Jury Service

[Paigntonian]

Got the brown envelope today, at the age of 62. Have to make myself available for ten days in October. Initial reaction, bore. But then thought it might be interesting.

[Chipchopper]

When I did it, I had major probs trying to stay awake. The full English breakfast every morning probably didn't help much.

[davebro]

You can ask to be excluded if you are over 70. If you don't then you aren't.

[Hopkirk]

When I did it in the early eighties many of us went to the pub for soft drinks and a meal on expenses. The defence, the prosecution and the jury were there in different areas carefully ignoring each other.

[Peter Pedant]

It is VERY boring - I think I had my first case on Thursday having had reported in and sat around on Monday thro

Take a book, you will need it

Dont expect any kind of service - food or hot water

[Canary42]

It can be excruciatingly boring at times, but completely fascinating at others.

At my first stint I was Foreman which did add a little colour, and allowed me to have a chat with the Judge. The flip side being it can be quite tricky keeping it moving forward in the Jury Room. Based on your posts here I think you might find some of the Jury a bit infuriating LOL.

[Old_Geezer]

I was called about a year ago. I was not keen. I was very glad to get a phone call some time later saying that they had too many and would I like to be released from it.

[jourdain2]

It is something I'm rather piqued about never having been asked to do - and I am fast running out of time. Even if it's boring (and friends say they just sat around a table in the canteen for several days) it would be good to be apart of the system and of interest as just that.

[nescio]

I have been called for jury service three times. The first time, my employer requested I be excused because I was essential for our recently opened new facility and could not really be absent. That worked. I was summoned again 7 years later and served for two weeks. Then 7 years after that, I served another two weeks.

[Sam1960]

Been called up four times, three for the high court, and one for the sheriff court. Never been picked.

[Ellipsis]

On the bright side, they'll be paying for your heating and food for those 10 days while you're sitting in their building ...

[Peter Pedant]

I turned up during radiotherapy - with one eye sewn together ( eyelids so the eye closed) and radiotherapy hadnt quite gone the right way.
( kept my brain back in I joked as people stared at me like a freak)
and the clerk said christ are you OK to do this?

and I cdnt have been as I made my way darn da stairs and the Master's Joyfull do-do chased after me and shouted
"ere mate - gawd elp foo" etc - you know the usual godawful IQ-minus mumbo jumbo. His gown shoulder pads were like those Chiese roof tiles.
and someone said - no let him go !
and he had another round of 'foo-ing' and I was free !

but back again the following month - stitches out and my brayne hasnt spilled over the stitch cutting tray....
( but no one cd tell...)

[Peter Pedant]

that was about jury service and not my last visit to the lu-lu hospital

[Peter Pedant]

No they wouldnt feed us...
we had a break-out at 1300

[Bazile]

Have you seen the film 12 Angry Men .

It'll be just like that

[davebro]

^^^^^ Actually I think the kid WAS guilty!

[Peter Pedant]

we were stuck as is common apparently
on leddy as out-lier who then said when all was done and dusted that
her son ( er not the defendant) had spent 16 out of 30 christmases - - in prison

and the other eleven very nearly said - so what

[10ClarionSt]

I did it in 2017, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester. I was chosen for 3 cases in the time I was there, which took up most of the 2 weeks. However, one or two other people didn't get selected at all and just had to hang around reading for whole time.

On one case I was the Foreman and couldn't help laughing at the reply from a witness. The judge wasn't pleased and told me off, otherwise I would be removed from the court. Gulp!
The defence barrister said to this female witness:

"So, at this stage of the proceedings, how would you estimate your level of inebriation?"

To which the girl said: "Yer wot?"

I couldn't help laughing. Not good. Oh dear!