Potential Juror - Scotland

[Twiga]

Have recieved a letter informing me that my name is to be added to the lists of potential jurors for my local Sheriff/High court and was wandering if anyone could help me with a few questions.

a) Am living away from my home address (at least 4 and half hours by rd) until end Jan 07 due to dh's job - will they expect me to travel and will they cover the expense (don't drive so would need to get train/bus)?

b) Am sahm and as am new down here don't know what I'd do in terms of child care - have never left dd for more than an hour or 2 before(she's just over 8 months), also dd still on 3 bf a day so potentially awkward. Dh wouldn't be able to step in as is medical and wouldn't be given time off to look after her if I get called up. Is any of this likely to see me excused from duty?

c) Worked as residential social worker and have been involved with attending children's panels (no direct work linked to probabtion) and have had a lot of contact with young people likely to be going through the system - as far as I know it's only if work linked to probation that would exempt me due to this (no longer working but need to declare if within 5 years of post held) but can anyone confirm/clarify this for me?

d) It asks for dates you're likely to be on hol etc - would you actually ever have to miss a holiday? Also would it be ok to put down dates fore things like family weddings so they don't call you then or would that not count?

I think being called to jury service would be really interesting and am not looking to duck the responsibility but am not sure how I would manage with dd etc. Thanks for help!

bumping for the evening crowd

hi twiga!!! hope you're well.

sorry, can't shed any light for you...

Hi Ja9! The whole thing is a total pain - will send them a long letter with the form they've sent and see what the chat is. How are you and yours?

plase someone correct me if I am wrong but I think if you write a letter saying you are the sole carer of a young baby you will be let off.

Breastfeeing a young baby would mean you got a deferral. Holidays that are already booked also means a deferral. I would have thought that living away from home would mean something too.

Not sure about Scotland but DH is on jury service at moment in England.
Some people are missing their holiday on his case as it is over running and they are getting their expenses paid. I guess you can get it deferred if you are pg or bf a baby.
They pay all his travel expenses plus our extra childcare expenses too.
It seems not much gets you out of doing it though once you are there so try to get out of it if you can!

Write to them saying you are currently residing in Dxxxxxx - (explain about dh's job) and give the date you will be returning to your "own" area (to show willing) - if indeed you are going to return (wasn't there a chance you might stay?).

Provide details of any holidays (even short ones) that you have booked or expect to be going to (ie include weddings). I even included dates for a three day conference I was going to be going to.

Let them know that you are still breastfeeding (and intend to be doing so for some time), so you will need facilities both to express and to store the EBM . I did that when I was "pre-called" when ds was young - and never heard from them again that year (did eventually get called again last year and then did do my duty).

If you express willing - but provide them with details of the issues you are currently facing, I suspect that you won't hear anything further from them for this year.

They had actually also tried to call me the year before - but I was able to tell them that I was exempt until August of that year as it hadn't been 5 years since the previous time I had done jury duty, and that my EDD was 10 September.

Not sure about your question re c) - suspect that it wouldn'tt make a difference, as if you are part of the jury pool, you get the opportunity at that point to decalre any conflict of interest/personal knwledge of the case involved.

I am in Scotland.

I originaly sent the form back saying I could do it but the MIL was in hospital so I had no way of getting the kids picked up from school and looked after.

I phoned up the court the Friday before I was due in and explained all this to the clerk, she asked me to put it in writing and fax it in, I took it in in person and she even corrected a bit in the letter I got wrong and on the Monday I got a letter saying I was excused.

i though as a social worker you were excused as you had some legal training. could as the gp to write a letter saying you have bladder probs

Just to confirm Twiga - this is the first leter, asking your general availability? It is not the formal letter calling you to Court X on a specific date?

If it is the former, I still think that if you write explaining the circumstances, you will not hear from them again this year. Quite apart from the distance issue, the breast feeding will scare them off!

However, I cannot vouch for next year, when they may try again. :)

Thanks for all your replies, they're just the reassurance I needed. I need to get my letter written tonight and off tomorrow so it's done and out of the way. Will mention all my issues and see what happens.

Prettybird, we're def returning for 6 months from end Jan 07 so suspect even if deferred will come up again, now if I can just time the conception of baby no2 .....

It is the first letter so I guess there's all to play for - now with the change in law I wander how they'd feel about me bf in the Jury box ? - Seriously though sure it will be ok one way or the other!

Nicnac - noval idea re: GP's letter, if the bf thing doesn't do the trick that would def scare them 1

I said I had childcare and I was let off. I didn't say anything about breastfeeding (as I wasn't then) but I think I was pregnant with my second!

I didn't fuss or give more than one reason and it was fine.

I'm not in Scotland though. BTW - I didn't fancy it. Friend's brother had had to sit through a child abuse case the year before which he said was awful (understandably). There was no way I do a 'hideous' trial!