to refuse to do Jury Service?

[Messyisthenewtidy]

I've just received a summons and I'm freaking out. My employer pays up to 2 weeks but beyond that the expenses that you can claim are a pittance and I'll be in serious financial difficulties.

I'm a single mum so obviously the only earner. Can I reasonably refuse? Will they let me? What happens if it goes on for ages and I lose my job?

Please advise me! Has anyone managed to get out of it on the grounds of being the only wage earner?

You can't refuse. You have to have very good grounds for being excused. But that said, if you read all the paperwork you've been sent, there will be something in there about grounds for being excused.

Technically you can't refuse being a single mother is not an exception.you may not be called hopefully

As far as I understand it, you have to do it unless there is a VERY GOOD REASON not to.

I think you may ge able to defer on these grounds, not refuse. My mother was able to decline on health grounds, she had hospital appts coming up and was under investigation. Her gp wrote a supporting letter which helped. Do you have any medical reasons you can decline on?

I found out that if you have a mental disorder you are not meant to do it. According to WHO

'Mental disorders comprise a broad range of problems, with different symptoms. However, they are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse. Most of these disorders can be successfully treated.'

I feel like a lot of people could therefore not do it.

I did jury service last year as a single parent. I had to commit to the two weeks, but every time I went down to the court room to maybe get on a case (they take 15-16 down to fill a bench of 12) if it was a case that would take me over those two weeks I was excused as I had identified that I had no childcare nor income due to being a single parent.

I was there the full two weeks in the end, but on and off due to the cases, but they are understandable to your situation. You can't really completely be excused, but they don't want a juror after three weeks of a big case not going in and risking it falling apart, so they try and get a long term jury together who won't have issues

From memory your employer can refuse to release you for over the two week requirement. In reality it is rare that this would be an issue.

Some cases only last two days, some a week, some ten days, and in our court there were 7-8 cases a day, and at one point 100 jurors in the building. Not every case is a murder lasting six weeks, there's fraud, assault, drug offences, lots of other things.

You won't be excused full stop but they don't normally expect anyone who'd struggle with extended cases to go on cases that last longer than 2 weeks.

I found out that if you have a mental disorder you are not meant to do it. According to WHO

World Health Organisation? That would have no impact on UK legislation.

When they select a jury from the waiting pool they will ask you if you have any preconceived ideas/know the people/heard of the case - just keep saying yes - they wont select you..

I deferred few years ago because I didn’t have childcare (it was before my children were at school) and they just accepted my refusal. Haven’t been asked since.

I honestly don’t think you have to do it if it will mean you can’t pay your bills.

As chocolatetea said, they will pre ask for people that are available for the longer cases.
You can still serve the 2 weeks.

Probably not ideal, but my neighbour was sent jury summons papers and simply ignored it
Apparently, the courts are unable to prove that you even received the Summons as it is not sent by recorded delivery.
I am not advocating this cause of action btw

If you dont get paid by your employer you fill out a loss of earnings certificate and i believe the court pay approx £30 a day

The gov.uk site says your employer can't refuse to let you do it and can't discriminate against you for having to do it either, so you can't lose your job.

Although that doesn't solve the no income problem.

I vaguely recall that serious financial hardship is a reason for being excused?

I was excused due to not having childcare

www.gov.uk/jury-service/delaying-or-being-excused-from-jury-service

You can defer jury service once if your employer won’t give you time off work.

Oh thanks so much for your replies. Right I will try to defer, but it seems unlikely as my employer states it pays the first 2 weeks. I will do as ChocolateTea did and state that I can't do over two weeks, then hopefully I won't have to.

What a stress! I know it's something that has to be done but it will mess up my earnings so much and I don't have any savings.

I asked to be excused for childcare reasons and it was granted so didn't have to do it. And I'm not a single mum. I reckon you've got a good chance of being excused if you explain your situation.

Don't ask to defer as that just means you have to do it later - and you can only defer once even if the second date is even more difficult.

I remember they said to us that if it was a longer trial they would excuse people who couldn’t do it. You will be fine.

I heard of someone who said they were an alcoholic who had to be able to attend an AA meeting whenever the urge to drink struck them. Obviously AA have no membership lists.

My student DS was called but allowed to defer until the Easter holidays .

He went in, told them he was at University , had exams coming up and they only kept him for the initial day . The was no guarentee it would work in his favour but worth a try .

You won't have to do over 2 weeks if it's not possible. And it's highly unlikely to anyway. I've done it twice and probably on served for 4 or 5 of those days - it's 90% mundane stuff, burglary etc. Don't freak out OP! It'll be OK

You're only called up for one week. If you're asked to go on a trial that is expected to last for longer they will not force working people to do it. Go along. The system depends on people sitting on juries. The alternative is judges are sole arbiters of facts.

A journalist once reported being rejected after he ticked the box for mental illness because he was taking antidepressants.
I'm not sure why OP is concerned about it being longer than two weeks as 2 weeks is the normal expectation. When I was on the jury for a long case about 40 people were called initially and asked if they could commit to 4+ weeks. Most could not for various reasons and were excused from that case.