Should I do jury service?

[Juryorrun]

I’ve been summoned to do jury service. I have good reasons to be excused from it, and those same reasons would make it a right old ballache to do (caring responsibilities etc). And I would also have an almost 2 hour journey to get there, and the same back each day.

It says 10 days service on the letter, but also says it may go on longer. Is that a standard thing it always says, or is it really likely to be around the 10 day mark? If it’s going to be a lot longer than that it definitely wouldn’t be possible.

BUT…I’ve always wanted to do jury service and I’d actually like to do it. I know it probably won’t be as exciting as I’m expecting it to be, but I think it would be interesting.

So AIBU for not getting out of it when I easily could, and it will be a right PITA logistics wise?

The blanket cut-off at 70 seems quite ageist, given the number of healthy and active 70 year olds there are around, to say nothing of the increasing number still working.

I sort of think do it. Because you may get called at another time that is less convenient. If it’s going to be a long trial you can tell as they will ask more of you to go in and then go through you one by one and then you can explain your caring responsibilities. But you have to do it in front of the judge and the court. They basically laughed at me as I explained I was pregnant but high risk so may go into labor earlier. But I don’t care- couldn’t risk a long trial and being pregnant.

Take something to do while you wait. It is very interesting. You might get sent home early.

Have you ever done it? What an odd thing to say.

What a nasty little comment! It’s not ‘enjoying’ it. It’s about taking an interest in society and being part of an important process. I have also fancied doing it and seriously consider becoming a Magistrate. I am not a curtain twitcher and don’t engage in gossip.

I once asked a Barrister this in a child protection case (I used to work in the field as an expert witness). She said “sometimes you don’t work as hard for a client as others”.

Do you feel the same way about everyone who works in the justice system?

I was called fairly recently and canvassed friends who had already done it. This was very much the feeling from them. Several of them said that some of the other jury members behaved as if they had already decided the outcome to get away early. They were upset that this happened and tried to redress the balance.

My own experience was that I spent hours hanging around both at home and in the jury room without ever getting a trial and was discharged after 8 days. I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to it.

I think the system needs an overhaul to prevent this type of thing happening. Wasted time and money for all of us who were there to do our duty.

No but they've studied and trained in the law and all it involves, they're not random people off the street that are excited for the chance of some interesting news

@YeahIsaidit so are you going to get yourself excused on the basis that you’re not a ‘curtain twitcher’ if you get summoned? Or will you try and apply yourself and do the best job you can of it?

Seeing as you seem to be quick to jump to some pretty judgmental conclusions, it’s probably best all round to hope you’re not summoned.

I got a summons when I was pregnant. The service would have been for when the baby was a few weeks old. I was excused as I said I’d most likely be breastfeeding and also I have anxiety. In theory I’d like to do it but if it was an awful case I think it’d be too upsetting!

they're not random people off the street that are excited for the chance of some interesting news

So anyone who has any interest in the justice system or the law has to go and study it for years, otherwise they're just weird and want news?

What an odd way of thinking.

Obviously not as I'm fairly sure that wouldn't be allowed for starters, I wouldn't however be excited at the prospect like a lot of people here weirdly seem to be

I did it in 2022, was supposed to be a 10 week trial, ended up 6 months! Fascinating and would happily be a professional juror. Due to the nature of the trial we were offered counselling after it had ended and were given a letter from the judge exempting us for life, but desperately want to be called again!

If apart from the drive it is a convenient time I'd do it, otherwise another time it might be when you have a holiday planned

If you would expect a trial by Jury if you were accused of a crime, then you should try your very best to do it. The British Justice system might not always seem perfect, but we are extremely fortunate to have it.

After reading this thread - I emailed the local court to ask about wheelchair access and it is all accessible and they have a hearing aid loop so if I was ever called for jury service it would all be accessible for me which is fantastic

Good news @brassbells!

DH 73 and I am 71 neither have ever been called

I was called six times. My brother, who is older than me, has never been called.

I got called when I had just had my DC so was excused, this was 6 years ago and I have just been called again.

For those of you that have done it, if you are dismissed or not needed one of the days did you go back to work for the day if you were employed? My work is making plans for my job to be covered for the 2 weeks, so if I am not needed on a jury I guess I might have a few free afternoons..

DH and I both early 50s and l never have been called. Neither have our siblings and parents .

If people are "curtain twitchers" they would just go to court to watch random cases rather than doing their civic duty.

I went, found it interesting when on a case, boring the rest of the time. I had no experience of courts and was actually disappointed in how disorganised the court was and how poor some of the police evidence was. We were not told jurors could get a note passed to the judge if they wished a question to be asked, judge does not have to ask it. It convinced me that the guilty got off far more than the innocent were convicted. Pretty sure some jurors were criminals, their knowledge of the court procedures was good and that is how I learnt about passing a note to the judge, one wanted a cigarette break so asked for a "comfort" break.

At the court I went to although the letter said 10 days there was one case that was expected to (and did) run for weeks so they asked for volunteers for that one. I ended up doing about 12 days in total but getting back into work on some days.