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Original poster

Jury service

94 replies

Thurlow · 14/02/2015 18:28

First things first, I 100% agree with how jury service is run and believe everyone should do it.

But seeing another thread today (apologies for the TAAT, I didn't want to hijack) made me think. Lots of people on the thread saying you just have to sort out any problems you have i.e. childcare.

What happens if you really can't just sort something like childcare (or caring for another relative) for two weeks? What if you are a single parent or your OH works in a job that can't give time off, like teaching or the emergency services, and you don't have family or friends to help? Or what if you don't drive and the court isn't served by public transport from your area?

I really do get the logic that you should try and make it work, but what happens if you haven't got the support to go, or going would cost you absolutely £00s?

OP posts:
LIZS · 14/02/2015 18:31

You can request a deferral but you do get a fair amount of notice.

AuntieStella · 14/02/2015 18:41

Expenses aren't huge, but should cover transport (speak to the Clerk)

A deferral means you'll have oodles of notice to arrange additional care (again, you should get some or all of the cost back).

I think it's vital that anyone/everyone can be called. There is no way whatsoever that something as important as juries should be made up only of the affluent.

HelenaDove · 14/02/2015 18:44

(again, you should get some or all of the cost back)

After how long...........what if you havent got it in the first place.

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/02/2015 18:47

It is an issue. We have no family within 1,000 miles and none I would trust to sit with DD within 2,000. I do have one babysitter she knows but she has a few months off and I had no one. What can you do if there is no one?

DawnOfTheDoggers · 14/02/2015 18:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Smoorikins · 14/02/2015 18:50

A colleague was on jury service and claimed for loss of earnings (I helped with the paperwork which is how I know). The payment was processed within a couple of days. She wouldn't have received the wages till four weeks later. It can be very fast.

AgentProvocateur · 14/02/2015 18:50

You'd have to use a nursery or childminder for a couple of weeks. It's your civic duty to do it if called. Who would look after your children if you were hospitalised? They give you plenty of notice to get something organised.

AgentProvocateur · 14/02/2015 18:51

And not driving is a really poor reason for not doing it.

Callooh · 14/02/2015 18:55

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MrsTerryPratchett · 14/02/2015 18:56

I understand it's my civic duty (just did my citizenship exam). There are some people who have no family, won't put their child in childcare and have no partner or one that can't do childcare. I know people who haven't been to the doctor or dentist in years. Goodness knows what they would do if they were hospitalised. Theoretically SS could step in but I doubt they would for Jury duty.

Muppetsbitch · 14/02/2015 18:57

Lots of notice is no use if you don't have options to arrange.

Re driving they may pay for taxis on prior arrangement but agree if you can't drive and its not served by public transport then you should no way be elected to fund your own taxis!

OhTheThingsYouCanThink · 14/02/2015 18:58

You don't HAVE to do Jury Service. DH had to get his deferred (many moons ago), but he loved it once he did it (only lasted 3 days and he enjoyed getting home much earlier than normal). I couldn't do mine (when asked 9 years ago), as no child cover (DC were babies and breast feeding) and DH couldn't take that much time off. Though if asked again I would LOVE to do it! You are allowed to say No, not at this current time, as long as you have a valid reason. I pray I am asked again.

jellybeans · 14/02/2015 18:58

I wouldn't have done it with very young DC and health issues. Luckily haven't been called. Fine if kids older etc. But people shouldnt have to do it if they can't manage.

Original poster
Thurlow · 14/02/2015 18:59

Of course not driving is a poor reason to not do it. I was just mulling it over. Imagine it would take you neatly 2 hours to get to a court using public transport. But if you also had kids, that would mean needing childcare organised from say 7am-7pm, in case you had to do a full day.

I'm not arguing this because we wouldn't be able to do it - it'd be an arse, as DP doesn't have a job that would allow him to help, but we're fortunate enough to have support to muddle through.

But seriously, it's the idea of "get something organised" that had me thinking. Where are people going to magic two weeks of support and childcare from? What if they are a lone parent, or their OH does a job where they work away?

OP posts:
Original poster
Thurlow · 14/02/2015 19:00

Yes, I suppose if you had no one and were hospitalised than it would have to be foster care for any DC. Which is hardly helpful for two week's jury service!

OP posts:
Callooh · 14/02/2015 19:01

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idiuntno57 · 14/02/2015 19:02

I think it is good that everyone has to do it. When I was called 10+ years ago it felt easy to get out of in that I said I had an important appointment with my psychiatrist (I did) and could I do another time and they just wrote me off as a person with mental health issues (I am bipolar) and I never heard from them again. I would have been happy to do it just not then. The law has been changed now and everyone does mean everyone but I think lawyers should be exempted.

HelenaJustina · 14/02/2015 19:02

I have just done it...

I'm a sahm to 4DC under 8 including 2 preschoolers. There is no way my DH could take 2 weeks off so soon after Christmas. I found a childminder and made it work.

Lots of people suggested that I defer (you get another date within the next 12 months) or ask to be excused completely due to the children but I felt really strongly that it was a civic duty.

If all working age people/carers were excused juries would be far from representative of society and that would be a Bad Thing IMO.

Yes it was logistically difficult and I would have struggled to do a long case but those are rare and I could have asked to be excused from that particular trial.

I would definitely do it again, it involved a lot of 'hurry up and wait' but was very interesting and has sparked a little flame in me about a possible return to work. I have claimed for my childcare, travel and subsistence so won't be out of pocket at all, in fact I would say I was enriched by the experience.

idiuntno57 · 14/02/2015 19:03

sorry realise I was a bit off message -

Pinotgrigioplease · 14/02/2015 19:05

When I called about childcare issues as we only have it for 4 days a week as I'm at home on the 5th day I was told the court would provide me with a list of registered childminders in my area with availability and the costs would be covered by the court so that one is easily sorted at least.

I had 3momths notice before the date of my summons to sort things out.

threepiecesuite · 14/02/2015 19:05

I have just finished jury service. Most courts are in town or city centres and easily accessible via public transport.
Most cases begin at 10am approx or later so I had time to take dc to school on time before going for the train.
Court sits until 4.30pm. I had to use after school club some days which court quickly reimbursed me for.

TidyDancer · 14/02/2015 19:06

You can get an excusal if you really can't do jury duty but I highly doubt childcare issues would be accepted as a good enough reason (can't see people simply refusing to use childcare being looked upon favourably).

Taxis can be used by prior arrangement in some circumstances.

Basically, they make it nearly impossible for people to be unable to do jury duty.

HelenaJustina · 14/02/2015 19:06

It is correct to say that you can only defer once so they encourage you not to do do if possible as the second date offered is final and may be even less convenient.

They will find taxis in extreme transport cases but this must be agreed before you start. The guidelines say that a journey time of up to 1.5 hours on public transport is acceptable. I had children to drop off so had petrol and parking paid instead.

threepiecesuite · 14/02/2015 19:07

Like a previous poster, I found it an enriching experience.

Looking around the jury lounge though and getting to know people, it didn't seem to be a representative sample of society. Mainly retired folk and middle aged women with grown-up children.

Girlwhowearsglasses · 14/02/2015 19:09

I was called for the first week of uni - I was 19!

They let me off