Jury Service question

Billysboots

Falling apart at the seams
Moderator
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
6,026
Visit site
One big issue with the system for me. (Same with covid isolation at the end) you need to fully pay people to do it..

Apologies if I misunderstood, but the above suggests that you do want jurors to be paid - it was fairly unambiguous!
 

2blue

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
Messages
4,196
Location
Leeds,
Visit site
I have just thought.. who gets guaranteed income? Pensioners
Who would prob enjoy something to do? Pensioners

Maybe pensioners would be a brilliant choice for jury service, they have years of wisdom to call upon and anyone struggling with their energy bills would save a fortune
All right if you don't have to stay awake!!
 

Lord Tyrion

Money List Winner
Moderator
Joined
Sep 9, 2014
Messages
26,941
Location
Northumberland
Visit site
I have just thought.. who gets guaranteed income? Pensioners
Who would prob enjoy something to do? Pensioners

Maybe pensioners would be a brilliant choice for jury service, they have years of wisdom to call upon and anyone struggling with their energy bills would save a fortune
Based on a number of my elderly relatives I think there would be a big spike in guilty verdicts based on people looking shifty, hair not brushed, tattoos etc. Let's stick with a cross section 😄
 
D

Deleted member 31467

Guest
I have just thought.. who gets guaranteed income? Pensioners

Who would prob enjoy something to do? Pensioners



Maybe pensioners would be a brilliant choice for jury service, they have years of wisdom to call upon and anyone struggling with their energy bills would save a fortune
Condescending or what 🙄
 

rulefan

Tour Winner
Joined
Feb 21, 2013
Messages
14,575
Visit site
I have just thought.. who gets guaranteed income? Pensioners
Who would prob enjoy something to do? Pensioners

Maybe pensioners would be a brilliant choice for jury service, they have years of wisdom to call upon and anyone struggling with their energy bills would save a fortune
But there is an upper age limit of 75. That cuts out many pensioners.
 

hovis

Tour Winner
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
6,256
Visit site
I think I got told before not to attend.

A mate got called before lockdown and turned up twice and sent away then called the 3rd day and spent a week on a trial.
From what I can gather. If you attend on the first day then you're likely to be called at some point. If you don't then you're technically a "reserve" and don't get called at all. They key difference seems to be if you attend first day or not 🤷‍♂️
 

Golfmmad

Tour Winner
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
3,830
Visit site
I did jury service in 2018and my employers paid me and then claimed from the courts.
There is a lot of waiting around and the first day I wasn't called at all.
Second day I got called as one of 15 and went in to the court room. The juror had cards with our names on which when called you had to go and sit on the jury. Unfortunately I was one that didn't get selected. It was a bit of a lottery as he stood there shuffling the cards, I suppose to make it more random.
So I got sent home and was told I'd get a text later that day as to when I would be called in. Went back the next day and went through the whole process again and told that I was stood down for jury service and thanked me for my time and attending.
I found it all fascinating and hugely disappointed that I didn't get a trial.
Would gladly do it all again.
 

clubchamp98

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
16,193
Location
Liverpool
Visit site
It's strange.... Maybe because when I served it was my first time.... But I really really enjoyed the process. Found the way courts worked fascinating and I had a very intense case, I also had no stress as work paid me full pay for all 4+ weeks.
Yes that’s how it should be.
maybe people won’t dodge it then.
 

clubchamp98

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
16,193
Location
Liverpool
Visit site
I have just thought.. who gets guaranteed income? Pensioners
Who would prob enjoy something to do? Pensioners

Maybe pensioners would be a brilliant choice for jury service, they have years of wisdom to call upon and anyone struggling with their energy bills would save a fortune
Most pensioners ( me included) would find everyone guilty.
want them hung. And need a pee every 30 mins.;)
 

Billysboots

Falling apart at the seams
Moderator
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
6,026
Visit site
Most pensioners ( me included) would find everyone guilty.
And want them hung.

Believe it or not police officers can now be called to do jury service.

I can’t think of a bunch of people less suited. Knowing how hard it is to get a suspect charged and put before the Courts, a lot of cops would genuinely struggle to consider a charged defendant innocent until proven guilty.

They’d probably consider it from the opposite end of the spectrum, and that the defendant is guilty unless the defence proves the contrary. That creates an immediate problem as the defence don’t have to prove innocence - it is the prosecution which has to prove guilt.

