The jury service queries thread

[Nagel]

I think it also includes most professionals who bill by the hour too such as accountants, solicitors, doctors, surgeons, etc.

[studentbob]

I would have lost out because I work for an American company that's not subject to UK law. Before that I was a self employed consultant and would also have lost out.

 

Maybe you would have gained in another way - it's not all about money. Being able to experience the workings of the justice system was a bit of an eye opener for me in more ways than one.

I remember feeling the responsibility of taking away someones liberty for something they may not have done.

I remember the frustration at the process which only allowed evidence to be heard that had been agreed by both counsels beforehand, such that when one witness started to quote a third party (who never appeared before us, but was at the scene with the witness) both barristers and even the judge were quick to shut her up. They seemed scared that she might have told us something we were not allowed to hear.

I remember the prejudices of my fellow jurors who had decided the guy was guilty after the first day.

I remember giving in to the pressure to finish on the Friday afternoon with a guilty manslaughter verdict.

But the main thing I remember was about 3 years later when the Appeal Court judges in London overturned the conviction saying it was one of the worst miscarriages of justice they had ever seen.

It certainly makes you think about the freedoms we take for granted.

[Nagel]

So you were party to unjustly locking someone up for three years?

 

I can see why the third party evidence was stopped by the judge as that would be hearsay, but can't you as a jury ask for witnesses to be called? Probably the judge should have asked for this witness to be called.

 

I can see that jury duty would be a good thing to be a part of and would willingly take part if the government compensated me properly for loss of earnings. It's also not fair that companies have to pay their employees to do jury duty. The full cost should be paid by the government out of taxes ie: the cost spread amongst us all.

 

It must be a big burden for any small company to have to pay for an employee whilst they are absent from work and unproductive. Some trials can go on for months.

[studentbob]

So you were party to unjustly locking someone up for three years?

 

I can see why the third party evidence was stopped by the judge as that would be hearsay, but can't you as a jury ask for witnesses to be called? Probably the judge should have asked for this witness to be called.

 

I can see that jury duty would be a good thing to be a part of and would willingly take part if the government compensated me properly for loss of earnings. It's also not fair that companies have to pay their employees to do jury duty. The full cost should be paid by the government out of taxes ie: the cost spread amongst us all.

 

It must be a big burden for any small company to have to pay for an employee whilst they are absent from work and unproductive. Some trials can go on for months.

 

Yes, although he didn't get that much and would have been out within the year anyway.

 

But it's just like losing an argument. Nobody wants to, or intends to, but sometimes there comes a point when you can no longer argue a certain position. Afterwards, of cousre, you recant the argument in your head and find that you win. But you can't change what happened. And you don't get the chance to make things right.

 

I share your concern on costs but, when I did it, I think it was voluntary. Anyone who didn't receive their wages could claim up to about £65 a day, which if I am not mistaken was paid by the court directly to the juror.

[carly83]

You are actually summonsed to attend....yes they do have to honour it....you don't have to book a holiday....I believe you are selected from the electoral register? if you are out of the country at that time or cannot do it for a strong reason you can ask for it to be differed....but you have to give alternate dates I think.

I'm sure thats how it was for me anyway.

 

can be excused from it if there's a valid reason, if so you don't have to arrange different dates as you simply don't do it but unless there's a good reason it is differed.

 

i've been called twice once in surrey once in lancashire but have been excused from both and will be again for any furture summons.

[Bruno]

The problem with jury duty is that only the old, the unemployed and housewives want to do it. Anyone with a decent job will lose out financially as the expenses they pay are a pittance compared with what you could earn at work.

 

When I got called for jury duty I searched for advice online and found out that the best option for getting out of jury duty was not to respond to the letter and not to turn up on the day. In other words completely ignore it.

 

Despite all the threats in the letter they just don't have the resources to chase up people who don't show up.

 

I'd be happy to do jury duty in retirement, but not right now.

 

I did it about 2 years ago now, i thought about my expenses etc being self employed, i got paid in full, even though my job is in the evening.

 

If you or anyone gets called up, give it a go, it's quite interesting and if you have any sense you will get into it and provide a valid virdict on the evidence you hear.

[Babooshka]

I did it about ten years ago. My goodness. Never have I met such a group of incompetent people. There were about three of us who had an ounce of sense about us, with the ability to hold an intelligible discussion about the cases. It destroyed my faith in the jury system. To this day I hold the view that verdicts should be given by a panel of judges. Most people are far from qualified to make such important decisions about someone else's life. I was disgusted.

[boyfriday]

I did jury service and it changed the way I thought of people and myself.

I went from being a busy working mother of three, to two wks of being my own person

On starting mine was the first name to come out of the box and I was put straight on a rape case, nine men and three women, which lasted all week.

The next week was a series of small majestrates cases.

 

But for the first time for what seemed years, instead of just being some ones mom, my opinion was of value.

 

hazel

 

Juries don't sit on magistrates cases hazel

[redfox]

The discussions in the jury suite are private and should never be discussed away from it. I am surprised the moderator has not said so before.

 

Is it not one of the important duties we perform to participate in the criminal justice system - do you want to be tried by cynical judges who have heard it all before or by your peers?

 

If you look at the miscarriages of justice it is not often because the jury gets its completely wrong but that in the course of the trial one of the 'professionals' gets it wrong.

[rossyrooney]

I was lucky enough to sit on three juries in trials lasting three days each then being excused for the last day.

 

I found the whole experience very interesting apart from everyone involved having to pause frequently to let the judge write everything down.

 

The defence lawyer at the time was Michael Murphy who is now a judge.