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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

130 replies

Teddybeau1988 · 03/10/2014 11:15

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?

OP posts:
PrincessOfChina · 03/10/2014 14:43

I understand that if the administrators expect the case to be lengthy you are allowed to lodge an objection and not serve on that case. Hence long cases end up being full of retirees or the unemployed. Not random in the end.

justmyview · 03/10/2014 14:46

To those of you who are saying that you think it would be really interesting to see how the court system operates - most courts are open to the public, so you can go in and watch a trial if you're interested

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 03/10/2014 14:55

About 40 names were called for the long trial I got out of (12 weeks)). A lot of people lodged requests to not be on that trial. The clerk of the court told us about one very long trial where a juror became pregnant and they only finished a week before she gave birth, the whole thing would have been null and void if she hadn't been able to finish apparently.

I don't think childcare is a valid reason to be excused or even deferred unless there are special circumstances such as newborn baby, or a child with disabilities. There have been quite a few other threads about this.

adrieneswall · 03/10/2014 15:04

I've never been called but it's something which scares me.
I was sexually abused / raped from being a young child until I was 14. It still affects me, if a tv program or film looks like it might be leading to abuse I can't watch it. I've had flashbacks brought on by 1970s wallpaper or seeing someone who looked like my abuser.
If I was called to an abuse case I would be an emotional mess.
Would I be able to be excused from such a case?

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 03/10/2014 15:23

adrienne I can't imagine any clerk of court (or the English equivalent) wouldn't excuse you on those grounds, but if you get called you still have to show up.

Basically (this is how it happens in Scotland anyway) a big pool of jurors turn up in the morning and are split between the different cases starting that day. The accused is brought into court and the charges are read. The jurors then have an opportunity to excuse themselves from the case, if for example, they know the defendant, or have some other grounds - like a pp mentioned a fraud case against their employer, which I'm sure would be grounds for excusal.

In your case, your history would suggest it would be extremely difficult for you to participate in the trial (and if I were you, and it came down to it, I'd also be suggesting your history would make it difficult for you to be objective, iyswim).

I'm sorry that happened to you Thanks and that it's still so difficult for you.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 03/10/2014 15:40

The long one I got out of, a juror that I had got talking to in the waiting room managed to get out of it even after being picked and sworn in. She was in a complete state about it, said she didn't sleep a wink the first night and just couldn't cope with it. The judge called her in and spoke with her privately and they excused her.

Ididntseeitsoitdidnthappen · 03/10/2014 15:51

I'd hate to do a legal jury but I'd love to be on a jury for an inquest as I think that would be really interesting

I know someone who had to sit through a fraud trial and really struggled not to fall asleep!

Nerf · 03/10/2014 16:03

I've just looked up who's ineligible and I think id be ok - very interesting, not sure id want to. Dh twice.

prettybird · 03/10/2014 16:26

In Scotland you are excused for 5 years if you've served on a jury. So being called and faffing around for a week on the off-chance you might be called doesn't count Sad (so the fact that I was never needed for the High Court means I can still be called at any time Hmm)

popcornpaws · 03/10/2014 16:31

I've been selected three times but only had to actually do it once, my dh has been selected twice but only done it once, I enjoyed it apart from all the starting and stopping throughout the case due to "legal technicalities"
It lasted a week and was very interesting but thankfully not horrific in any way.

OOAOML · 03/10/2014 16:34

But if childcare isn't a reason to be excused, what about people who have no organised childcare? I know that the court will cover childcare costs, but if you can't get a place, would they cover someone else taking annual leave to look after your child?

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 03/10/2014 16:39

I don't know, DH and my parents managed my childcare between them first time round, and second time we were OK with breakfast and after school club as they were both at school by then (at least the court days are short). However DH is self employed and has a lot more flexibility than most. It's him we dread getting called up, even a fortnight off work would have a massive impact on his workload, knowing him he'd be working all night and weekend to keep up.

ApocalypseNowt · 03/10/2014 16:41

If anyone is interested in seeing what goes on in a court you can just turn up and sit in the public gallery if you like.

