Jury service.

[Devil's advocate]

I've been called up for Jury service at the begining of harvest. I'm quite confident that won't happen with the letter I've sent in.

Sadly I'm busy all year round & don't have a plan B. So its going to be a struggle.

Has anyone done Jury service.

 

[serf]

I've been called up for Jury service at the begining of harvest. I'm quite confident that won't happen with the letter I've sent in.

Sadly I'm busy all year round & don't have a plan B. So its going to be a struggle.

Has anyone done Jury service.

They contacted me to do it last August , sent them the " letter " and they asked what time of year , so I said Jan / Feb so went in feb done half a day and made my self
" unavailable " out of the 2 week window if case went longer !

They sent message next day and said don't bother Ur clear

So ok for 2 years I think , never been called before though .

 

[Ed Gaskit]

I think you can move it once. If you explain about your busy and slack times I think they will accommodate. If you are busy all year round I think you will have to choose your least busy time.

Either that or pretend you are deaf, so you will not hear the evidence, or prejudiced so it will not be a fair trial for defendant unless he/she is white middle class and went to private school, or whatever.

 

[Exfarmer]

They contacted me to do it last August , sent them the " letter " and they asked what time of year , so I said Jan / Feb so went in feb done half a day and made my self
" unavailable " out of the 2 week window if case went longer !

They sent message next day and said don't bother Ur clear

So ok for 2 years I think , never been called before though .

send a letter stating you are head of the local Freemasons branch , so it is very likely you will know any defendant so do not think it would be appropriate

 

[Exfarmer]

or apparently the other trick is to reply saying you cannot wait as you think all these nasty criminals need putting away as soon as possible

 

[ajd132]

Got asked to do it for July, deferred to January. Could be quite interesting and a new experience so looking forward to doing it.

 

[Tim W]

I've been called up for Jury service at the begining of harvest. I'm quite confident that won't happen with the letter I've sent in.

Sadly I'm busy all year round & don't have a plan B. So its going to be a struggle.

Has anyone done Jury service.

Did mine during lambing ---no problems as they don't start until 10am and the day is usually done by 4pm
It was also a worthwhile experience that i would happily do again

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Not sure but don't they interview you when you get there ? A neighbour got sent home because their opinions were to harsh. Another localish man said "don't worry mate we'll get you off " as the accused was brought into court. He got a night in a cell for his outburst

 

[serf]

Got asked to do it for July, deferred to January. Could be quite interesting and a new experience so looking forward to doing it.

I couldnt wait to get away/ out of it , prob most the disinterested I've been about doing a job hated the whole process .

But that's just me

 

[ajd132]

I couldnt wait to get away/ out of it , prob most the disinterested I've been about doing a job hated the whole process .

But that's just me

If it’s something very boring then it will be boring. I’m hoping for something exciting enough to keep me interested without giving me permanent mental scaring.

 

[serf]

If it’s something very boring then it will be boring. I’m hoping for something exciting enough to keep me interested without giving me permanent mental scaring.

I'd got no interest at all if it was exciting or boring and they must have got the message cos I didn't make it to the court room

 

[BRB John]

I've been called up 4 times....
1st i was in Africa
2nd turned up but the case was cancelled
3rd cancelled due to weather conditions
4th called on the day but wasn't needed....
That's been over 12+ years....
They'll get me yet.
Personally I'd like to do it, I think it would be interesting plus it might get my name off the bloody list...

 

[Danllan]

No! Was called when in the Army and couldn't do it, and again when at the Bar when Barristers were ineligible; but since Barristers ceased to be exempted not once...

I think it would be very interesting to see what it's like from the 'other side', particularly to what degree - if any - advocacy has an influence on the verdict. I think I will not mention my former profession.

If it’s something very boring then it will be boring. I’m hoping for something exciting enough to keep me interested without giving me permanent mental scaring.

Well... that's true when working on a case too; some are terminally dull, repetitious etc.. But others can be very interesting, because of the facts or the twists in examination.

As for your latter bit... there are some truly horrible cases. But these often still need a Jury; however if - as a juror - you feel it is having an adverse effect on you, you can ask to be excused and such a request is unlikely to be turned down.

 

[Tractor Boy]

I’ve been called up twice. Second time I got it deferred as it was near harvest. First time I did two cases over the two weeks, second time got let go after one case that lasted 3 days. All 3 were acquitted and all three made the CPS and the police look like they haven’t a clue what they are doing. It was an eye opener as the defence barristers really made the prosecutions look stupid!

 

[Devil's advocate]

I think you can move it once. If you explain about your busy and slack times I think they will accommodate. If you are busy all year round I think you will have to choose your least busy time.

Either that or pretend you are deaf, so you will not hear the evidence, or prejudiced so it will not be a fair trial for defendant unless he/she is white middle class and went to private school, or whatever.

FFS

I'm proper busy all year round.

If I commit a crime would I be inelligble for jury

Got asked to do it for July, deferred to January. Could be quite interesting and a new experience so looking forward to doing it.

I'd love to do it, but busy harvesting swedes in January, looking after sheep & delivering hay/straw.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

I'm too old now and never got called. Dad got called but was cancelled the day before. Mum served on one jury and Mrs Y as well. In Mrs Y's case, half way through the second day of the trial, someone said something wrong which meant that the jury had to be discharged, so she never saw a case through to a conclusion.

 

[Bury the Trash]

If it’s something very boring then it will be boring. I’m hoping for something exciting enough to keep me interested without giving me permanent mental scaring.

hmm.

 

[Exfarmer]

To be honest would have loved to have done it , if I was free at the time, sadly never called. Wife was at least twice but got off both times as she was a mother who could not rely on husband to do school run duties

 

[Danllan]

I’ve been called up twice. Second time I got it deferred as it was near harvest. First time I did two cases over the two weeks, second time got let go after one case that lasted 3 days. All 3 were acquitted and all three made the CPS and the police look like they haven’t a clue what they are doing. It was an eye opener as the defence barristers really made the prosecutions look stupid!

Well, I am biased, but... many Barristers will prosecute and defend (in fact most if not all in Criminal practice will for at least part of their career) and although of course some aren't as effective as others, this does balance out overall. I think it a good thing that people work on both 'sides'.

However, there is a very strong case for arguing that instruction and support received from the CPS is often notably inferior to that from people in private practice. In fact I'll go further and state that the quality of case review by the CPS is often poor and has become notably poorer over the last few decades - I base that on my own experience and that of people who've been around far longer.

 

[BBC]

Did it quite a few years ago but did have to defer it a couple of times. Was interesting seeing how the process works, but a lot of hanging about in the jury room.

However was a bit un-nerving when one of the cases we heard was for a member of a notorious Cotswolds travelling family who was up for serious GBH. Needless to say his ‘supporters club’ in the gallery made it clear that they were not happy about us finding him guilty, and after the case we were held back for an hour and then escorted out the back door by the police and told to disappear quick as there was a reception party at the front keen to ’discuss’ our decision ….!