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Original poster

Missed Jury Duty

249 replies

cherryberry90 · 21/01/2023 21:50

As the subject explains

Was out earlier shopping, and came home and eldest daughter mentioned that a couple of officers were at my flat, basically for a missed appearance at Jury Duty

Do not wanna make things any worse than what they are now, scary thought what to do next

Any advice that would be helpful?

OP posts:
Felix01 · 22/01/2023 08:18

You used to be blocked from jury service for having MH issues no that long ago. I would definitely get a letter saying you can't do it.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 22/01/2023 08:28

@cherryberry90 are you ok?

did you manage to contact the police last night?

Diynoidea · 22/01/2023 08:31

Fuzziefelt · 22/01/2023 08:15

That’s a ridiculous assumption to make. A person unable to do jury service can contribute to society in many other ways

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You’ve made this entire thread about yourself when the OP is in a very serious situation and needs help. Start a new thread.

cleanitup · 22/01/2023 08:34

@BlueSkyAndButterflies

I personally know two people it's happened to. One, someone official wasn't taking a prior diagnosis (of autism) seriously so the GP wrote to say they'd re-assessed the person and they're definitely autistic. The other was struggling to hold down a job, needed special measures at work to enable that. Relatives recognised/suspected the person's autism, it was explained why to the GP who agreed and made the diagnosis.

This is utter crap. GPS cannot diagnose autism.

cleanitup · 22/01/2023 08:36

@cherryberry90

How old is your eldest? Perhaps she could make the call for you, or do you know anyone else that would be willing to do it?

OfcourseSpringRoll · 22/01/2023 08:36

DH did jury service before I started dating him but we knew each other. It was a very complex huge amount of money fraud case. My sister had a very small baby and was excused and never called again.

OfcourseSpringRoll · 22/01/2023 08:39

Here is the official exemption list on the Gov website

www.gov.uk/jury-service/delaying-or-being-excused-from-jury-service

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 22/01/2023 08:40

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 21/01/2023 23:22

I wouldn't want a 19 year only on a jury deciding my future. Poor kid,sounds awful.

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I worked with someone who was a juror on a lengthy criminal trial - it started on her 18th birthday....

AlisonDonut · 22/01/2023 08:42

Amusingly you could sit through a case as a juror and the result between you all could be 'guilty' and the judge could still sentence them to less of a fine than you'd get if you didn't attend.

The whole system is broken.

I'd call them up and tell them the state of your mental health and that you were in no fit state to pass judgement on anyone and hope they just excuse you.

purpledalmation · 22/01/2023 08:48

What a bloody ridiculous thing to do. Messed around lots of people. Do you also ignore credit card debts?

Patineur · 22/01/2023 08:50

I'd call them up and tell them the state of your mental health and that you were in no fit state to pass judgement on anyone and hope they just excuse you.

That will only work if there is medical evidence to support it.

cakeorwine · 22/01/2023 08:50

Your best excuse is to say you never got it. Given how unreliable the post is, they can't prove you received it.

narkyspirit · 22/01/2023 08:50

OP if you have ignored the letters and there is normally a few sent with plenty of notice then you need to speak to the officers that visited your home urgently.

There is no real retrospective argument to have ignored the letters.

If you are prosecuted it could have further repercussions, think of this when you answer questions for Insurance, do you have any criminal prosecutions? it could be a yes? travel some question if you need a Visa or an ESTA for USA.

I shall now find my hard hat!

pleasehelpwi3 · 22/01/2023 08:53

GatoradeMeBitch · 22/01/2023 00:33

I think it's a shame there's no facility for people to volunteer for jury duty. I know someone who really wants to get a chance to serve on a jury, and they are in their early 40s, never been called. I suppose it would mean a risk of being top heavy in certain demographics though, like retired people.

Interesting idea but wouldn't work.
Very heavy on stereotypes, please don't take offense: imagine a dreadlocked young black man with a few prior cautions for Class C drug offences from a sink estate sitting in front of twelve upper middle class retired white Daily Mail readers who decided to take a week away from the allotment....
Of course you realise that jury service really does have to be compulsory for basically everyone including people with MH issues.....who bring an equally valid perspective.
Sorry for the massively oversimplified example.

cakeorwine · 22/01/2023 08:54

How much notice do you normally get?

