Jury duty - was tougher than I expected.

[Globalti]

Just finished my two-week stint as a good citizen. In week one I was called to Court three times but wasn't in the 12 finally selected. On the second Tuesday I got a case, which lasted three days. We spent all of yesterday afternoon arguing and ended up asking the judge if we could go home because our heads were spinning, we were exhausted and the discussion was going nowhere. So we went home with eight "guilties" and four, including me, "not proven beyond reasonable doubt". Last night was tough as I so much wanted to discuss the case with my family but was, of course, prohibited from doing so. Back to the Jury room this morning and three of us nay-sayers had changed our minds and it took about an hour for the fourth to see it from our point of view. So "Guilty", and from his reaction the judge seemed to have anticipated our verdict.

I found the two weeks slightly surreal and the actual case unexpectedly tiring and stressful. Anybody else done Jury duty and found the same?

 

[Globalti]

He explained a lot to us. What do you mean?

 

[Globalti]

I thought you were not meant to discuss the case outside the court room

The case has finished and anyway am I disussing the specific case? I haven't even told you the name of the court.

If I'm wrong and I'm in Contempt, Mods please remove this post fast!

 

[Archie_tect]

I was 25 at the time.... narrowly missed a murder trial at the Crown Court because the first 12 [including me] were rejected for some reason... what I found most worrying was the lack of incriminating evidence, and how much was speculation by the Prosecution.... but this was the mid 80s!

 

[ianrauk]

The case has finished and anyway am I disussing the specific case? I haven't even told you the name of the court.

If I'm wrong and I'm in Contempt, Mods please remove this post fast!

Nothing in your post that talks of what case or where so no need of a deletion.

 

[Globalti]

Even so, now that a verdict has been reached, surely the case is open for discussion?

 

[numbnuts]

I never been call up

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Even so, now that a verdict has been reached, surely the case is open for discussion?

I think discussion of a jury's deliberations is prohibited, even after the conclusion of the trial. The case can be discussed.

GC

 

[ColinJ]

I think discussion of a jury's deliberations is prohibited, even after the conclusion of the trial. The case can be discussed.

GC

Gov.uk statement.

 

[London Female]

I never been call up

Lucky you. I had to do jury service once at Southwark Crown Court, I hated it and I hope I never get called again.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Even so, now that a verdict has been reached, surely the case is open for discussion?

You've given no name, place, indication of the alleged crime, nor what considerations led to your change of verdict so I don't see anything amiss here.

I've done jury service twice and it can be very hard work. Stimulating but exhausting. I needed the cycle ride home at the end of each day to clear the mind. And my main target became to see if I could find the route with the fewest traffic lights. I got Deptford to Elephant and Castle down to 4 traffic lights and 3 pedestrian crossings...

 

[RWright]

I never been call up

I have been called on twice. It seems like I get called for it after I vote in a presidential election. I have managed to get out of it so far. This was for District Superior Court. The first time I had to tell the judge why I wanted to be let off, in open court, during a divorce trial. He made me sit through about 15 minutes of the trial before he "remembered" what I was there for. Last time I called and they said they did not need me and were supposed to have contacted me, which they didn't. I just hope next election I don't feel strongly enough that I should go vote against one of the two evils running for President.

 

[User6179]

Lucky you. I had to do jury service once at Southwark Crown Court, I hated it and I hope I never get called again.

You can say its against your religious beliefs to stand in judgement of others and be excused from jury service !

 

[Archie_tect]

Jedi?

 

[ColinJ]

I wondered what would happen if the case involved a law that you didn't agree with? I'm fairly sure that that would not be accepted as a reason to be excused, but how could you be expected to be impartial if you thought that the law was wrong?