Jury duty - was tougher than I expected.

[vernon]

Jedi?

Jedward - unfit to pronounce judgement.

 

[MontyVeda]

i got called up for jury service in 1999... I turned them down.

 

[vernon]

(unless, like me, you are permanently excused).

How can you get permanently excused?

 

[Brandane]

How can you get permanently excused?

Join the Police.

 

[Hover Fly]

How can you get permanently excused?

Live in the right place. I used to wonder why friends who lived in Big Town 8 miles away got called up, often more than once in a few years, while I and other inhabitants of Small Town didn't. It turns out that because the district council I live in doesn't cover a town with a proper court, the electoral roll is never used to summon jurors.

 

[gavgav]

I was called for it, when I lived down in Worcester. I spent 2 weeks sat in the waiting area, was due to go in 3 times and each time the accused changed their plea and so we weren't needed, and so never actually got into the courtroom! I then returned to work and was phoned on the Monday to say they needed me for a 2 week case in Hereford. I told them to go !!!!!!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

been called twice, my job exempted me 1st time but rule changes meant no such excuse next.
I got onto 2 cases, both supposed child abuse, not a lot of fun. one guilty & one not.

The judges both seem to have anticipated & agreed with our opinion in their summing up.

I'd have no qualms about doing it again but all in all I'd rather not.

 

[EltonFrog]

I've only sat on a Jury once, back in the mid 90's .....on three episodes of THE BILL.

Never done if for real.

 

[Maz]

Watch this film. It's a classic

 

[Bollo]

I was called for it, when I lived down in Worcester. I spent 2 weeks sat in the waiting area, was due to go in 3 times and each time the accused changed their plea and so we weren't needed, and so never actually got into the courtroom!...

Same happened to me at Winchester Crown Court. After three late guilty pleas we were thrown a 1 day offensive weapon charge to keep us keen. The case was quite interesting as it rested on CCTV evidence and gave me a wholly different perspective on helmet cams. It also took place in the same courtroom where Rose West was tried.

Winchester Crown Court is an evil looking 70s block that sits by the Castle. I use 'evil' as a complement - one of the architects on here would be able to tell me if it's strictly brutalist - because it almost seems to say 'here is justice'. The courtrooms are even more intimidating.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I got called up last year and I enjoyed the experience. Probably as the case was only robbery, I'm sure it would be really difficult should you get a case that involves kids and sensitive stuff though.

 

[biggs682]

done it twice , found it totally frustrating and a complete waste of time and ended up out of pocket both times

 

[Salad Dodger]

I have done jury service once. 3 cases over the 2 weeks.

What surprised me was the terribly unprofessional way that some of the evidence was presented. In one case, the main police witness could not be sure whether photos presented in evidence were taken with the vehicles "in situ", or whether they had been moved and then photographed. But he had taken the photos at the scene....

In another, we read a transcription of a taped interview (because the tape was sometimes indistict and the interviewee was foreign and with a heavy accent) but the transcripts were incorrectly photocopied. The whole trial had to be stopped and the transcripts had to be taken back in and done again. Not great for your confidence in the process of justice!

 

[Noodley]

How can you get permanently excused?

Do my job

 

[Maz]

done it twice , found it totally frustrating and a complete waste of time and ended up out of pocket both times

Do you get paid for doing jury service (per day?)? What about travel expenses?
Are you obliged to attend if you are called up?