated to see the inner workings of a court up close but both cases I was on really affected me for a long time afterwards. One was a really nasty kidnap/rape.

There can be a lot of waiting around but both times I was on it I was put straight on a case and was in court all day every day till it finished apart from breaks. I never got to read all the books I had stocked up with. One lasted 2.5 weeks, the other 4 days and I was discharged after that.

I did it years ago. A fraud case which was really good and the QC for the prosecution was brilliant as he led people into his trap. Think I did a robbery one as well. A work colleague got a case that went on for months and our employer was furious but could do nothing. Of course you can't discuss the case.

Actually that's not true. You can discuss the case - you just can't reveal or share what was discussed in the deliberation room.

Do not, absolutely do not, Google the defendant or any of the witnesses or anything about the case while the case is ongoing. A woman juror got into serious trouble for doing that some years ago. You must decide the verdict based only on the evidence given in court.

I did it and really enjoyed it. Only got to actually decide one case, three others all came to some kind of agreement or changed plea to guilty after a day or two. I was lucky none of the cases was anything traumatic. I found the judges amazing and more sympathetic than I expected. One case was genuinely funny with a bunch of witnesses who couldn't reliably tell you what day of the week it was. I actually felt sorry for the barristers in that case.

I had the complete opposite experience. Had to attend for 2 weeks and never got selected for any trials. It was the most boring 2 weeks of my life!

That's a shame, it was one of the most interesting things I've ever done. The jurors all clicked and worked well as a team as well as getting on socially which helped with some of the more difficult aspects of the case (it was a murder). It was about a year till I realised I no longer thought about it every day, it was such an absorbing experience. I do sometimes wonder how things are now for the families. Someone I know lost a family member in a similar case more recently and it has devastated their lives.