To think that jury service selection isn't random at all

[Teddybeau1988]

I have just received a letter summoning me for jury service. I'm really looking forward to it. They will cover wages and travel, and also feed you for the days your there. I spent three weeks on a trial a few years ago and found it really interesting.

A few of the other jurors had been picked before. Has anyone else been picked multiple times?

It was the dullest experience of my life. You're not even guaranteed to enter a courtroom, you might spend the whole 2 weeks sat on your arse in the waiting area.

I've done it twice in the last few years several of my fellow jurors second timd round where also on their second go.

I was picked last year, I enjoyed the rest from my stressful job! The trial took 3 weeks and the judge said at the end if we were selected again in the next 10 yrs we could turn it down.
The trial was so boring,(I fell asleep for a few seconds twice! All the jurors did at some point!) days of phone records to study but met some nice fellow jurors and we laughed a lot when not in court.

Dh has been selected, but it would have potentially made us homeless, had it been a long trial, as dh is self employed. He had crucial deadlines to meet to mive his business forwards, so it was lucky really that ds had only recently been born, so dh got excused because of that.

I was summonsed but add I had moved house I was excused.

Do you know what OP, I typed out a measured response, but FFS. You do know you could be called for a case involving child abuse, murder, sexual abuse, dv, rape, don't you?

The second time I was called (but thankfully not selected) the case was awful - multiple rapes, multiple victims. Have a little compassion, it's not a day out at John Lewis.

I was selected once, Unfortunately I was very mentally unwell so my GP wrote them a letter saying I was too ill to do it and would be for the foreseeable future so I think I'm exempt now.

Mid 40's and I've never been picked.
My dad has done it a few times as has my little sister.
But my mum and me - NOPE!
I'd like to though so I am disappointed that I haven't been chosen!

I was told i was on the list several years ago. I wrote to explain that DD1 had special needs and i would not be able to switch off my mobile phone and might have to leave at a moment's notice. I received no reply, but i was never called.

I've never been chosen but like two other posters am also agoraphobic and worry about either not being able to get there in the first place or not being able to get out once I'm behind a shut door.
Going off thread - How strange to find two other agoraphobics with the same worries, I've never met another agoraphobic before and here the 3 of us are like buses

I know two who have done it, first said it was quite boring. The second had a horrendous case and wasn't prepared at all for it being what/like it was. They are still having counselling for it now it must have been well over a year ago now they did it.

I did it at 18 and again at 23. Really interesting, but rather depressing about the stupidity of some of my fellow jurors, and the disorganisation of the court.

My mum got called at 61, spent a week sitting in the juror's waiting room but didn'tactually hear any cases. Seriously ddisorganised when she was there.

I did jury service once and enjoyed it. However, the case I had was not traumatic for which I am hugely grateful.

Agree Poly. My case was only 3 days but I managed to persuade most of the 'hang him!' Jurors to see sense. Afterwards one woman came up to me sobbing and thanking me for changing her mind. It was a ridiculous case that shouldn't have been brought to court.

On the other hand my boss was called last year and had a 3 week graphic murder and rape trial. Awful.

Completely random. I used to work in a court. Then when you get to court you shuffle cards with jurors names on and read the top 12. You can't exclude or include any name for no reason at that stage.

It's not disorganised. It's the nature of how a court runs.

I was on with someone who'd done it 3 times in just over 4 years - literally as soon as the two year gap was up they were called again.

DH, MIL, Me and DB have all been called. One of us was exempted.

One case I was on still troubles me now. Another was open and shut - no idea why he didn't plead guilty. Overall, I found it interesting. A lot of waiting around though, and as I say, one of the cases still plays on my mind a little bit now.

Glad I did it though.

They don't cover your wages, unless you earn peanuts. I'd like to do it though out of curiosity

I refused on the grounds of financial hardship. It would have cost me a lot of money to do it.
It would have also cost my employers thousands because they couldn't book me to clients so they wouldn't have been able to pay me.
The daily fee is less than half of my daily rate. I feel bad that I should have done it but if it had gone on more than a few days I'd have been skint.
The system is wrong if the reason for refusal is financial.

I've never been picked before but my boss has been twice. She knows someone who has done it three times.

I did it about 15 years ago. Luckily, the case was money laundering so nothing nasty going on. The case got cancelled after 2 days as the judge knew someone involved in the case. Met some lovely fellow jurors which made all the time out of court pass a little quicker.

I agree, purple. That means that jury selection is not random at all.

My absolute dread would be getting selected for a trail that went on forever.

The hacking trial went on for 6 months.

I recently got picked but had to apply for an excusal for various reasons.

I agree that although the initial selection is random, the people on juries are not a random representation because people who are self employed or who have caring responsibilities are excused.

Although, I am really bloody relieved I was excused. It really would have tipped me over the edge to have two weeks out of work, plus finding childcare and some way of getting to a court in a totally different town with no easy public transport.

I was picked but deferred due to an already booked holiday - I had to let them know at that point when I would be free over the next 12 months, and I was re-called in that time. The first case was very straightforward (drugs, nothing violent) and I was discharged from serving on the second case as it involved a man accused of making bomb threats against my employer. Trouble was, another juror also worked for the employer (and one of the spare jurors!) - it was the county council - so the trial could not proceed at that time as there weren't 12 jurors available. The judge seemed a bit unimpressed and suggested that this was an issue which may have been foreseen and planned for.

My brother was picked for a murder trial at 18 - I was so impressed with how very seriously he took his duty as he was a bit of 'a one' (as they say!). Seemed to grow up a lot following that experience.

Neither of our parents have ever been called though.

I found it very interesting but isolating, and can imagine that any case involving someone being hurt could be very emotionally draining and difficult to deal with. But you have to don't you? To do your bit in ensuring justice is done.