The jury service queries thread

[spritulist]

no iv not yet my mother-in-law refused on medical grounds...a waiting the answer

[SnailyBoy]

i consider myself to be a good member of society thanks and i do alot (which you will never know) for society and don;t feel you should be made to something you really don;t want to do, people have different opinions and i;m sure it will be the same on jury service and i will stress my feeling towards that as well

 

That's the whole point of Jury Service, a cross section of society, all with different opinions. The jury I was on had a doctor, student, labourer, retired teacher etc. I was on it for 3 weeks (difficult trial) but it was very satisfying at the end to feel I'd done something worthwhile.

[hazel]

I did Jury Service quite a few years ago.

I was the first name out of the box and the trial lasted all week.

 

Judge wrote everything in longhand so it went a little slowly.

 

The accused described the parts of his body in earthy language and the barrester translated the words for our benefit.

 

The man from the Star fell asleep and fell off his chair.

 

The following week I was on jurys for shop lifting, breaking into gas meters etc .

On the shop lifting one I knew the detective giving evidence so had to interupt and put my hand up and confess, I was dismissed from the jury and it continued with 11 women.

 

Altogether it was a worthwhile experiance.

hazel

[Joanl]

Just realised the age of this thread when I saw Vikings post....I did it in Sheffield a good few years ago now but as most have said, take a book and wear comfy clothes...nothing skin-tight or you'll get pins and needles. The seats were hard when I did it, both in the waiting area and the courts.

I didn't find myself out of pocket as I was only working part time and we did get a lunch allowance.

I also had to do it again a couple of years later when I was living/working in London. Both were interesting experiences and I'm glad I had the opportunity to do it.

As someone said it's a great leveller. People from all walks of life and all there together, all in the same boat.

[Coral Water]

I'm soon to do jury service and although I'm looking forward to it I don't know much of what to expect - other than the obvious.

Any advice?

My Mum, who was also called a few years ago, said take a good book - one with lots and lots of pages due to the waiting around.

What can you tell me?

 

 

Yeah it was the most boring 3 days of my life, read plenty of mags and did lots of crosswords. It was like watching paint dry. Never got called in to the court room.

[Warden]

I would bloody love it! I can't understand anyone who wouldn't. I'm 46 and never been picked....what's wrong with picking me? come on...I'm ready and willing...

[SnailyBoy]

I would bloody love it! I can't understand anyone who wouldn't. I'm 46 and never been picked....what's wrong with picking me? come on...I'm ready and willing...

 

I've done it twice.....:-)

[spudgun]

It`s years since i did it but i`ve heard that you can be called more than once. Is that right?

[Joanl]

It`s years since i did it but i`ve heard that you can be called more than once. Is that right?

 

Yes I did it twice within maybe 5 or 6 years.....Once in Sheffield and then in London.

[DaFoot]

I've done Jury service... I think it was the year I turned 18 (thinking about it, the dates don't work. I must have been 20).

Wasn't in Sheffield though - I was at Plymouth Crown Court.

 

I got a straight forward assault case and a murder case. The second one was particularly interesting in seeing how the system works as he had already been convicted of murder but was trying to reduce sentence by reducing to manslaughter on grounds of deminsihed(sp?) responsibility.

 

After that I got a letter from the court excusing me from jury service for 10 years.