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AIBU?

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Original poster

NOT FUCKING NOW JURY SERVICE FFS

113 replies

RozHuntleysLeftHand · 31/03/2022 21:01

Me and ex and have split up.
I'm literally so stressed about money I'm throwing up.
I'm about a week from being evicted and......

A Jury Summons shows up this afternoon.

I know they're not psychic, and in many other periods of my life I would have done it with pride? Not sure if that's the right word but I am a strong believer in justice.

But bloody hell the timing!!

OP posts:
Mrsmch123 · 31/03/2022 22:10

Ignore it....it's not recorded delivery so they can never prove that you received it🤷🏻‍♀️ Deny alllllllllll knowledge.

Seema1234 · 31/03/2022 22:15

I've got out of it twice. I just emailed them with a sob story and they let me off. The first time was a deferral and the second time I was excused. I'd like to do it but I can't afford the time off.

FourChimneys · 31/03/2022 22:16

My cousin's daughter was excused as she was just 18 and it clashed with her A levels.

Humminglikeabee · 31/03/2022 22:17

I have been going through a tough journey for more than 2 years. My husband and I had issues and had to report to police that got him arrested eventually no action being taken by police. I have two children and ever since he got arrested he has been declining to pay private fees as both of them are in private schools. He left family home voluntarily after his arrest but paying the full mortgage and bills. Now he has applied for divorce and refusing to pay fees and asking me to pay half of what he is paying for mortgage and other bills. I work and look after the children. I refused for him to see the children for the past two years until he pay fees. Now I agreed for mediation as he sent me legal notices for children arrangements along with divorce petition which I did not acknowledge or reply. I am single handedly paying private schools.
We both have properties here and abroad almost equal worth.

My questions:

  1. Can I refuse, in mediations, for him to contact the children (8 and 12 years age) until he agrees to pay private school fees as he is still having job and earning better money than me despite the police case?
  1. Can I ask for substantial share in his properties in addition to mine as I look after the children ?
  1. Can I also ask a share in his earnings since he left the matrimonial home as I am looking after the children despite I earn?
  1. Can I refuse divorce until he succumbs to the demands?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 31/03/2022 22:18

@TheHoptimist

I assume all the people saying it’s a breeze are not self employed

No way most people can afford to be a juror on £64.95 a day

I would expect someone self employed to have adequate provision (savings etc) to be able to temporarily cover annual leave, sickness etc both of which would be unpaid.

In this instance you would receive per week the same as someone on a £16k annual salary which is more beneficial to you than the unpaid leave you would choose to take for a holiday or need to take for sickness.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 31/03/2022 22:18

@Humminglikeabee

I have been going through a tough journey for more than 2 years. My husband and I had issues and had to report to police that got him arrested eventually no action being taken by police. I have two children and ever since he got arrested he has been declining to pay private fees as both of them are in private schools. He left family home voluntarily after his arrest but paying the full mortgage and bills. Now he has applied for divorce and refusing to pay fees and asking me to pay half of what he is paying for mortgage and other bills. I work and look after the children. I refused for him to see the children for the past two years until he pay fees. Now I agreed for mediation as he sent me legal notices for children arrangements along with divorce petition which I did not acknowledge or reply. I am single handedly paying private schools. We both have properties here and abroad almost equal worth.

My questions:

  1. Can I refuse, in mediations, for him to contact the children (8 and 12 years age) until he agrees to pay private school fees as he is still having job and earning better money than me despite the police case?
  1. Can I ask for substantial share in his properties in addition to mine as I look after the children ?
  1. Can I also ask a share in his earnings since he left the matrimonial home as I am looking after the children despite I earn?
  1. Can I refuse divorce until he succumbs to the demands?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

You need to start your own thread.
Echobelly · 31/03/2022 22:25

Oh God, not what you need right now.

Although maybe something else to focus on could be useful right now?

Good luck!

JenniferWooley · 31/03/2022 22:26

I was excused the first time I got called because it clashed with DD1's due date it was 17 years before I was called again.

Just email them OP it's likely they'll excuse you if it's your first time.

