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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to be excused from Jury Service due to Covid?

159 replies

MiaThermopolis · 22/12/2020 10:01

As 2020 is the year that keeps on giving, jury summons arrived this morning for february.

I am going to ask to be excused on the basis of 4 primary aged DC for who I am sole carer outside of school hours (DH works long hours). They could also be required to isolate at any given time and clearly you can't outsource childcare for self isolating DC!

I am also asthmatic and fat, my risk of complications from Covid is high and the thought of spending time in the city centre and then inside buildings with strangers terrifies me (I live rurally and bar the kids going to school and my weekly shop delivery I have seen no-one for months.).

Will this be enough to get me excused? I just can't deal with this right now!!

OP posts:
Original poster
MiaThermopolis · 22/12/2020 11:17

What about the fact that if one of my DC has to self isolate I will not be able to use any form of childcare?

OP posts:
Yokey · 22/12/2020 11:17

Tell them you’re a racist and believe anyone of [insert race or religion of your choice] would definitely be guilty as they’re known to be a shifty lot.

Hahaha!

Rudolph98 · 22/12/2020 11:20

I was excused a few years ago as I was a single mum to young DS not yet school age - even if he was at school it’s not practical with young children to expect you to do it. Cant speak for covid but sounds valid. I rang them and they said I had to write a letter to explain. They excused me. Never heard anything again.

Definitely worth a try!

It can go on for a long time. Someone I knows did it. the court was an hour away and long hours
for a couple weeks. Wouldn’t have been been practical with young children.

I would love to be offered it again when my children are a bit older!

Brainwave89 · 22/12/2020 11:21

So I would write a letter telling them that either a) you are a good honest citizen and you can be relied on to send whoever comes up down. Or b) tell them you have psychic powers and would actually know if someone is guilty or not at the outset. ...

Original poster
MiaThermopolis · 22/12/2020 11:22

other option of course is to get myself arrested for something then I wouldn't have to do it....

OP posts:
MitziK · 22/12/2020 11:22

How do some people get called up repeatedly?

I've been on the electoral roll my entire adult life and never been called once.

Hoppinggreen · 22/12/2020 11:23

If you PM me I can tell you how I avoided doing it
I was gutted as I would have loved to but my circumstances meant it was financially impossible- I won’t be going into details on her why that was but it was.

NewLockdownNewMe · 22/12/2020 11:26

Don’t use any of the lies people have suggested (unless they’re true). Explain your situation and see what happens. I can’t imagine covid will get you off unless you’re on the CEV list, courts are a “covid secure” environment. Jury service is usually highly inconvenient and it’s the court’s decision as to whether for you it is inconvenient or impossible.

DivGirl · 22/12/2020 11:28

@MitziK

How do some people get called up repeatedly?

I've been on the electoral roll my entire adult life and never been called once.

I know! DH was called up about 5 times while we were together. I have never been called up and I’d absolutely love to do it.
ivfbeenbusy · 22/12/2020 11:29

@hamblebamble

Honestly, I would just call in on the day and tell them I had Covid symptoms and need to isolate.

Christ's sake terrible advice. Woman up, act like an adult and tell them the truth about your situation? You don't know what kind of case this is and how long the victims have been waiting for the case to come to court

Cancelling on the day is irresponsible and gives them no time to sort a replacement thus delaying the trial further

Starseeking · 22/12/2020 11:29

@MitziK

How do some people get called up repeatedly?

I've been on the electoral roll my entire adult life and never been called once.

I'd like to know this too.

In 22 years on the electoral roll I've never received a jury summons either.

allotmentgardener · 22/12/2020 11:30

I totally understand that its a pain in the arse. However, this is one of our civic duties and if everyone in certain categories ie women with caring responsibilities, as an example, excused themselves from jury service then the judicial system suffers through lack of jurors and the subsequent left over pool of jurors are much less representative of society and end up essentially white middle aged men as they are the only ones who have time/enough dosh to suck up 2 weeks off work etc etc etc. Hmm

cologne4711 · 22/12/2020 11:32

You can get excused on childcare grounds. No need for any drama.

And not, there's no good reason why your DH should have to take leave to facilitate your jury service.

MNers will be all sanctimonious about it being your civic duty, but quite honestly it's time we stopped this nonsense. Other countries manage just fine with PAID judges and magistrates managing this stuff.

lunar1 · 22/12/2020 11:34

It's not until February can your husband book leave?

Jangle33 · 22/12/2020 11:35

OP if your child gets told to isolate either you or your DH will need to look after them. I think the court would be reasonable to ask why DH can’t, especially as unlikely to last the full jury period, given weekends.

I don’t think you realise how entitled you sound. Being a SAHP is a privilege but for 2 weeks of your life (and you may not get called up), you have to do what the majority of us manage every school day. I’m struggling to see why asking DH simply isn’t possible? If he’s frontline NHS/working on vaccine I would expect court to exercise their discretion. We all have a civic duty.

CoRhona · 22/12/2020 11:37

I loved doing jury service and I'd love to do it again too!

Afaik you're allowed to reschedule once?

parietal · 22/12/2020 11:37

can't you delay until August or so? sometime when covid should be having less impact, and when your DH can take time off.

SoupDragon · 22/12/2020 11:39

but for 2 weeks of your life (and you may not get called up), you have to do what the majority of us manage every school day.

Does your partner have to unpaid leave off every school day? Do you have to put your children into unknown childcare?

No, no you don't. Stop making stupid comparisons.

Jangle33 · 22/12/2020 11:40

@cologne4711 I for one are delighted we have a system which is fully representative of society.

And childcare alone is frequently not sufficient so I think you need to do planning.
I’ve known people who are SAHP and care for a parent with a stroke and that was not sufficient.

With 2 months notice I’d expect your DH to book some leave. You are fortunate that you provide childcare and so this won’t impact you later in the year!

ilovesooty · 22/12/2020 11:41

If you're able to defer it you can make appropriate preparations knowing the call will come in the foreseeable future.

Felifox · 22/12/2020 11:41

It's totally impractical for a parent with 4 dcs to do jury service, especially if they're the one responsible for childcare. Personally I'd love to do it but certainly not at the moment.

nwatty · 22/12/2020 11:42

Have you phoned and asked yet? No point getting worked up until they say no.

needabus · 22/12/2020 11:46

They’ll let you as I’ve refused twice for similar reasons plus Dh did because he’s self employed and I need his help each day for school runs etc we just told them it wasn’t convenient they are actually fine about deferring

MorganKitten · 22/12/2020 11:47

Serving jurors are also entitled to claim expenses for travel, lunch and refreshments and other costs such as employing a childminder or carer outside your usual arrangements.

KeepLosingThings · 22/12/2020 11:47

I was excused purely due to childcare although I did have a dc under 1 year old at the time so don't know if that's different