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AIBU?

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Original poster

Bloody jury service

347 replies

fussychica · 29/05/2015 14:14

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

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 29/05/2015 22:16

Of course you can't simply select jurors on the basis that they're on out of work benefits. No way would you get a cross section of society. People on ESA might well not be well enough anyway.

minsmum · 29/05/2015 22:27

I have been called for jury service once and my dh twice. I found it quite interesting. Was on the jury for 3 trials. My travel expenses paid , met some nice people and discovered a lovely sandwich shop . I was at Southwark and the strangest thing was that jurors were allowed to tour around HMS Belfast for free. Which was fun when you wanted to get out at lunchtime. I wonder if they still do that. Best advice is to bring a good book for the boring bits

LynetteScavo · 29/05/2015 22:28

I'd love to do jury service atm, if it got me out if work for a bit....a change is as good as a rest, and all that. Smile

I wouldn't be so chuffed if I were retired, and it was the summer. I love the summer, and shuffle my way through the long bleak winter for a few weeks of sun and warmth.

It would be a nightmare if DH were called. If he was out of the office for a few weeks, who knows what he would find when he went back. He'd lose money we just couldn't afford.

TTWK · 29/05/2015 23:14

Those talking about insurance... "£12 a year and it pays up to £1000 month".
Well what if you earn £1000 a day + though? I don't think it would be sensible to pay massive insurance over a 40 year career just in case you get called up,

Is it sensible to insure your house when it probably won't burn down. I bet you do though.

TTWK · 29/05/2015 23:16

forgot to say, the insurance says you have to "prove your loss" so presumably you don't get paid twice if your employer pays you whilst on service.

Of course you don't. It's to cover your losses, not to make you a profit!

changingnameforthispost · 29/05/2015 23:16

I'm on jury service at the moment, as it happens, and finding it really interesting! The expenses cover lunch ( where I am you get £5.71 per day regardless of what you spend, so could take a pack-up and a flask) Travel cost via public transport fully reimbursed too.
We have a lot of waiting around but for me that has meant an opportunity to read, and also chat to some really interesting people.
The Court and Judge have been very respectful to us and our contribution, and whilst the content of the evidence so far has been complex, everything has been explained well and is understandable.
I feel privileged to be part of the process.
OP, my advice would be embrace it ! You never know what you may learn, but also , get in some good books!!!

YsabellStoHelit · 29/05/2015 23:22

I only know 1 person who has ever been called. I have been in a police line up though (not as the accused I may add, a policeman asked me if I wanted to earn £20 by standing in a line for 10 mins. I was a skint student, I nearly bit his hand off rofl)

I love the idea but if I got something serious like a rape or murder I would likely panic attack my way out of there...

Pipbin · 29/05/2015 23:22

To the people commenting about the money provided for lunch; is your lunch normally free?
I assume not, therefore you have to take in a lunch or by it at work so how is this any different, except you get an allowance?

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 29/05/2015 23:39

I think one or two of you are already exempt - the lawyers, and quite possibly the poster who transcribes cases.

My flatmate at university was called up, and was told that as a law student doing a traineeship she wasn't allowed to do it, so I imagine if you're more qualified you wouldn't be either.

morage · 29/05/2015 23:47

I worked in a small company where over 12 months, 4 of the 7 employees were called for jury service, one for 8 weeks. It had a terrible impact on the business. But the jury service people sympathised, but said the business had to suck it up.

Mutley77 · 29/05/2015 23:49

The comment about insurance if you earn 1000 per day is slightly ridiculous.
You don't necessarily need to insure to compensate your full earnings, just enough to cover your expenses which presumably aren't 28k per month.

Tbh on that salary I am slightly baffled as to why you wouldn't have enough of a buffer of savings anyway. Assuming a contract / self employed role you would be mad not to as any amount or things could result in loss of earnings and most people recognise that higher earning for contract jobs allows for the fact there is no safety net or other benefits.

Redglitter · 30/05/2015 00:21

I'd hate to be on a jury. I've given evidence before which I was ok with but I'd hate jury duty. So glad I'm exempt

HelenaDove · 30/05/2015 00:25

And presumably if people lost their jobs after doing their civic duty they would then experience the pleasure of being referred to as benefit scroungers . Nice Hmm

leccybill · 30/05/2015 00:28

I did it earlier this year for three weeks and really enjoyed it. It was a busy time and nobody was sent home early on any day. We got £5.71 a day for food which was ample, plus all travel costs reimbursed.