Mandyjack · 31/03/2022 22:30

Yes you can defer, not sure if you have to give valid reasons

froggybiby · 31/03/2022 22:30

@Quornflakegirl

I was called for jury duty when my twins were 16 weeks old, I deferred and haven’t been called up again, it’s been almost 10 years!
Well you were lucky is all I can say....Quornflakegirl, I was first called when I was pregnant...I did not ask to be deferred, however when they asked if there were any reasons why I could not do long trials, I explained I was pregnant....I was deferred.....but guess what they called me back on the very last week of my maternity leave. When my daughter was 1.5 or so, they called me back again and tried to send me to a court that was quite far away from me; I called them and explained that we would struggle with childcare collections /drop off as my husband had to go to Central London to work & would be unable to work full hours, and they excused me; When he looked at his system, the man I spoke to could not believe I had been called the previous year. Then I was called last year; 2 days before going I had to send some papers over, one of the question asked "are you a key worker"....I was excused....annoyingly as I had stayed so late finishing handovers...I bet I am called back this year. I had prepared myself mentally & physically and it just annoyed me having it cancelled 2 days before.
YoComoManzanas · 31/03/2022 22:31

@Dontfuckingsaycheese

Why don’t they offer it to people who want to do it? I would love to be on a jury!! It could still be random - just random selection from a bank of willing volunteers!!
This! I have some time in my hands. I suppose it needs to be a cross section of society and completely random though.
Goldenbunny · 31/03/2022 22:37

I've been called for jury service twice now and was excused both times they seem to summons me when I'm heavily pregnant and due to drop.
My husbands has done jury service 3 times and was excused the 4th time. He wrote them a letter saying he has already done jury service 3 times in 2.5 years and he was distressed from the previous case he was jury on.

My mum gets excused for mental health

snakewillow · 31/03/2022 22:37

I deferred recently as it fell in the school holiday period which made arrangements much more complicated. You have to give three alternative dates you can do in the next 12 months. You can only defer once though, I believe, so will definitely have to do the new date you are given.

sweatergirl · 31/03/2022 22:38

OMG I was you a year ago!!! It was the worst timing ever. I deferred, got called again and got excused! I cited childcare problems.

Name99 · 31/03/2022 22:38

I was called up, I explained due to a disability I couldn't do it, im excused permanently from any jury service

Saffronandthyme · 31/03/2022 22:39

You can defer for personal circumstances. When my grandad was dying my Mum avoided the same.

GrandTheftWalrus · 31/03/2022 22:41

I'm assuming having to give alternative dates is an English thing? As I've never had to do that in Scotland.

WeAreTheHeroes · 31/03/2022 22:50

When was it that your husband did jury service @Goldenbunny? You can refuse if you've served on a jury in the previous two years.

A lot of employers ensure you get your normal salary as it's public service.

For those who are enthusiastic about doing jury service - you could very well get a really distressing case. I got what I had thought would be my worst nightmare. It was harrowing and very disturbing and the deliberations were difficult.

OP - ring them and ask to defer. They were great on the phone and happy I would do it tbh although I did ask to defer.

MuchasSmoochas · 31/03/2022 23:01

I am so grateful I am exempt as I practiced law. If you are self employed you are bucked, someone I knew got called onto a 3 month fraud case.

Usually the clerks are nice OP, just phone them, lay it on thick.

MistySkiesAfterRain · 31/03/2022 23:01

@Dontfuckingsaycheese

Why don’t they offer it to people who want to do it? I would love to be on a jury!! It could still be random - just random selection from a bank of willing volunteers!!
Lol me too. Pick me!
Treeroo · 31/03/2022 23:04

People make it sound very simple. Breastfeeding firstborn was told to express had to do itSad

CheesecakeAddict · 31/03/2022 23:19

I wrote an email saying I was suffering from MH issues and provisions would need to be made for my anxiety. I got a reply saying I was deferred indefinitely.

Overtheroadroundthecorner · 31/03/2022 23:23

I would expect someone self employed to have adequate provision (savings etc) to be able to temporarily cover annual leave, sickness etc both of which would be unpaid

Yes, all those months of not being able to work during covid and having no income have left my bank account brimming with cash.
I’m sure mumsnet is in another realm sometimes.

Not to mention the detriment to the business of it’s not being looked after for potentially weeks/months.

Immitchell · 31/03/2022 23:24

@womaniswomaniswoman

I think you can get signed out of it for medical reasons - does it say that on your letter? If so get a line from your GP.
It won't and you can't. A GP could be called in in contempt of court if they did this. They can (for a fee) provide a letter of fact stating the medical conditions. If they express an opinion on fitness to attend etc then they can be summoned to court to explain themselves. No sensible GP would ever do this nowadays.
mocktail · 31/03/2022 23:26

I asked to be excused and it was granted. Deferring is risky as I think you have to accept the next date offered (I could be wrong though).

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