Can you get out of doing jury service?

[Red Fred]

I've done it twice, last time was the case of the Infamous Bournemouth Bottom Pincher, where the young lady claimed she had had her bottom pinched outside a nightclub. Whoever pinched it must have given it back, and I studied it for two days without reaching a conclusion. In the end the judge got fed up with it all as the lad was obviously innocent and it cost £30,000 to bring it to court.

 

[MickMoor]

If you avoid doing jury duty you really have to look at to your self before you call out all the judgements. If the only people that sit on juries are those that are too feckless to escape you have to look at what you have made. If accused criminals aren't getting the judgement that you feel they deserve it is probably because you weren't there.

Justice only works if 12 good men and true are sitting on the jury - if all the good men and true find reasons not to be there it should be no surprise that we end up with a slightly less than brilliant outcome.

So true. I did it.

 

[Barleymow]

been called up twice was excused both times as have livestock

 

[som farmer]

I did a stint in the 80's, yes early start, and late finishes, but it was interesting to see law in action, and how the other members of the jury, came to conclusions, out of 2 weeks service I did 4 1/2 days, expenses were quite good, and all in all, thoroughly enjoyed it. the down side is that I knew a farmer that had to sit on a particularly nasty child abuse case, went on for 8 weeks, and it deeply affected him for a long time.
but, in uk, whilst the law is an ass, at least you get a fair trial, and it really is our duty to serve, there's plenty of countries that you can't get a fair trial !!!!!!

 

[delilah]

Went into the courtroom with the other jurors where we were introduced to the court. Saw one of the barristers whispering to the clerk, I was told to leave, no explanation given. Sat around for the rest of the day. Back the next day, again walked into the court with a fresh batch of would be jurors for a new case. Same defence barrister was there, again he whispered to the clerk and again asked to leave. Bit fed up by now as having got that far I wanted to see some action. Asked an official to find out why I was unsuitable, turned out that we had bought our house off the barristers wife which was deemed a conflict of interest. Told I could go home, never been called back.

 

[Campbell]

Crazy and expensive as our justice system often appears, consider the millions in China, Russia etc locked up for life simply because they have a different opinion.....

 

[Hfd Cattle]

I'd imagine sitting in a court room would be fascinating.

Right up until you realise the case is costing thousands per day as they try to blame some complete oik who is only going to get a slap on the wrist and let go anyway. It's a farce.

Depends where your sat in the courtroom ....could be uncomfortable in certain seats !

 

[roscoe erf]

Certain professions used to be exempt but I think now there so desperate they will take anybody.

there hope for you then @Exfarmer

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Usually if you have livestock a letter off the vet will get you off but it will cost !

 

[essexpete]

there hope for you then @Exfarmer

Is there an upper age limit?

 

[roscoe erf]

Is there an upper age limit?

you can be judge at any age

 

[homefarm]

Is there an upper age limit?

75 I think I was 68 last time.

 

[Brisel]

Mrs B has done it twice. The last time she was told to report to Peterborough court but we were about to move to Dorset. No problem, we'll put you down for a Bournemouth case. 1st trial lasted 2 days then got put back on another one - nasty case involving a gang and a bloke who lost his eye in a stabbing. Dodgy enough for a not guilty verdict but at review the jury asked to look at CCTV footage again. The footage seen was unedited & showed a very different outcome not discussed in court so a mistrial was called. What a waste! Serious misconduct by the police & CPS along the way in not bringing this to light before.

I've never been called up. I believe you can get out of it if you are self employed where your absence from work would jeopardise your business or on welfare grounds e.g. calving or the middle of harvest.

 

[Northernlights]

I did a stint years ago. We were in and out of the jury room like a fiddlers elbow while they constantly brought up points of law which we were not allowed to hear,
. One young idiot on the jury said at the start that he hated the police and would never find anyone guilty ever.
In the end after three days of this, the defendant was dismissed, he was as guilty as hell but the courts had tried his accomplices first and it had been in the local press so in law he could not have a fair trial.
What a waste of everyone’s time - and the cost!

Yes same here points of law were a huge waste of time. Did it for a week and just about an hour away from getting a verdict on a Friday night the Judge called us back at 4.00pm saying as most of the court staff had a 200 mile jorney home he was suspending the court until Monday morning. We delivered the verdict an hour into Monday morning. However it was a great experience and pure theatre. Will never feel guilty about taking a subsidy payment again.

 

[Red Fred]

It certainly opens your eyes to how people live. I really enjoyed it overall, but in both cases I have done (The bottom pincher recently and a case of fuel theft from a petrol station years ago), there was a slightly empty feeling at the end as nothing really seemed to have been achieved for all the effort. It has to be done, though.

 

[Landy Nick]

A mate got called a couple of months ago. He was shitting it, so went to the doctors and got a letter. Saying the stress of being called up is making him ill. Got a letter a few weeks later, not required anymore.

 

[simon-0116]

I can understand people wanting not wanting to do it, but if you decide not to for what ever reason don't moan that people never get the right sentences / punishments for there crime

 

[Raider112]

It can be very boring, the defence, prosecution and judge all give their summing up going over the same things that you've already heard. The Judge's is the only one that's really relevant and in our case he more or less told us to call not guilty. We had made our minds up on that anyway, it was a case where the defendant knowingly bought stolen goods but while he may have been guilty they never got close to proving it.

 

[Red Fred]

Although there was a lot of waiting involved, I found it interesting talking to the other jurors. On the farm, there is never time to just sit and find out about other people and how they live. It was a bit like a mini big-brother

 

[Tim W]

Do it ---i'd rather have a jury than a judge trying me any day
I got out of it first time they asked but 2nd time i was advised it would just be putting off the inevitable

I did my jury service over lambing a few years ago ---they don't seem to start until 9:30 am at the earliest and mostly go home by 3pm so there is plenty of time to farm if you need to
I'd certainly do it again if asked