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?

I apologise LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett is my post offended you.

Of course there are some horrifying cases that are seen, but I find it truly fascinating to see how the courts work. A number of people I know have also said they would love to be picked for the same reason

I'm self employed. I live in fear of being called up. I would endeavour to get out of it if called.

The fact that some people do get called multiple times kind of proves that it is random - they don't (normally) exclude people because they have been called before.

Take a die and roll it. Keep a note of the numbers that come up.
I'd be very startled if some numbers didn't come up a second time before others have come up at all.

Random is weird...

Of course there are some horrifying cases that are seen, but I find it truly fascinating to see how the courts work

Have you ever observed a trial, OP?

It's beyond tedious. Lots of sitting around, waiting, jury getting sent in and out so Crown and Defence can argue the finer points of what they want omitted/included before the Judge.

I'd rather have a double dose of Scale and Polish at the dentist's.

Yes, a few years ago I was in a three week long case.

I have recently got called up for it, tried to get out of it, will be 7 months pg, with child at school and dh working away, also self employed....build up to xmas is busy for us but they wouldn't let me be excused, no idea how I will cover school runs, pick ups and people to look after ds etc if more than a few days.

I've been called twice. The first time I was excused as I was doing my finals for my degree. I was then called again 15 years later but at a different address. I deferred for a year as I was due to give birth that month and didn't fancy trekking across the other side of town then! I ended up on a murder trial. The victim's family impact statement after the trial was heartbreaking

Selection might be random. Those who attend are not.

Young mums often get a deferral. SElf employed people who's business depends on them can usually get deferred etc

So it looks like it's the people who can afford to go- the independently wealthy, those employed by the NHS or big organisations where it won't "hurt" the employer- there is a cap on what you can claim so if you work and earn lots you'll be out of pocket if your employer doesn't pick it up etc

Personally I'm a small employer and up till a few years ago had an automatic " get out" we now have insurance that will pay out if i'm called and I want to do it but haven't been called!

I've been selected but I'm not allowed to do jury duty for medical reasons.

It actually really bothers me when I think about it. It's hard to explain - one of my civic responsibilities has been taken away from me which somehow makes me feel less of a participant in society. It's like not being able to vote. I mean, people might not exercise their right to vote in every election, but they still have the right IYSWIM.

The first time I did it I was on a two week murder case but it wasn't too gruelling (neither victim or accused were sympathetic characters and the death was pretty well instantaneous) and I did find it one of the most interesting experiences of my life, I got on well with the other jurors too. However it made a massive impression on me and it was at least a couple of years before I stopped thinking about it on an almost daily basis, I dread to think what it would have been like if it had been a longer, more complex case, perhaps involving multiple crimes, victims, maybe children.

So, when I got my second call-up I was quite worried about it, but didn't have grounds for deferral. The first case I was picked for was scheduled for 12 weeks, I managed to get excused from that on the basis of my caring responsibilities (child with autism) and boy was I glad I did, I followed it on the news and it was truly grim. The case I actually got picked for only lasted 4 days and was not traumatic, again the victim was not someone very sympathetic.

I really hope I never get picked again.

I've been called 3 times in 16 years - and as the last time (which was High Court) I didn't have to serve at all (rang at the beginning of the week and was told I wasn't needed), that means I can be called again any time

Dh has also served three times in the same timescale. So it does make you wonder how random it is

I even got called once within the five years since my previous service (to be fair, we'd moved house inbetweentimes): was on maternity leave, so wrote to them saying I wasn't eligible until the September and by the way, I would still be breast feeding ds and would need facilities to express and store EBM . For some reason I didn't get called that year but did get called 2 years later

I thought you were only excused for two years unless the judge specified otherwise, that's what it said on my last call-up I think. I was outside two years but within 5 by about 2 months.

I've been called once and found it really illuminating and rewarding to see the judicial procedure. Neither case was distressing, though.

I've also been called as a witness in a trial, although the defendant pleaded guilty at the last minute (bit of an open and shut case, apparently).

A friend was involved as a witness in a distressing case, and found the judge dealt with the matter extremely sensitively and appropriately. It was actually a positive experience to attend the trial.

When I was at law school I had a friend there who, at the age of 22, had already been called twice. It is totally random. My mum was also called but she found it dull as she spent most of the time waiting to be called.

I've been called twice and twice had to turn it down. First time was going to Uni and second time had a new born baby. Damn shame.

My husband, mum, brother & SIL have all been called.

My DH was on the jury for an inquest, which was pretty horrifying. It took him a while to get over it.

I have to say I am both self-employed and have childcare responsibilities and I wasn't excused - either when I wrote before the date, or when I had the chance to explain to the Clerk of Court that I had caring responsibilities. So not sure if people really do get off on the basis of being self employed?

My dh has done it twice. First time he was there for weeks. Second time just the standard couple of weeks.

Mil has done it, it ended up being an 8 week trial.
I don't know a single other person who has done it.

I know very few people who have been selected. I never have. My DM was 60 before she was selected and spent two weeks travelling back and forth to the court on the bus but was never chosen for a case. There are so many cases requiring a jury, I wonder where they get them from.

Last time I was called, I explained to them I had no childcare on particular days (DH and I both work part-time, we have no organised childcare and the after-school places are usually booked) but was told to turn up and I would only be excused if enough other people were there. In the end we were moved about all morning then told there was no case for us and to go home.

I got called again just recently, and again said that I had no childcare on particular days and immediately got excused. I wondered if it is because I live in Scotland and lots of people have just gone on to the electoral roll so there is now a bigger pool to select from.

I think a lot of the perceived disorganisation is that there is a lot of last minute plea bargaining etc, so short trials are not that easy to plan. And there were at least twice as many of us as were needed for a jury when I was called, presumably in case some people don't turn up.

Never been called for jury service yet. I'm 49

I was called about 15 years ago. Sat on one case which lasted a week, got selected for another case which was going to last six months. My boss freaked out, tried to get HR to call the court and get me out of it and they said there was nothing they could or would do. Then we hung around for so long that the judge decided to dismiss us and select another jury, so that was that.

An ex boyfriend did it and it was a horrible rape case which really traumatised him for a long time.

It's a fascinating insight into justice, and I think an important civic duty but there's a high chance the case will either be dull as hell or extremely upsetting. I hope I never have to do it again.

My friend was called up at the High Court and on arrival discovered she was on the short list for the phone hacking trial. Apparently there were about 100 people they were selecting from, but she was one of the first to be dismissed as her boss is a good friend of Charlie Brooks. I'm not sure if she had to prove that or not, or whether they just took her word for it. Must ask her.