The jury service queries thread

[Womerry2]

One factor may also be that not everyone can afford to take the cut in income that jury service can mean (if, for example, two thirds of your salary is taken up by nursery fees ...) - so it takes financial reserves to be able to do your civic duty.

[DaFoot]

In theory, you shouldn't be out of pocket. But I guess it wont always work that way, equally some may make profit on it!

[*Cinderella*]

That's why the official process is to choose randomly from the electoral register- so theoretically at least the age, gender, race etc. makeup of the town/city should be represented equally.

 

Sadly, the process is not as entirely random as it should be. In order to ensure that people do not get called too often, a rotating system of postcodes is used for then randomly selecting individuals. Some postcodes fall outside this rotation, and the people at those addresses won't ever get called. There is the suspicion that the rotation schedules often favour postcodes where residents are likely to turn up; and that this is one reason why there is a bias towards white middle-aged middle-class jurors.

 

I agree with you, jury service is an important civic duty. I am excused jury service for the rest of my life following the long case I served on, but I certainly wouldn't avail myself of that exemption were I to be called again.

[debsutd]

my son did jury service in march this year, he had to go to court the first day then was given a number to call after 5-30 each day and he would be told if he had to go to court the following day, he was at court for 10 days out of the 14, my niece has also got to go in july this year, i have never been chosen

[deelightful3]

my son did jury service in march this year, he had to go to court the first day then was given a number to call after 5-30 each day and he would be told if he had to go to court the following day, he was at court for 10 days out of the 14, my niece has also got to go in july this year, i have never been chosen

 

yes same thing happened to my brother-in-law a few weeks ago,he said the first day was pretty boring as he didnt get chosen and there was a lot of sitting around,i think he then fgot the next 2 days off and then had to go in thursday and friday and all the following week

[Bruno]

well no days off for me, had a call today but did not get in final 12, however this afternoon finally got on a case.

 

before anyone say's, I'm not breaking the law by sayin on a case just can-not discuss the details

[Zebra]

Ooh I bet you feel oads better now don't you? I know I certainly did.

About 30% of the peopple who served at the same time as me never ended up on case.

I almost ended up on a second case but like you I never got in the final 12, even after 2 chap stepped down because he knew the defendent.

[mrmist]

Yeah I did two weeks and spent most of that just sat about reading. Got on one case which lasted 3 days. In the end we came to a guilty verdict decision but I was foreman so just said we'd found him innocent for a laugh. Oh what larks.

[lizzmobile]

Yes I have served on a jury, in Knutsford, Cheshire, case concerned was "pecuniary advantage" we acquitted him - young man mid-twenties thanked us all outside afterwards

Isn't that where Ruper T. Bear lives?

 

I did jury service in London, Southwark Crown Court. Fantastic it was. I've posted on here about it before so won't bash it out again, but yeah, a real eye-opener and reality check at the same time.

[lizzmobile]

Yeah I did two weeks and spent most of that just sat about reading. Got on one case which lasted 3 days. In the end we came to a guilty verdict decision but I was foreman so just said we'd found him innocent for a laugh. Oh what larks.

This is reassuring that the whole of the British judicial system can be made a mockery of 'just for a laugh'.

 

I am speechless.