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?

I start mine tomorrow. I've tried everything to get out of it as I moved out the area but they said even an hours travel each way isn't enough to let me defer it to a local court. I have to be available for the next two weeks solid.

Don't want to hijack your thread but fir all those that have done it, what did you wear?

Top and black trousers, not dressy. Don’t know if this is usual but I wasn’t happy that my actual name was called, not my juror number, when selected for the jury. Just felt it should have been anonymous.

Could I get away with smart jeans? I did it when I was 18 but in a different country and they used full names for everything. Not great in a small town.

Just felt it should have been anonymous.

I think that's because the people involved have to have the same chance to say "I know that person" or "I know of that person" as the jurors do when they hear the names of the people involved.

Good point, think I was just so nervous about doing it. Yes, smart jeans would be fine.

"I know of" doesn't count depending on what court. When I did it we all knew who he was.

Funny how different it is in different places. When I did it a woman went to school with someone with the same name but she went to school miles and miles away from the court and she was excluded.

Maybe they were extra cautious because of the nature of the case.

Well there's always going to be cases where you would have to have lived in a cave to not know who they are!