AIBU?
BewtySkoolDropowt · 18/06/2017 22:18
It depends on what the case is and how important your testimony is for the case.
Hissy, is not just about the financial aspects (I. E. Getting money back) , its about everyone being able to get time off at the same time and finding a holiday in the right place at the right price point, and the amount of time it takes to get it all organised.
LauraMipsum · 18/06/2017 22:28
YABTotallyU
Get in touch with witness support first thing tomorrow and tell them - they will be able to move the trial.
So many trials collapse this way that canny defendants now plead not guilty on the basis that while they may well get a 1/3 discount on sentence for pleading guilty early, there is a better than 1/3 chance that the witnesses won't bother to show and the prosecution will offer no evidence.
If you speak to the court in advance they can move the trial, or as others have said you can claim on insurance, but please don't just not show up. If you do that you're weighting a case strongly against the prosecution and wasting MASSIVE amounts of public money: legal aid if the defendant has it, the police, CPS, judiciary, court costs, etc. Possibly inconveniencing other witnesses who DO show up. Please contact the court to rearrange rather than being the berk who wastes everyone's time and money and relieves some smirking dickhead of the need to incur the possibility of a criminal record. Thanks 
. Ffs!howtopickausername · 18/06/2017 22:33
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
McTufty · 18/06/2017 22:36
If it is going on for several weeks then they should be able to accommodate you on a day that you are available.
Is it a criminal trial presumably? If so I'm less sure as I do civil but I think jiggling of witness timetables is common to all long trials regardless of jurisdiction.
INeedANameChange · 18/06/2017 22:48
Civil or criminal?
If it's civil and your evidence is imperative then whoever you're supporting will need to apply to the court to move the trial date.
Not so easy if it's criminal but if the trial lasts weeks then they should theoretically be able to call you on a day when you're not on holiday.
LauraMipsum · 18/06/2017 22:49
Your title was a bit ambiguous to lawyers who see witnesses not turn up quite frequently, sorry. If you mean AIBU to say I can't and then not show, yes that would be U. If you mean AIBU to ask them to move it for my availability, no, not at all, it's quite common for trials to be moved for witness availability or if it's a long trial, for the "batting order" of witnesses to be moved around to accommodate availability.
SometimesMaybe · 18/06/2017 22:51
You need to get in touch with whoever has cited you. It depends on the trial, what you are witness to etc. It can be possible for trials to be "part heard". E.g. Some evidence given then the rest held over for a later date (though this isn't ideal and wouldn't happen in a serious case). Depending on who you are witness for (prosecution or defence) your evidence (or part of it) may be agreed.
Get in touch and explain the situation. In my experience, in a minor trial a pre-booked holiday of an essential witness would usually mean the prosecution would ask for an adjournment and new date to be set, however for something more serious it might be less likely.
PoppyTree · 18/06/2017 22:53
Some courts will let you postpone to another time/another case for very little, and other won't let you even if it's something quite important.
Each court is different. You need to phone the court and ask if you can be deferred for another time/another case.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.