Jury duty

[edin16]

I've just had a letter saying I've been selected for jury duty, and I've had a look online and there's a information film that says I've already been selected? Does that mean there's no selection process this time and I am one of the jurors?

Normally you turn up and you'll wait around for a bit and then get called to a trial.

They invite a lot of people and select randomly from the pool. Sometimes there is more than one case running during the period of your selection so you may need to go back if you aren't selected for the first case. That's what happened to me.

In Glasgow you initially have to call a number each night that lets you know if you have to go in. During my last jury duty (I've had to serve loads of time ) it was during Lockdown so I got called by the Clerk of Court, told I would be in the pool for the next selection, then called back to say I was one of the "main" jury (15 selected plus a further 5 alternates in case once you knew the details of the case you had to recuse yourself).

On previous occasions I've had to call up each night to see if I was needed the following day and at the end of the week been excused. As the last two occasions were for High Court jury service I was grateful to get to the end of the week and not be needed

Which is better than it used to be, when you had to go in each day to see if you were needed and might only be excused for half a day and then have to go back in the afternoon to see if you were needed. Repeat for a week

Because of Covid, they're not asking people to assemble for the selection process. Court officials will make the draw and jurors will be told by phone.

I wasn't sure if that had changed - but that's certainly what happened with me. Did my jury service at the Odeon, video linked to the Sheriff Court (I suspect that bit has now reverted to the actual Court House).

@prettybird nope, it's still at the odeon. Very funny seeing this very fancy letter then it tells you to go to the cinema!

Thanks for the answers everyone, it makes a bit more sense now. It sounds kind of annoying though having to go and hand around and twiddle your thumbs.

@edin16 I've also got the letter, but have been told to ring the night before. I think you only have to go if you're definitely doing it.

@edin16 - to be fair, now that they do most of the selection remotely, there's not nearly as much hanging around as there used to be.

Be warned though: there are cameras trained on every juror's seat and if they think that you're falling asleep, the person running the jury (not the clerk of court - can't remember the proper name) will keep coming and telling you off This is even if you're writing copious notes to make sure you keep awake and only have your head in your hand because the seat is too deep, you're left handed and the only way to sit comfortably (rather than bolt upright with no support for your back) and reach the "wrong" side is with your head supported by your right hand.

Oh jeez @prettybird - hope I don't get picked then. I'm useless at sitting still and concentrating .

Drink lots of water and write loads . If you're small, maybe consider taking a cushion so that you can put it behind your back to support you and help you sit upright while you listen to the testimony.

You're allowed water (they supply bottles) in the cinema "courtroom" but not tea of coffee. They'll supply grotty tea and coffee during the breaks. You also get to order a sandwich style lunch.

I was cited for High Court jury service last month - I rang the number on the citation every night for three nights and then on the last night was told I wasn't required and that was it!

@FourSeasonsTotalLandscaping

I was cited for High Court jury service last month - I rang the number on the citation every night for three nights and then on the last night was told I wasn't required and that was it!

Was similar for me recently. Much better system not having to go in .

Has anyone managed to defer their jury duty at all? I've got a citation for next month but I won't be able to get time off work for it as we're already short staffed and being in hospitality December is one of our busiest months. I've got my boss to write a letter supporting this and will fill in the form but I'm worried they'll say no 🙈 Do they let you know if they've accepted (or not) your request for a deferral before the date you're meant to go to court?

My partner deferred his for a training course. He just had to show them conformation. I could defer mine (global healthcare company in a pandemic) and apparently they would have just written me a letter, 4 people had to use this reason when they were cited last year. I'm not sure about a hospitality setting though.

My son successfully appealed his citation. He was a student though, not a hospitality worker and they expected him to get from Stirling to Dunfermline by a certain time which was impossible by public transport. It also involved going via Cumbernauld, changing buses twice and was in the middle of a "only travel if necessary" order during the pandemic. It was also in the run up to exams, he'd miss classes etc. His uni wrote him a letter in support and it was granted with no argument. Just make sure you give all reasons for being unable to attend.

My ds has deferred his citation: he's at Uni in Aberdeen and his citation was for Glasgow (as he's on the electoral register down here as well). He just had to send them proof that he was a student at Aberdeen Uni.

I'm sure when I was selected last year that the Clerk of Court did ask, when she called me, if there were any significant reasons why I couldn't do it. I'm sure if you said you'd be be available (say) in the Nee Year, they'd accept that.

Thanks for the replies. I'm free basically any time next year (apart form 2 very short holidays in the summer) but if I was to get chosen next month there wouldn't be anyone at all to cover my shifts, and it doesn't help that it's impossible to know exactly how long it would be for. One of my colleagues is already off on holiday that week and there just physically isn't enough extra staff to cover what would be half the shifts in that week. I'm hoping they'll let me defer it 🤞