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

So many Dramaqueens on this thread

Drama is this all the time you're worried and sleepless about jury service or just when someone mentions it?

That question can be to either drama by the look of it

A pp said something along the lines of pay attention when you are in the jury. So true!

I felt a bit like I was watching a play and drifted off. . And I consider myself intelligent. Then there was the juror who couldn't possibly consider a guilty verdict because she "wasn't there when it happened" - resulted in much frustration amongst her fellow jurors. In a way, maybe the General public aren't best to decide on someone's future

I worry about being called for jury duty. I'm a TA and part of why I took the job is I have zero childcare for ds (5) in the holidays. Id really really struggle to find somewhere for him for two weeks or more over the summer and id be devastated to miss out on my holiday with him. He goes to the school care in term time but it doesn't run in the holidays. He's got high functioning asd and would find it hard to just be dropped somewhere he didn't know for a fortnight or more...
Although it's not booked holiday like with other jobs, it's still my holiday!

I was on trial for something I didn't do and was unanimously found not guilty. In addition to the situation being the most horrendous experience of my life which I don't really know how I will never get over, the time wasting was incredibly frustrating.

The afternoon the judge, 12 jurors, four defendants, four barristers, two court clerk and a few other people spent in court while we literally shuffled papers around half way through the trial because the prosecution had put the wrong documents in the jury bundle, was particularly frustrating. Seriously, it was like a lesson at school on the last week of term. I was stunned that court time and tax payers money was being wasted for this and no one would be reprimanded for it.

Sorry, a bit off topic but I think this is a perfect example of how the system needs changing.

Drama I totally get what you are saying.
I'm shortly starting jury service.
I'm worried about:
Getting the kids to school first
Childcare after school
Finding the court
What awful evidence I may have to hear
Waiting for ages sparking off anxiety
Losing concentration or not understanding (eg if it is a complicated financial fraud case.)
Where I will leave my stuff
Not being contactable if my kids need me
Fitting in all the other volunteer jobs etc I do
Parking
Pain (back problems) caused by prolonged sitting
Feeling threatened if I get a violent case
Not lunch though. I'm taking a packed one!

I certainly worry about it whenever the topic comes up, purely because I think my family would be royally screwed if I was called up for JS. My job involves frequent international travel including conferences and meetings which may be organised as much as a year in advance and where people will be traveling specifically to hear me speak or talk to me. I can't just turn round and say 'sorry, not going'. If I'm not able to do that when I'm sick, when my kids are sick, when they have important exams or interviews, when someone DIES even (all these situations have arisen within the last year) then I can't see that I would be able to do it for Jury Service without serious repercussions (and not just for me). However I must say my main concern is about my own pocket not about inconveniencing colleagues.

I was called for jury duty when i was on a "gap year" and admit i did think i wish i had been called for when working, however i enjoyed it, very interesting case and the meals provided were amazing!
unlimited tea and coffee anytime we were back in the jurors room.
It lasted two weeks and i felt proud to have been part of the downfall of a corrupt police officer!

Diamond randomly! Lots of times when I have things booked in advance or know there are important things coming up at work, or just randomly during depressive episodes really!

I only had to go in on the first day. I was chosen for a trial and sworn in; then there was a lot of sitting about in a back room and we were eventually told that there'd been a legal technicality and that we could all go home and ring a number the next morning to find out whether we had to go in. I rang it every day for the entire two weeks and got a recorded message saying that I wasn't needed.

DH will be doing jury service in July. He's self employed - if he's not working then he's not earning - and the £60 (approx) per day 'compensation for loss of earnings' is derisory and we'll be significantly out of pocket.

Narviectralonum... when I did jury service a woman was threatens with losing her job. She told the court she could not continue as a result. The judge became involved and talked to her employers.. I am not sure what he said but there were no further problems. I think employers have to hold the job open by law when employees do jury service.

I got called for September last year which is the busiest time for my work (education), I deferred and said I could so February, March or April and got called for February over half term which worked well. They don't ask questions when deferring so you could defer and just say any time after October or pick which months suit you best. If that's going to make you feel happier and allow you to make plans it sounds like that would be best?

Refreshments wise I was in Cambridge and we had an allowance or around £7 a day. I took a coffee in with me, had a coffee/snack mid morning and then jacket potato or salad for lunch plus another coffee/chocolate bar if I wanted and still got money paid back to me for refreshments at the end of it all.

Petal02 - self employed can claim for more - we had a farmer who claimed for much more than £60 a day. He just needs to ask for a different form.

I totally dread it as it would be a total nightmare for me, although potentially could be quite interesting (I transcribe court hearings for a job so I already have an idea of the potential interesting and deadly boring cases you can get).

For me the problem is I am self-employed, run extra-curricular kids classes which nobody could take over for me, I would have to give people refunds for missed classes as they pay in advance, and also if I cancelled the class for several weeks there is a good chance some would find something different to go to instead so I would lose their future business ie the allowance you get wouldn't touch it. Plus I have 3 school age kids with a ton of extra-curricular activities of their own which I would still be paying for although they would have to miss them, AND I would have to pay for them to go to breakfast and after-school club at school as well.

Basically I really hope I don't get asked to do it anytime soon. When the kids have left home and I'm retired sounds perfect to me.

Lists - they don't have to pay you though.

I think I would quite enjoy it but I totally get why you are fed up op I don't get how people are picked as I know a few people who have been chosen twice

I would worry about childcare, time away from dd etc but would find the process and justice system fascinating.

I'd lose tens of thousands if I had to do it so dread being called. Self employed and only took on week holiday last year. Getting stuck with a 6 week trial could destroy my business. People's court cases (I'm a lawyer) could be ruined too as I work alone so no colleagues to cover nor any secretary.

If I were retired and had no work all summer like the original poster it would be dead easy to do it and I'd willingly do it.

But that is a huge issue as too many juries are filled with the unemployed and retired so we don't get a representative sample. if someone would pay my lost fee earnings then I would do it but we are talking absolutely huge sums so that is never going to happen.

I got called last Sept but had not long gone through bowel surgery so had to postpone it. They rescheduled for 8th June and my second surgery which should've been over and done with resulted in complications - am still in hosp and will be by 8th June so I've had to be given medical exemption. To say I'm gutted is an understatement, I was really looking forward to it!

Lots of people moaning about the financial implications of jury service but you can insure against it. It's an extra on my house insurance, within legal expenses cover, £12 a year and it pays up to £1000/month. You can by more cover for more premium.

Jury service insurance has been available for years, Google is you friend. So like any potential financial loss, either insure against it or suck it up.

I was called up 15 years ago but was exempted because I had moved house from the address they had sent the letter too.

TTWK thanks for that info. I was told when I was looking at income protection (I am self employed) that it was impossible to get jury duty protection. My house insurance is coming up soon so will ask about that.

I would love to do it. I am a journo by trade, have covered court cases and would love to be on the other side. On the other hand, the income hit we would take makes my stomach sink. I would suck it up, for idological reasons more than anything else though.

In fact it would be good to have it soon as we have no children but may have some in the near future. My mother got called up twice but was breast feeding both times and got exempted. She is pleased she had the exemptions at the time as she really needed them (some states in the US don't exempt pregnant/breastfeeding women!) but would quite liked to have done it. None of the rest of my family have ever been called!

I do have v little sympathy for retired people getting called up. Honestly, you still get your pension!