The decision to call police onto juries was regarded as nonsensical by most cops I worked with for that very reason. I only know of a handful who ever ended up serving.
 

backwoodsman

Tour Winner
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
6,800
Location
sarf Lunnon
Visit site
Ref the original query from OP ...

Most court buildings have several courts within them - with cases of variable, and often indeterminate, length and therefore starting and finishing at different times/days. You get notice of being called for jury service quite a while ahead of the period when you actually might serve. So when you get called, the courts won't know precisely what cases are starting when in the period of your service

You get called for a duration of two weeks - ie initially you need to be available for cases that start within that two weeks. Now that you've been told you don't need to attend on the Monday, it means the court is now pretty sure no new cases will be starting on Monday. That you've been told you should still be ready to be available Tuesday means new cases might start that day. But they might not. If they know sufficiently in advance that you'll not be needed, they'll tell you. Usually, if you don't get called to be a potential juror in the first day or two, you'll be released. But not always. And even if you do get on a case, often you'll get released after its finished, even if there's plenty of your two weeks left.

It used to be that when you got called, you could spend up to two weeks kicking your heels in the jurors waiting room. On my first time I think I didn't get called until day 7. Meaning I had 6 useless and unproductive days in a very boring room. Nowadays, modern communication means that they if they know there's no chance you'll be needed straight away, then they can at least let you know, and your life can (sort of) progress normally.

If you do get called, do it - it can be very interesting. I've done it three times now and been on (I think) 5 cases.
 

ColchesterFC

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Messages
7,059
Visit site
Believe it or not police officers can now be called to do jury service.

I can’t think of a bunch of people less suited. Knowing how hard it is to get a suspect charged and put before the Courts, a lot of cops would genuinely struggle to consider a charged defendant innocent until proven guilty.

They’d probably consider it from the opposite end of the spectrum, and that the defendant is guilty unless the defence proves the contrary. That creates an immediate problem as the defence don’t have to prove innocence - it is the prosecution which has to prove guilt.

The decision to call police onto juries was regarded as nonsensical by most cops I worked with for that very reason. I only know of a handful who ever ended up serving.

I'd be rubbish on a jury. I'd be wanting to find them all guilty. Not just the defendant but all the witnesses and both sets of lawyers. Anyone who ends up in court is guilty of something. Which would put me in a predicament as I'd be in court and would have to find myself guilty as well.
 

road2ruin

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
2,288
Location
Surrey
Visit site
If a potential juror can show that taking time out of their normal lives will cause particular hardship (self employment being an obvious case in point), then there is always a possibility, albeit remote, that they will be excused.

I have been called for Jury service 3 times, the second couple of times were as a self employed person and I wrote a letter to say that I wouldn't be able to take part as there would be a distinct possibility (as a single person company) that it could be the end of my company if I took part. I got a reply saying that I would not be considered for jury service for the foreseeable however if my circumstances changed (I guess become employed again) I should let the relevant department know. That was about 9 years ago and haven't had another call up.
 
Last edited:

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
14,816
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
"

My wife's one cracked me up, £4.80 think it was because over 4 hours for drinks and food

As there is no food on site what is that providing? Wouldn't even cover a McDonald's these days

What spoke volumes is the price was set in 2008. Maybe back then that would cover something but it's 2023.. inflation is a thing

But surely what she was paid for lunch is the amount she would spend over what she would normally spend.
 

PJ87

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
19,734
Location
Havering
Visit site
But surely what she was paid for lunch is the amount she would spend over what she would normally spend.

Normally she would take something to heat up in the microwave at work

She would need to take something else at a cost or buy something

But if it's suppose to provide for food and drink should cover something

Same as the wages covering £64? Who gets £64 a day? Unless you are min wage and missed 6 hours of work it doesn't cover bugger all
 

clubchamp98

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
16,193
Location
Liverpool
Visit site
Believe it or not police officers can now be called to do jury service.

I can’t think of a bunch of people less suited. Knowing how hard it is to get a suspect charged and put before the Courts, a lot of cops would genuinely struggle to consider a charged defendant innocent until proven guilty.

They’d probably consider it from the opposite end of the spectrum, and that the defendant is guilty unless the defence proves the contrary. That creates an immediate problem as the defence don’t have to prove innocence - it is the prosecution which has to prove guilt.

The decision to call police onto juries was regarded as nonsensical by most cops I worked with for that very reason. I only know of a handful who ever ended up serving.
Well I suppose they pay their taxes and are entitled to vote so why not.
but as you say must be a conflict of interest.
can they say no ? As losing an officer for two weeks off his job isn’t good.
 
Top