To think jury service was a waste of my time

[Harriette678]

Spent the whole week last week waiting around, didn’t get picked. Then was on call, then told I didn’t need to come back.

I’m so utterly disappointed as I really wanted to serve on a jury, and overall it felt like an utter waste of my time arranging childcare for a potential two weeks that in the end was just sitting around not getting picked. I had to have it in place just in case, due to my circumstances. Just gutted really lol

anyone else have a similar experience?

I did jury service about 13 years ago. You had to go to court and hang around the jury room then. I was lucky in that I got called up the first day for a case that lasted about 4 days. The second time was the beginning of the second week but that only lasted half a day. The detective giving evidence revealed information that they decided would prejudice the jury against the defendant so they decided to retry the case with a different jury. The third case was halfway through the second week. That lasted a week so I did 2 1/2 weeks in total.
I quite enjoyed it but there was a group of us who sat together and chatted so even the bits sitting around the jury room weren't too bad. One good thing was it took place in December in my nearest city. There was a Christmas market on that I could wander around when we finished for the day. I also managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done as well.

I was selected years ago, and was quite looking forward to it. Then I was one of the few of our group who didn't get picked for a trial. Had a few days of 'you don't need to come', then we did, and was put in a group with a new batch of people.

But on the second day it became apparent that one of the jurors from our original batch had a holiday booked, and another a hospital appointment and that it would run longer than the 3 days they had thought. So the whole thing was paused and they started again from scratch at a later date.

I think it's an amazing process and would love to watch from start to finish, but now I'm self employed, with more DC the logistics would be a nightmare.

So you name one !

I take your point entirely but it’s so tough for people with sole responsibility as carers for children. Not every child has a willing and able support network of adults. Many children rely on one key adult for everything. If that adult is called for jury service, then there is a problem.

Look at health, education etc-lots of waste.
For juries, it would be better to have a group of people who want to do it, and who get some basic training.
Far better than having people who are actually terrified of it-some are. Do we really think people who are scared out of their mind/maybe can't understand/follow a basic conversation can listen and come to a sensible decision, when someone might be locked up for life, just so we can say jurors could be any old person?
You might not be like this, OP, but people not happy to be there, for childcare or other reasons, are less likely to do a reasonable job. There are many people who would be willing to do it, without picking on people who don't. Before anyone says that means the jury pool are more likely to be of a certain type, better that than someone scared/resentful who just wants to be out asap.

A professional judge could decide alone, which is what happens in a lot of countries.

I’m annoyed that I’ve never been called for jury service, yet I know other people that have been called twice and they didn’t even want to do it! I’d really like to get hands-on as a juror at a real trial.

Would you like to elaborate? It's a similar system to most of Europe,the US, Australia etc, etc- where were you thinking of?

I was picked for 2 weeks and was warned by a barrister I knew that it would be a good idea to take a book to read, which I did.
The first day we were all put in the Jury Room then we were called one by one and sworn in. We were put into the jury box and then after about 10 mins we were told we could leave. Apparently the accused has decided to plead guilty so we were all discharged.
The second day I didn't get called but others did. I was sent home.
On the third day a group of us got called again and we all got sworn in. Then the judge came in. One of the jurors recognised the judge as a relative, so he (the judge) had to recuse himself, so we were all discharged again,
On days four and five I wasn't called and was sent home early again.
The next week some of us were selected on the Monday and then discharged because a witness hadn't turned up.
The next day some of us were selected and we heard a case about a guy who was accused of nicking something. (Can't say any more than that) but we couldn't agree by a majority so he wasn't convicted.
It was interesting but involved a lot of hanging about.

I’d love to do jury service.

I did jury service earlier this year and have never been so bored in all my life. Typical public sector organisation - just lots of wasted time and people sat round doing thing.

Sat in a ‘jury lounge’ for 5 full days doing nothing other than reading or chatting. About 150 people just sat waiting to be called.

Following week, common sense kicked in and we were told to phone up each day after 6pm each day to see if we were needed.

Did get called up for a trial on the Wednesday but we’re all discharged on the Friday morning. We suspect the attitude of one of the other jurors was the cause of it. Downright misogynistic pig who clearly thought all women were teams and was very vocal in the breaks about his views. I challenged him directly, but I
suspect someone else complained about him.

That’s because they adopted the English system. Most countries in the world, including the vast majority of continental Europe, Asia, and Africa, do not use a traditional jury service.

I was to call up the Sunday by a certain time to see if I was needed the following day, then each evening through to the Thursday. I never even stepped foot in the court, and still managed to work from home. I didn't need childcare or anything arranged as my kids were older. I was delighted not to be picked.

I get your frustration op, I’ve been called twice, both times just hanging around to then be told we could all go home.
Luckily I get paid from my work and didn’t need to arrange child care, it was annoying but not really that big of an inconvenience.
I don’t know the answer but I do think the system is flawed, but I don’t know how it could be made better

Yes.
Spent most of 3 weeks waiting around for judges, leaving early for judges, waiting for interpreters who didn’t turn up. An absolute shambles.

I got out of it because I had a preschool age child and no available childcare. We got two weeks cover organised for a colleague and he was only needed for the first week. It's frustrating but necessary

I did jury service a few years ago and absolutely loved it. It was fascinating and I feel I made a massive difference on a case that could have gone either way.

I loved having the opportunity to experience a different world and am now working in Law as a result.

I was called. Waste of time for first week - went in on day 1 for induction, and then not needed. Week 2 I sat on an awful case of child rape, with some horribly misogynistic men, one of whom wanted it wrapped up quick so he could go on holiday. I was excited to do it, but hated it, and struggled to let my older daughter out of my sight for ages after

Strangely, a lady from my street was on same jury as me!

Be careful what you wish for; I did 4 weeks on a rape case. It was extremely difficult to a) hear the evidence and b) deliberate. It took us a week of (pretty civil, for the most part) arguing. It was a very stressful experience and the pressure to deliver a verdict you truly believe in can be quite overwhelming. These are people’s lives.

That said, I support the jury system.

Stop complaining and be grateful you live in a society with a functioning justice system where everyone gets a fair trial. It’s just about the only civic duty we are asked to perform and it’s important.

My brother had occasional nightmares for a couple of months after the end of the case he was on.

I'd count yourself lucky.

If you relied on volunteers, the jurors would be overwhelmingly white, educated and retired. The idea is to have a mix of people to ensure the fairest trial possible.

That post suggests any other ethnic group are not educated, retired or would volunteer, and smacks of racism.

No, the system endeavours to obtain a cross-section of the population to avoid bias.

Minority ethic groups and lower income groups would be underrepresented.