OOAOML · 03/10/2014 16:41

I was quite shocked when I read what the court leaflet had to say about self-employed people. It seemed to boil down to paying loss of earnings (up to a certain limit) or paying someone to do your work for you, but not both. So presumably nobody self-employed could do anything other than a very short trial, or they would be hugely financially disadvantaged/lose business.

Marmot75 · 03/10/2014 16:48

My parents have both done jury service. I was called but I'd recently moved house to a new area and they told me I wasn't needed. My husband was called to do jury service at the Old Bailey (we live in London) this year but was allowed to defer because it clashed with a booked holiday and he's been given a new date in a few months time, which has worked out quite well because it means we've got more than one month's notice and can plan around it.

I do feel a bit jealous he'll be hearing a case at the Old Bailey which I assume might be more interesting than average. But not if it's something horrible. I think it's an important civic duty though.

Chippednailvarnish · 03/10/2014 18:23

They will cover wages and travel, and also feed you for the days your there
I've been called 3 times.
The daily amount paid to cover your loss of earnings is a pittance. The only childcare they would contribute toward was a registered childminder, so that cost me a fortune. The food was shit and the there was no parking so you had to use public transport.

On the bright side I managed to turn down the jury service at the Old Bailey as I was called a week after I had just finished at my local crown court!

Cadsuane · 03/10/2014 18:28

I have been called 5 times and served twice and am only in my early 40's. All the calls have been for the High Court and none for the Sheriff court.

Pretybird in Scotland if you are called and don't serve you are excuse for 2 years. I know this as the fifth call for me was a mistake as it was less 6 months after the last call and I got an appology and a we won't call you before blah date letter. (At least this was true about 2 years ago when I last called)

My DM has also been called several times but only for the Sheriff court, I think she has only served once. DF only got called once he was too deaf to sit and Dh also has been excused on other medical grounds.

combust22 · 03/10/2014 18:45

I have been called 4 times, but have managed to get out of it every time. Too busy looking after kids and suchlike.

ballsballsballs · 03/10/2014 18:45

I was on jury service with a man who'd deferred once and who'd had to close his business down for a fortnight to serve. It was costing him a fortune as he'd had to give his employees a break.

I was lucky because my employer topped up what I was given as loss of earnings. IIRC it was £56 per day including travel (2006). My travel was £10 per day.

MidniteScribbler · 03/10/2014 18:59

I've been called three times. The first I was exempted because of my employment at the time (political job). The second time I had already moved from the area (2 1/2 hours drive). Third time I managed to fill in about five of the exemption categories and never heard back from them so assume it was accepted). I wouldnt have a problem with doing it necessarily, but unfortunately for many it is just not a feasible possibility.

Frikadellen · 03/10/2014 19:01

DH was called about 10 years ago,. At the time he was self employed and only wage earner in our house. the case took 10 working days and was TOUGH for us to get through as nothing could be claimed back.

Additionally it was a very bad case involving a young child (dh at the time had similar aged children) he woke up for months after with nightmares from it..

I won't ever be called as I am not a British citizen

southeastastra · 03/10/2014 19:03

i've done it twice and was selected again but couldn't do that one. i always thought it was because i was in an area where not many people registered to vote.

BlotOnTheLandscape · 03/10/2014 19:05

I got called twice, once I did it. I was about 19. I got called again 17 years ago when my youngest was a newborn and I was told I'd be called again in a year. I never heard from them again.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 03/10/2014 19:07

OAOML I'm in Scotland so it may be different where you are, but when I was last called around half of the juror pool were trying to get out of it for one reason or another (me included) and the impression I got from the Clerk was 'I can't let everyone off'.

There is an option to pay someone for being a proxy for you - which was going to be my only option, ask a friend to do cc but pay them.

Oh and the wages allowance is a pittance so I would have been losing money too.

That said, I do think it's our duty to do it and I would have done it willingly. I'm glad I didn't get selected because of the nature of the case, not because of the money/cc iyswim.

cakedcrusader · 03/10/2014 20:33

I got called and managed to defer until next year because of having young dcs and no childcare. The maximum amount you can claim is a fraction of what childcare actually costs for 2 or more children.