To get off jury service

[speakout]

Just that the 8th time I have been called in 14 years. Why me!! I have posted papers to escape.

Can you just 'get off' jury service? I thought you needed a genuine reason why you couldn't serve, and only defer being called.

Why don’t you want to or can’t do it?

I did it earlier this year and although sorting the additional child care was a pain it was a great experience and I would definitely do it again.

I just did it for the second time. The court clerk told me if I got called again I wouldn’t have to do it.
I do think once you’ve done it once you shouldn’t need to do it again. I’ve met so many people that would love the chance but haven’t been called.

To paraphrase Josh from the West Wing... Do it or don't do it. But if you don't do it you don't get to criticise the OJ verdict

I think you've more than satisfied your civic duty!

I thought you could get out of it if you've done it more than twice?

8 times in 14 years??er wow! Really? I was called 3 times and appealed and got deferred.

That’s just strange. I would contact the authorities and tell them. It’s supposed to be far more random than the sane person 8 times.

It’s supposed to be far more random than the sane person 8 times

The same person being called 8 times is probably because it is random.

Many people won't ever get called at all. Many people will get called once or twice. If it's a 'names out of a hat' process and your name goes back in the hat for every draw, the fact that you've been picked before makes no difference at all to the odds of you being picked again.

OP, did you actually serve on the previous 7 occasions? No wonder you're fed up with it. I've only done it once and it was the most monumentally frustrating waste of time I've ever endured and I work in the public sector so am completely au fait with the amount of bollocks that is allowed to get in the way of actual useful work.

No sorry- I have never actually served- maybe simply been deferred and my name has been put back on the list.
In the past I have simply phoned to be excused, but this time seems more complicated- forms to be filled in etc.

I will do what I can to be excused.

If you've deferred 8 times, perhaps you should just do the jury service? Why don't you want to? I got mine deferred for 7 months from a September to the Easter holidays, as I was taking over a new tutor group and had exam classes that I needed to get on track.

The jury service was interesting.

YABVVVU. Jury service is a hugely important part of making our legal system work fairly and well. Deferring once or twice due to circumstances seems reasonable. Deferring EIGHT times just because you don't want to do it is not. It's your duty. Suck it up.

So you havent been ramdomly picked 8 times. You were randomly picked once and have deferred ever since.

Do the service.

YABVU. Dury service is our civic duty and an integral part of our justice system.
It's an excellent experience too, you might even enjoy it.

I am a full time carer for my elderly disabled mother.
Without me around she would struggle.
She lives with me. Without someone around she would not eat or drink.

I would love to do jury service, just not sure how she would manage without me around.

Why haven’t you just done it and got it over with? You made it sound like you had physically served 8 times.

Oh no sorry- I have been called 8 times.

I haven't done it because of my domestic situation. I am unaware of how the system works.

Your OP makes it sound as though you have done your fair share and then some! YABU in deferring for a eighth time.

You've not been picked 8 times then. You've been picked once and because you keep deferring, the keep recalling you. Just do it and you won't be called again. Have you really had genuine reasons you can't do it for 14 years, or is it just that you don't fancy doing it? If the latter, you abvvu.

X Post with hour of 6:55

*with yours

OK maybe I need to make more efforts top do the service.

Would social services help?

Would you be able to arrange for carers to come while you serve?

Generally people are entitled to help with the cost of care (attendance allowance I think it's called) which she might be getting anyway, but if not I don't know how practical it is to apply for this for a temporary period. Yes, try social services to find out how to arrange care.

My mother does get attendance allowance- higher rate, but I cant see that money stretching to a full time carer.

Are you in the UK? According to government website you can, by law, only defer once for a)an operation b) a booked holiday c) if your employer can't release you at that particular time (e.g your Santa's elf and get called on 14th December) - you need to provide written evidence of your reason. Am amazed you've got away with it for so long without being fined.