Bloody jury service

[fussychica]

In all my years at work, where I would have been paid by my employer, I was never called for jury service. I'm now retired and I've been called right in the middle of the summer. Although I don't mind doing the actual thing getting there will be a nightmare, (I dont drive) and the subsistance doesnt even cover 2 drinks let alone lunch. I dont have an actual holiday booked but had quite a few plans for this part of the summer. I know its my civic duty but Im a bit pissed off about it as if you couldnt tell

An old article but interesting that two thirds get out of it www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/twothirds--of-people-avoid-jury-service-739677.html

I was the only person doing my role at a charity but as the hours were 10-4, and many days were shorter than that so I found I could keep on top of things around it. There were also often long breaks whilst they discussed legal stuff the jury couldn't hear, and days where we were sent home early

The black rider - dh's job is like that, he can't drop everything and go. Nothing to do with money, some jobs just demand that.

And I can't imagine how loaded you'd have to be not to resent losing a couple of thousand quid!

My Dh is owed over 6 weeks holiday so far, he's been unable to take it and not through lack of trying. It's crap, but some jobs are like that.

Ilovesooty it wouldn't be impossible to clear all weeks. But it would be impossible to clear some weeks, yes. Some of what I do I schedule myself, and subject to whoever I was visiiting/meeting with agreeing to change it, that would be doable. But other things are scheduled by other people - I was in Brazil for a week last month delivering training to people from all over Latin America. That was organised almost a year in advance. I'll be in Africa later this year doing the same thing (for people from all over Africa, not for the Latin americans again). I have various committee things over the year in various places round the world where the dates are set a year or more ahead, again because of the logistics of getting busy people from all over the place there. And then there are conferences where I am the key (or sometimes the only!) speaker, meetings where the date is determined by eg regulators (no hint of free will there) etc. And it's often not just the availability/involvement of others, it's things like hotels and other speakers being booked. Like I said - there are lots and lots of weeks I could mess with but several - about one a month except in August and at xmas and Easter - where I just can't. And before you ask - yes, if I got sick it would be a major problem. I did in fact have a severe allergic reaction in Geneva last December and it was a disaster. :( But I think people (especially those from overseas) are likely to be more understanding about sickness than about jury service. I might be wrong though, they might be lovely. But I do worry about it especially when someone I know is called or when I read something about it. I am one of life's worriers. And most people approach the issue by saying variations on the theme of nobody is indispensable but really, in my firm, I kind of am. Which is why they pay me what they do.

To be honest I feel that 7 weeks holiday a year isn't enough! AIUI though, Lotus's situation is that she IS her business and if she had to take 6 weeks out she wouldn't have a business to come back to. That sort of life wouldn't be for me (I like having an employer, I was my own business for a while and hated it). But I know several people who are in that position. It's not so much you own your business as your business owns you.

How are potential jurors selected?

I know you have to be on the electoral register but say for cases at Nottingham Crown court for example, they must only select from a electoral registers within certain localities?

If jurors are picked based on geographic location you would expect people living in some areas to be more likely to be picked due to locations of courts.

It's annoying turning up and not being picked. I've only had that happen once and never actually sat on a jury.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I did jury service at Christmas at the Old Bailey. It was horrible - the case itself was slightly upsetting but it was the attitudes and dare I say it, stupidity, of some of the other jurors that I found awful. I had nightmares about it for weeks afterwards. I am very pleased that I know I won't be called for two years.

BUT, saying that, there are all sorts of reasons to be exempted. I don't think it's as hard as people make out. It certainly didn't appear to be when I was there. Not having childcare is a reason, according to the usher on my trial. So is breastfeeding. Also, when you get selected for a trial, they tell you what the trial is and how long it's likely to last and you can say no. They select about 15 jurors and then pick 12 from that. If it's a rape, for example, and you've got personal reasons not to want to be a juror on a rape, you can say so. Or if it's likely to last 15 weeks and you're going to Spain in three weeks' time you can say so.

So book a holiday for two weeks after you're called and you won't get put on a long trial!

I like the work ad it's as enjoyable practising law as it is doing the garden. Also we usually go away for a week at Christmas but didn't this year as I was trying to clear more divorce debt (I don't have savings as my husband got rather a lot on the divorce). I don't have a problem when we go away for a week in July looking at emails as they come in. I won't be working properly that week unless something very urgent needs doing and then it won't take more than an hour. I have a lot of benefits claimants to keep... never mind the cost of taking 5 children +1 on a holiday.

i was just setting out how hard it is go have time free. We have set out the Dec/Jan week away already in diaries so I won't book any thing for work in that period. There will not be a week the rest of this year other than the week holiday booked without things in it that cannot be changed. So yes I could fix a jury service 2 weeks now for say never year (although not even every day of next year as things rae booked for 2016 already for work) and would work late into the evening to try to cover the lost cost but if I were asked to pick a 2 weeks this year for example they are simply not free and we are talking about things where people have spent hundreds of pounds already to hear me speak on a particular day (that is an awful lot of it) or 8 people have fixed a meeting around our mutual availability and it woudl be very hard to mess them all around by changing the date etc.

However I am not against jury service. It is just that some of us have a bit more complicatd lives with less time off than others.

"...I did jury service at Christmas at the Old Bailey. It was horrible - the case itself was slightly upsetting but it was the attitudes and dare I say it, stupidity, of some of the other jurors that I found awful."

Blondegirl73, what were the other jurors like?

I feel for you.

I've had to do this twice, once was just quite dull and the other harrowing. I have trouble concentrating and I rarely changed my mind on someone and their first impressions. I lost a fortune in money also.

I would love to do jury duty!!

Whataload - most of them were thoughtful and listened to what has been said but enough of them were obstructive and bigoted to really upset me. Saying things like they didn't believe something a witness had said because she was a woman and women lie. It opened my eyes a bit about how some people think. I also wasn't convinced they all understood what we were supposed to do. We deliberated for three days and failed to reach a verdict.

I see it as something important that everyone needs to contribute towards..... but it is a hassle. I was called for the week I expecting dd2 to arrive- I duly wrote back explaining my circumstances and was exempted but asked again a year later- que lots of hanging about for a week and then allowed to go again. Have had another letter again so waiting for date ... and like you I bet it's for during the summer holidays when I don't have a 'holiday' planned but lots of time with family organised... We'll see!

When I did jury service we were told how long the trial was estimated to last and if any body had a problem with the length of the trial they could be excused

I appreciate that different counties may have different rules but I don't know anyone that was forced to do weeks worth of service when it would be detrimental to them

When I did it we were told we could apply to the judge to be excused from a long trial but that there were no guarantees you would get off, it was up to the judge to decide on each juror's reasons.

I'd love to do it - I work for the civil service, so I think I'd get paid, so it would be a nice break from work!

I'd worry about being exposed to something traumatic like seeing photographs or a crime or hearing a harrowing testimony. I'm a bit sensitive, and that would stick with me. I'd also worry a lot about getting my verdict right.

I'd take my duty very seriously though.

Can you postpone it? They used to let you, but only once - the next time they want you, you'd be stuck with it, and if it meant missing your child's wedding it would be worse.

I've heard the summer weather's going to be crap, anyway.

I did it some 13 years ago. I sat about with all the other prospective jurors for a week; then we were called. The case lasted just over a week. It wasn't enjoyable, but it was OK. I was lucky, a guy I knew who was hanging about at the same time I was, went into a child abuse trial.