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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to refuse to do Jury Service?

184 replies

Messyisthenewtidy · 17/05/2019 21:49

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?

OP posts:
myhamster · 18/05/2019 22:08

I would love to do Jury Duty, but as I’m self employed I would lose clients if I couldn’t go to them for two weeks, never mind longer.

If I lose my clients then I can’t pay my mortgage. I’m the sole provider for DC (apart from a pittance of a maintenance). I’ve worked hard to build up my business and get off tax credits.

It’s not a case of not wanting to but not being able to afford to :(

spreadingchestnuttree · 18/05/2019 22:26

@Parker231

My friend works at the Courts and they are quite strict about giving deferrals. Having children and having to make childcare arrangements won’t get you out of jury service but having an ebf baby will.

I was excused for childcare reasons - I had a toddler, dh working full-time and no nearby family.

Hearhere · 18/05/2019 22:28

I wrote saying that I suffer with IBS I mentioned urgency and frequency
They let me off
I do have problematic gut issues, I'm also self-employed and I had a whole lot of other family issues to deal with at the time

Shouldhavenotdonethat · 18/05/2019 23:48

My mum also has IBS and was allowed to be let off doing it. She said she's be more than happy to but she said she wanted it in wiring that she'd be allowed to leave the room at any point she wanted / needed. They said that wasn't possible so they excused her and took her off the recall list also. If your really stressing then maybe saying this is an option

teelldeearr · 19/05/2019 00:07

Claiming carers allowance for someone gets you permanently excused from.jury duty as well

LifeofClimb · 19/05/2019 00:26

Don’t defer, you can turn up and ask to be excused (bring evidence - your letter will be passed to the judge and they will decide). They also do line you up and give you a good look, so if you look a bit crazy it might help you not get picked...(if you fail to get deferred or excused). You still might not serve.
I was called and picked years ago and then called again last year. I got excused the second time (it was a long case - there were about 50 of us because of the length).

If you see lots of people in the waiting room - like 30+ - you know you’re in for a long one. But they do explain everything. They accept as many excuses as they can within reason but there were some that got picked (who had excuses) so be prepared that the judge won’t accept it. Go in hopeful - but don’t expect it guaranteed.

Bumply · 19/05/2019 00:31

1st time I was deferred as over 8 months pregnant
2nd time I turned up on first day but wasn't picked out the hat
3rd time I was deferred not because of the letter from work saying they couldn't possibly manage without me, but because of a medical appointment (cataract assessment) in the middle of the first week.
4th time I turned up, waited hours before they told us the case wasn't happening.

And yet some people have never been called up.

TheValeyard · 19/05/2019 00:32

Advice from Homer Simpson applies here - the trick to getting out of jury service is to say you're prejudiced against every race.

pineapplebryanbrown · 19/05/2019 00:56

What if you're super keen to do it but hold batshit views or are an extremely malicious person who's desperate to send someone to jail.

Splodgetastic · 19/05/2019 08:31

This isn’t the US, so there isn’t often such a thing about jury selection unless you have previous or current employment in law enforcement or criminal justice. I’m not sure what would happen if you went wearing overtly racist or political symbols and this was relevant to the trial (in England anyway).

tangledyarn · 19/05/2019 08:58

I've never been called I wouldn't mind doing it..I think its important and might be interesting (although mostly quite dull I imagine) but would have to be excused on health grounds as wouldn't cope with it. Only work mornings with lots of reasonable adjustments and not sure the court would function well with me leaving at 1pm to go home to sleep everyday.

CookieBlue · 19/05/2019 09:01

My DP has recently been picked. I remember reading on his letter if they expect a case to go on for longer than two weeks, you will be ASKED if you are able to oblige this. So like others have said, it seems like you shouldn’t have to commit to anything over the standard two weeks anyway.

StrongTea · 19/05/2019 09:05

I got called up, attended first day and the clerk asked if anyone had problems attending, lots of folk went up to speak to her, quick conversation and were excused. Think really deferred. Jury chosen from those remaining. I was selected, 4 days but not full days. Lots of wasted time. Scottish court so not sure if is standard procedure.

Spudlet · 19/05/2019 09:05

I'd be buggered, if they wouldn't let me off. SAHM with no childcare outside of term time (and even then it's only two days a week and school hours), no family nearby, DS with a speech delay who uses signing (meaning it's not a simple matter of finding any childminder, they have to be able to communicate with him) and has SALT and paediatrician appointments all the time, and a DH who works for a small business that is currently struggling a bit, and really can't afford to lose him for a fortnight without warning. I bloody well hope that would be grounds to be excused - at least until DS starts school!

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 19/05/2019 09:16

My friend's advice - turn up in your nightie and keep asking where your mam is.

Splodgetastic · 19/05/2019 10:20

Interesting article from the Guardian. When the jury can’t agree the judge has to read out something that basically tells you that you are all adults with different experiences and views, but you should be able to form a view about the defendant’s guilt or innocence based on the evidence.

pineapplebryanbrown · 19/05/2019 10:38

You could turn up with a thunderbox (personal portaloo).

pineapplebryanbrown · 19/05/2019 10:41

If I worked for a big employer who paid for however long it took it would be better than going to work.

Hearhere · 19/05/2019 10:42

I can see that jury service is vitally important but it seems as if the set-up is out of step with modern Life

Zigzagpolar · 19/05/2019 10:53

I’d love to to jury duty.... and I don’t hold any weird views or anything...I think. I just thought it would be interesting and Tbh spending days shut in quiet waiting rooms with a book away from my loud children and demanding physical on sounds pretty good to! I’ve never been called. Neither has dh or my in-laws. My dad did- but they didn’t select him in the end.

TaxiGood · 19/05/2019 11:26

@HearHere what do you propose as a more “modern” alternative that would be as fair to the parties involved? Jury service is a pain for almost everyone but it’s a small price to pay for living in a free and democratic society.

ForalltheSaints · 19/05/2019 11:31

I cannot offer any advice about deferment or getting out of jury service, but think the current age limit should be raised, to reflect longer lifespans compared with 1960s when this was last reviewed. The issue would be less common as there would be more people able to be called up.

My experience of jury service is that the system is woefully inefficient, and the time taken for cases to reach court is no justice for victims of crime.

Hearhere · 19/05/2019 11:34

I totally agree that living in a free and democratic society is vitally important and we must protect anything that promotes this
I don't have any suggestions for improving jury service but I'm sure that people who are experts in the area could engineer a system more compatible with modern Life

pineapplebryanbrown · 19/05/2019 12:29

Perhaps a paid full time jury, it's their job, they receive a good salary and it's 9-5 Monday to Friday. If you picked a good cross section of society and they had to pass some kind of intelligence test that could work. Intelligence not education - not the same thing.