I have been called once - when I was 21, but I was going travelling and so they excused me.

What if you are on a long holiday when they contact you?

How basically - do they know that you have received the letter?
Do you need to contact them when you get it to confirm you've received it and will be attending?

Or do they just assume you've received it and then turn up to arrest you if you don't turn up?

AlisonDonut · 22/01/2023 08:55

Patineur · 22/01/2023 08:50

I'd call them up and tell them the state of your mental health and that you were in no fit state to pass judgement on anyone and hope they just excuse you.

That will only work if there is medical evidence to support it.

With the NHS in the state it is in?

People can't get appointments at the moment. It's all over the news.

Mrsmch123 · 22/01/2023 08:56

Deny any knowledge of your duty duty. They can never prove you received the letter🤷🏻‍♀️

Emdubz · 22/01/2023 08:56

Scienceadvisory · 21/01/2023 23:46

You are not going to get a jury made up solely of 19 year olds. A jury is 12 people of a variety of ages, races, backgrounds etc so it represents society, of which 19 year olds are a part.

And as someone who did jury service at 19 i find your comment quite insulting and ignorant. Quite frankly I was far more capable than a couple of the much older jurors who seriously struggled with the concept of beyond reasonable doubt and were narrow-minded judgemental fucks.

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100% this. It’s about being open-minded and non-judgmental which are qualities that can very much be present in a 19 year old.

musicexport · 22/01/2023 08:57

I must be a weirdo because I've always wanted to do jury duty but so far never been selected!

But OP, if avoidance/overwhelm over crucial things is a problem for you, is there someone who can help keep you accountable? A partner who can help you go through the post and remind you to deal with things?

As others have said, please don't let this snowball. Ring the police and then on Monday, get a GP's appointment.

cakeorwine · 22/01/2023 08:57

cakeorwine · 22/01/2023 08:54

How much notice do you normally get?

I have been called once - when I was 21, but I was going travelling and so they excused me.

What if you are on a long holiday when they contact you?

How basically - do they know that you have received the letter?
Do you need to contact them when you get it to confirm you've received it and will be attending?

Or do they just assume you've received it and then turn up to arrest you if you don't turn up?

Well
www.gov.uk/jury-service

Is not very helpful

Patineur · 22/01/2023 08:58

When my aunt died we found an old letter from around 9 years ago summoning her for jury service. She had never opened it and obviously hadn't gone, but my uncle confirmed that no-one ever did anything about it.

letsgetbackto2019 · 22/01/2023 08:59

yousmellnice · 21/01/2023 22:10

Get a diagnosis.

Show quote history

as if it takes a couple of days on the NHS😂

musicexport · 22/01/2023 09:01

"In my limited experience, a lot of people who want to do it would be very likely to judge the defendant on their appearance before anyone ever said a word. (not all- but a lot).
I'd rather the system we have now, flawed as it is."

@NameChange005 *I would really like to do it (never been called) but only because I'm really intrigued by the criminal justice system. At one point I wanted to do a law degree but ended up doing English instead.

If I could play a part in someone getting a fair trial, I think that could be quite rewarding. And I don't care what people look like.*

MotherofBingo · 22/01/2023 09:02

purpledalmation · 22/01/2023 08:48

What a bloody ridiculous thing to do. Messed around lots of people. Do you also ignore credit card debts?

Well depending on OPs mental health issues she may well do. I refuse to have a credit card because I know that my mental health would likely mean I'd easily end up in debt and try to ignore it. Nobody ever said mental illness was convenient.

OP what's done is done now you can't change it, you do need to ring them or if someone is willing to go with you, present yourself at a police station with someone to support you and try and explain what's happened. You might get a fine but it's not the end of the world.

sanityisamyth · 22/01/2023 09:06

@Diynoidea I think that is the OP but has name changed