Jury Duty

PostJury Duty by **Mafro** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:37 pm

Anyone else ever done this? Did it yesterday for a trial that was meant to last for 3 days but it only ended up being around 2 and a half hours because of the shifty-as-fuck 15 year old ned witness clearly lying out his arse and admitting to lying in the police report :lol:

Fun experience though.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Rax** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:44 pm

Never did it myself, would like to though, just to see what its actually like. A friend of mine was jury for a B&E case though, went on for about a week. Convicted him and found out after he was a complete scumbag that was suspected of a whole load of gooseberry fool but they never had sufficient evidence to convict him until this one.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Peter Crisp** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:53 pm

I've done Jury Duty and I was called for almost 4 weeks for 2 different cases.

I found it pretty interesting and the people of both juries were friendly and nice. I was the Jury Foreman for case 2 and it was the scariest thing I've ever had to do as the result was a guilty verdict for a rather grim rape case so the guy was going to go to prison for a rather long time.
The Jury was given a pass for 10 years after that but this was ages ago so that's now expired but I'd have volunteered to go again anyway as I found it all much more interesting than being at work and work can't stop you from going unless you're in a crucial position like a doctor something.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Edd** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:06 pm

I did it earlier this year, ended up on a six week case which went on for just over eight weeks. It was fine, was a nice change working day times hours whereas I normally worked evenings/late nights.

Turned out the case was a retrial from 2016, the three defendants were found Guilty of Murder back then and got the same again this time.

Corazon de Leon · PostRe: Jury Duty by **Corazon de Leon** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:12 pm

Mafro wrote:Anyone else ever done this? Did it yesterday for a trial that was meant to last for 3 days but it only ended up being around 2 and a half hours because of the shifty-as-fuck 15 year old ned witness clearly lying out his arse and admitting to lying in the police report

Fun experience though.

Idiots.

I've never actually done it before - I believe I'm exempt for now from jury service. I know my brother is permanently exempt due to his occupation.

PostRe: Jury Duty by KK » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:27 pm

No, never. My Dad and Mum have never been asked either. My Gran has done it, but decades ago.

I don't know how common it is or what the criteria is.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **OrangeRKN** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:29 pm

What's the actual law on jury duty? Could I just get a letter one day saying I have to do it? What about travel arrangements and whatever? What if I worked from home normally and had a dog, is that a valid reason to turn it down?

PostRe: Jury Duty by **jawafour** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:49 pm

KK wrote:...I don't know how common it is or what the criteria is.

OrangeRKN wrote:What's the actual law on jury duty? Could I just get a letter one day saying I have to do it? What about travel arrangements and whatever? What if I worked from home normally and had a dog, is that a valid reason to turn it down?

IIRC, anybody aged 18 up to 70-ish can be called up and there are relatively few acceptable reasons for declining; certainly "being busy at work" is not one of 'em! Reasonable travel costs can be claimed back (i.e. getting a train or a bus but not, say, a chauffeur-driven limo) and a food token (of minimal value) is often provided.

In terms of time, it varies; you could be assigned to a four-week trial (and expected to continue if the trial lasts longer) or you may find that you are not called to anything over the course of a few days. Best to take a book(s) or something in case you're sitting around for a while.

Call-up is totally random; one may never be called or you may get called up a few times. Oh, and never post anything about any trial onto social media :-).

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Edd** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:49 pm

OrangeRKN wrote:What's the actual law on jury duty? Could I just get a letter one day saying I have to do it? What about travel arrangements and whatever? What if I worked from home normally and had a dog, is that a valid reason to turn it down?

They pay travel, food and loss of earnings. If you had a dog/children they'd reimburse you money for dog/childcare.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Victor Mildew** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:50 pm

PostRe: Jury Duty by KK » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:56 pm

Edd wrote:They pay travel, food and loss of earnings. If you had a dog/children they'd reimburse you money for dog/childcare.

...in which case I usually have a £100 lunch at Claridges, and I'm on £5,000 a week...

:shifty:

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Mafro** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:58 pm

KK wrote:No, never. My Dad and Mum have never been asked either. My Gran has done it, but decades ago.

I don't know how common it is or what the criteria is.

Anyone on the electoral register can be summoned for it.

OrangeRKN wrote:What's the actual law on jury duty? Could I just get a letter one day saying I have to do it? What about travel arrangements and whatever? What if I worked from home normally and had a dog, is that a valid reason to turn it down?

You basically have to do it unless you have a really good reason not to, working from home and having a dog to look after isn't one. Dunno what the law is in England, but in Scotland you're exempt from it if you work for the police, something to do with law, are a carer or are in the clergy. If you know anyone involved in the trial or anything about the trial you'll probably be excused and sent home. If you can't do it on the required date you can defer it for a date a few months later, but I think you can only do this a maximum of two times. You can apply for travel fees and lost earnings, but the amount you get for them usually isn't what you actually paid or are earned, and the childcare reimbursement is a shite amount too. Seems like if you work freelance you can be strawberry floated over pretty badly and I don't see why that shouldn't be a reasonable excuse for not doing it but apparently it's not.

If you don't turn up you can be fined up to £1000 (and they do actually bother to fine you, it's not just an empty threat since a case can't go ahead without the minimum number of jurors)

PostRe: Jury Duty by **OrangeRKN** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 3:59 pm

jawafour wrote:there are relatively few acceptable reasons for declining; certainly "being busy at work" is not one of 'em!

Do you get off if you tell them you're a massive racist?

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Jenuall** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:00 pm

Ad7 wrote:

My mind instantly went to Peep Show as well!

"Oh yeah! Justice is done! Not actual justice, but what I wanted to happen. Which is basically the same thing!"

Also can we please stop calling it jury duty, it is Jury Service - we are not uncooth Americans!

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Mafro** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:13 pm

jawafour wrote:Call-up is totally random; one may never be called or you may get called up a few times.

Someone in my group was on their 4th time of being called up :lol:

The selections system is obviously strawberry floated up if that's happening to some whereas others are never called up. You're exempt from being called again within 2 years but tbh I think if you've done it once you should have the option no not have to do it ever again due to the fact it can quite easily strawberry float you over financially with zero sympathy from the courts.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Squinty** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:16 pm

Mind immediately went to Peep Show as well.

Yeah, I've done it once. Ended up on three cases. First one was a rape allegation, second one was about a traffic accident/careless driving and the third was child abuse related.

The only one that lasted any considerable time was the rape one. I'm glad the child abuse one lasted one day. They pleaded guilty on the second day, so I was spared the detail on it.

The mileage was awesome though. Ended up getting 200 quid all in when I submitted the form.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Hexx** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:16 pm

Did when I was 19 on temp work.

Case ended up being 3 days. But had to call up at 5pm for 2 weeks in case other trials needed the next . Then dismissed

Agency agreed to tell them my "gross" rate (before agency cut) and that it was impossible to get temp work day at 5pm so I made a (to me at the time) fortune while being off work

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Lagamorph** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:17 pm

I've never been called for it and nobody I know has either.

Always rather wondered what it would be like though.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Squinty** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 4:19 pm

It's quite boring, if you don't bring anything to occupy yourself with. There's a lot of downtime.

PostRe: Jury Duty by **Preezy** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:02 pm

I want to do it as I fully expect it to be exactly like 12 Angry Men, and it'd be down to me to save that poor slum kid and get the other 11 jurors to come round to my way of thinking.

Jury Duty

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