I'm a teacher so I enjoyed the opportunity to sit behind the desk as it were, off my feet, in relative quiet, at a much slower pace than my normal working day, and I loved the formality of the courts. In fact, I've since looked into jobs within the Ministry of Justice as I found it all so fascinating (and I'm desperate to get out of teaching!).

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 30/05/2015 00:33

Helena. I thought by law that a employee can not be sacked for jury duty, nor can they be refused the time off to attend

TheCatsFlaps · 30/05/2015 00:36

You can always sit and babble a load of incoherent shite, screaming "guilty" every two minutes if you want out of it badly enough.

HelenaDove · 30/05/2015 00:36

Maybe not ghost but how many people can afford to challenge it if it does happen with the changes made to legal aid.

And if its someone on zero hours their "employer" might decide not to give them anymore.

HelenaDove · 30/05/2015 00:40

What happens if someone on mandatory workfare gets called up?

ohoneybeeo · 30/05/2015 04:30

I got called for Jury duty a year and a half ago.
I was soooo nervous at first, and the first day I didn't get chose for anything. The second day i got called for a 6 week murder trial!
It was awful to hear the details, but so interesting too!
I would do jury duty again in a heart beat!
For us, we got paid car mileage or public transport costs.
£5 a day for lunch (which got you a meal and a drink from the canteen, and the food was actually nice!), and if you didn't use that then it got credited to your bank account.
And I got paid my usual work wage.

Treeceratops · 30/05/2015 07:25

Polkadots lawyers are no longer exempt. I did it whilst working as a solicitor and it was really interesting. It might be irritating but as many have said, it is your duty as a member of our society OP. YABU.

Superexcited · 30/05/2015 07:44

I think one or two of you are already exempt - the lawyers, and quite possibly the poster who transcribes cases.

That used to be the case but it changed a few years back. Even police officers can now be called for jury service. Of course a lawyer or police officer is more likely to know people who are working on the trial and would be exempted from that particular trial on that basis but would then have to wait to see if needed for a different trial.

I don't know if things work differently in different courts but I know when my cousin was called for jury service the pool of jurors who turned up on the first Monday were asked if they had any reason why they would not be able to do a trial expecting to last more than two weeks. Those that believed they had good reason for not being able to attend a trial lasting more than two weeks had to submit their reasons and then the pool was split into two groups - those that could only do a short trial and those that could do a longer trial. Reasons accepted for not doing a longer trial included: being a sole trader and having nobody to keep the business going, and having medical treatment coming up within the next six weeks. Loss of income was not considered to be a good reason and neither was not being able to buy lunch on the £6 daily allowance. I do have massive sympathy for people who lose income through jury service though.

RingtheBells · 30/05/2015 07:48

I know just how you feel OP, I hope to retire in a couple of years and would be really pissed off if that happened to me after working all my life and would have got paid for it. Could you defer it to the winter months if you have things planned? I think that is what i would do.

It also seems they prefer you to use public transport which would be a right pain as our court is about 15 miles away and well over an hour bus journey.

Superexcited · 30/05/2015 07:50

Just a bit of info for people. This is from 2004. I haven't posted a link because it was on the torygraph.

Judges, lawyers, politicians, vicars, bishops, doctors and peers will be eligible to sit on a jury from today.
Under the Criminal Justice Act 2003, all registered electors in England and Wales aged between 18 and 70, except people with a mental illness and those convicted of a criminal offence, must now serve on a jury if summoned.
Only those who can prove that they have "compelling reasons" can put off jury service or be excused.
Service on a jury may be deferred for health reasons or because of the death or illness of a close relative, a pre-booked holiday, religious festivals or essential service in the Armed Forces.
A person may be excused jury service because of insufficient understanding of English, certain care responsibilities or religious beliefs.
^People who are unable to sit at the time they have been summoned will be offered deferral to a more convenient time. Only those who prove they cannot serve at any time in the 12 months from the date they are summoned will be excused, and then only in exceptional circumstances.
Anyone who does not wish to serve on a jury will have to provide reasons to a new Jury Central Summoning Bureau, which will decide on applications for excusal or deferral.^

Housemum · 30/05/2015 07:59

TTWK - I wasn't meaning to make a profit, it covers your salary less costs but my part time earnings are less than it would cost for a week's childcare, so it wouldn't cover my loss as I'd have to pay for something I don't have a need for usually. And SAHMs would be totally out of pocket as insurance won't cover them for jury service as there is no loss of earnings.

ilovesooty · 30/05/2015 08:01

The upper age limit is now 75.