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.

I have not deferred- I have been excused.

Yes in the UK. The first few times it took no more than a phone call, no written evidence required, it was very simple.

Just do it and you won't be called again

Not true. I did it and was recalled twice.

OK so the consensus is that I should suck it up, pay for a carer and get on with it.

Maybe if you had said upfront that you are are a carer people would have been more sympathetic.

Yes, I’m afraid so.

It may not be that bad. None of the people I know who have done jury service have needed to be in court all day every day. Some haven’t been needed at all. You may get lucky.

As an aside, it’s also not a bad thing to have a contingency plan in place for your mother’s care should anything happen to you - illness, accident, etc.

So your mother has been entirely dependant on you for over fourteen years?

So your mother has been entirely dependant on you for over fourteen years?

Yes- is that not good?

Haven’t you had any break at all? No holidays or time with your DP/DH and DCs? That sounds really hard.

So your mother has been entirely dependant on you for over fourteen years?

Yes- is that not good?

Well.... I think it's admirable but I think you also need some back up arrangements in place. Everyone needs a break from time to time. Also you never know when you could be ill and need to go to hospital suddenly or when something else might crop up.... such as jury service. A situation where your mum could starve to death at home because you got hit by a bus and nobody knew she needed urgent care, probably isn't the best position to be in.

Yes I have had holidays, not many in the past few years because of her health. I managed to go on holiday with my DD three years ago- OH stayed at home with DS.

Yes- is that not good?

Of course it isn't.

What if you wanted a holiday or you were ill etc?

I’d just get it over and done with, most people I know have only been called once. There is a chance your get called again but if you have been called 8 times anyway in 14 yrs your more then likely just going to be called again in a year or so.

I think as a full-time career you have the same reason to say no as a SAHP of young children. Doesn't bother me at all that you don't want to do it.

OP - your op is very misleading. But it sounds to me like you have a perfectly good reason not to do jury service. Why don't you just ask the courts again if you can be excused before you start exploring alternative care for your dm?

You ask, 'why me' - presumably you keep getting called as your circumstances may have changed and you may now be free to serve?

DeathStare I am not sure what you mean by "back up arrangements".

What does that mean?

DeathStare I am not sure what you mean by "back up arrangements".

What would happen if you could not look after your mum.

RandomDream
Then the council would have to step in and provide care, or she would be taken to a care home.

But that is an option for any person needing care surely?

Speakout, it's ok to ask to be excused in your circumstances. You are doing your bit for society differently that's all. But I guess they are deferring rather than excusing you as it has happened so frequently, so if you can arrange something it might be best.

Write explaining your circumstances and ask to be excused. I am a carer and there is no way that I could afford to use precious respite for this. You are already working for free and saving the council money. Do not feel guilty but get assertive.

I sympathise. I was a juror and then six years later I was called again. I had good reason to decline this time because I was a childminder then and had six families who relied on me. I deferred, they called me back months later, I deferred and they called me back again - all within a few months. In the end I had to disrupt all the families and get it over with. It was a frustrating week of delays, waiting around and being sent home. And repeat, until I actually served on the final day.

It's a shame you'll have to disrupt your mums life when she's so vulnerable, but hopefully you'll not get picked when you go and then that's you off the hook.

By the way back up arrangements simply dont exist for many people. I have two children with disabilities and it simply isnt possible to have a carer on standby to help. Plus at 17.00 an hour for a carer it is financially impossible.

Have you contacted the council at all about a care assessment for your mother? You really need them involved now without waiting for an emergency. You may be able to get help with things like lifting, and the Care Act 2014 recognises that carers should not have to give up their lives to caring for their relatives and that social services should therefore plan for things like respite care.

Or do what Hague says, and don't do it. You have good reason. I just caved because I was fed up being asked.

I think the OP has every reason to ask to be excused. Both times I was called I was breastfeeding one of the DCs so I’ve never actually served although I would like to.

Jury service can cause financial hardship as well. Before I had DCs I worked in London and the employer stopped pay for jury service. A colleague of mine had just bought her own place when she was called, she ended up on a case that meant she was off work for nearly a whole month and had to beg her new mortgage provider to accept no payment that month because the “expenses” from court simply went nowhere near the actual loss of earnings (fortunately they were more flexible in the late 80s).