Jury service - help!

[Emerald4512]

Hi all,

I have jury service on Monday and wanted to know what to expect. I've read articles online however I would love to know what it's like from anyone who's actually done one!

Thanks in advance!

I went about 15 years since, I loved it, it was so interesting, I did two juries, both ABH, not guilty on both, you knew they'd done but the police evidence was so bad.

Take a kindle or a really good book with you, you might be hanging around for a while.

Lots of waiting around.

It's interesting if you actually get to do a case.

The jury room deliberations can be an eye-opener.

Lots of waiting around, take a book. You might not get picked and sent home instead. Days are quite short.

I did two juries, was good.

Interesting, I mean, not good.

I've done it twice, absolutely fascinating. Short days but intense.

My brother has done it. He found it really interesting. He was on a complex fraud case. Lots of hanging around though so take a book. A fellow juror of my brother knitted an entire cardigan during the fortnight they did jury service

I did it earlier this year. Loved it! Found it so interesting but I think that was because I got a big case on day 1 which lasted the whole time. For me not much waiting around at all but take a book- some people sat in the jury lounge for 2 weeks. The judge made me laugh. No matter how serious the evidence we always broke for lunch at 12.30 for an hour. Even when we were in the middle of hearing something very important. We imagined he retired to his chambers for a 3 course meal!

Hi OP, we've moved this into a different group for you as it was in childcare!

very boring in places - trials arent as you see on tv. Take a book. Take LOTS of notes, you think you will remember stuff you won't,

Take two colours of pens - one for prosecution one for defence

Hi all,

Thank you for your replies, especially about what to bring with me! Were you all called in? I read online the 150 people turn up as potential jurors however on 12 get through! X

As people said it's a lot of waiting around so take something to keep you occupied. I went on two, first one a couple of days and the second lasted for two weeks (so ended up doing three weeks). I loved it

It can get really boring. I sat around for days in a room underground.
Take book , cards etc.
I went into two cases that were both stopped after a couple of hours. Both thrown out by the judge.
The one that actually continued I was quite shocked by some members of the jury as they put their own twist and ideas on what happened. The right decision was made but it took some convincing them that they couldn't go with their own theories and to only make a decision on what was said in court and the judges summing up.

I had jury service this year, got called the Friday before the Monday I was due in to say to just come on the Wednesday.
Went in on the Wednesday, got called up but one of the defendants knew me from about 8 years ago from the gym! I didn’t know him but it meant I couldn’t do it.
Went back the following Monday and didn’t get picked. Then got told my jury service was over.
Same happened with my husband.
Frustrating as we’re both self-employed so cancelled all appointments in those 2 weeks..and what they give you financially doesn’t cover it.
I was looking forward to actually being part of the jury too.
I believe 15 were called in for the trial and 12 were picked. No way is it 150, unless that was a typo!

As others have said, take books, your laptop, and chargers! You can leave them in lockers or (what I did, which is allowed) you can take them into the court in a bag.

Yes. Been called twice. First time sat for two weeks and never got called. Second time did one trial to completion. Other one got stopped which seemed a theme for other jurors. Combination of evidence not being properly served and other crap excuses. What was utterly disgraceful was how long some had taken to come to trial, especially sexual offences which were two years after being investigated.

My observations.

150 odd jurors called.

I went dressed as would for work. The vast majority of jurors were in pretty scruffy wear
I took my works laptop and worked when not required as I got so bored and limited how much reading I wanted to do.
A lot didn't want to be there and just wanted to get home for their dinner.
Hardly anyone took any notes (only me). You have to question how they accurately recall any of any of the evidence and sequence which was important.

Over the 2 weeks I chatted to a lot of people. The vast majority there were either employed in the public sector, unemployed, retired or on "sickness" as they described. Few from private sector. Basically it seems a lot of people employed in the private sector apply for exemptions and get away with it. Combination of them inventing excuses and employer conniving with it. I did it out of public duty

Very few BAME jurors and the court area I was in has fairly high BAME population. Don't know why it was low and could have just been a one off, although with the large number called was surprised at.

As a result of the above I didn't get the feel of the jury make being very balanced or representative of the community.

If I was a defendant , would I have confidence in the jury. Probably not to be honest