against mandatory jury service

[happyharpist]

A friend of mine has started this petition against mandatory jury service. Please sign if you agree!

I advocate for abolishing compulsory jury service due to its potential impact on individuals' lives, causing disruptions, financial strain, and therefore potentially compromising the fairness of trials.

We believe compelling individuals without their explicit consent infringes on their rights. The obligation to serve on a jury is imposed without voluntary agreement, disrupting personal and professional lives. We consider that this lack of consent challenges the democratic principle that citizens should have a say in the responsibilities imposed on them. If jurors are grappling with anger, stress, or personal concerns such as lack of childcare or financial hardship, it could impact their ability to make unbiased decisions.

I used to agree with this but after seeing how people act on social media particularly local area fb groups I actually think we do need dedicated and trained people to do this who are assessed for suitability

Really selfish and self-centred viewpoint. Not quite getting the concept of being a citizen.

I believe it should remain mandatory but that better support should be put in place. E.g better financial cover for those taking time off work (even for SE) and a court creche or nanny provided for those with childcare issues.

I was called years ago and was excused easily. Silly petition, for all the reasons given.

Any reply OP?????

If jurors are grappling with anger, stress, or personal concerns such as lack of childcare or financial hardship, it could impact their ability to make unbiased decisions

Juries have managed to make decisions (not unbiased ones, because IMO no-one can make a wholly unbiased decision) for getting on for a millenia, regardless of their personal concerns. And I hope they'll continue to do so and be adult enough to shelve those concerns while doing their civic duty.

Jurors need to be properly compensated. I have been called to do jury service and it will cost me a considerable amount of money in lost earnings resulting in financial hardship. Many employers do not pay your salary and the amount you can claim from the government is ridiculously small- £64.95 a day

Nope, I disagree.

Is your friend a 'freeman of the land too? Hence doesn't think the responsibilities of a democratic society should apply to them, only the freedoms?

People always think like this until their valuables are stolen or somebody beats them up, then they’re suddenly all for law enforcement and everything that entails.

I agree with the Op, but with different reasons than specified in her post.

Firstly and most importantly, there should be level of meritocracy required both in comprehension ability and general intelligence to serve as a jury member. The idea that " Bob " from Basingstoke can rock up to court with an extremely low IQ/inability to process basic information and be able to determine whether someone spends the rest of their life behind bars is utterly ridiculous. There are people I know who post on social media, some openly bragging about convicting someone because " he looked like a dickhead anyway so what's it matter". I also know an individual in real life who is a drug addict, possessing a brain which is akin to a shrivelled raisin who was called up to jury service. He barely knows what day of the week it is but because he is over 21 and has no criminal record, passes the absurdly low bar to qualify as someone who determines the fate of another human being. That can't be right.

The second issue I have is the open disclosure of who has voted for what by jury members. Many deliberations are dominated by overly aggressive personalities who coerce others to their way of thinking. Gobby Tina in her mid 40s telling a 21 year old still living with parents how she should vote is not justice. If 11 members of the jury in a room think someone is guilty and 1 person thinks otherwise, with that 1 person being more impressionable and wanting a " quiet life" it suddenly becomes a 12-0 decision as opposed to not being. We have privacy when voting in an election, yet determining another human beings fate there is none opening up people being influenced by others. This is also wrong.

Thirdly I also do agree that unless you have broken the law, no one should be forced to do something against their will. We heard the " good of the community argument" from the vaccine mandate brigade. Its not the same thing but ultimately the rights of an individual are more important in finite life to this clown society we live in

In my view, with rights come responsibilities.

It is my right to be judged by a jury of my peers.
It is my responsibility to step up if selected.

I'm all for banning jury trials full stop. Asking a group of novices to interpret the law is a terrible idea!

This.

If you want rights in a society, then there are also obligations. I do not agree that jury service should be any different than it is now, but I do think that the recompense for time served should more closely reflect someone's lost income.

They are not expected to.

The judge interprets the law and gives the jury clear directions in lay terms about the remit and cope of the decisions that re open to them. The jury decide what the evidence shows. The law which applies in terms of punishment / charges brought is interpreted and applied by the qualified legal professionals.

You must live in such a sheltered way if you haven't ever experienced corruption.

There has to be a buffer between the man on the street and the government, judges, the police etc.

The alternative is so frightening.

No, completely disagree.

Your arguments are nonsense.

I must be in such a minority but I don't know anyone who has ever been called up. None of my friends, none of my family, none of DHs family and I've nobody ever at work

I've done jury duty twice

I think your friend is being ridiculous. There are plenty of countries she could move to where the democratic system of trial by jury does not exist.

My thoughts exactly as I read the OP.

Not a good idea - I won't be signing.

This. If either me or my dh got called for jury service in the next six months it would sink us. We are just at the end of a dreadful run of bad luck which has wiped our savings.

Completely disagree though I think daily compensation should increase, think it's below minimum wage