Your day in court

[OwlHoot]

But as I said every decent citizen should be honoured by taking part in the justice system.

True, but many of these cases take ridiculously long, often due to blatant delaying tactics and obfuscation by defence lawyers.

Before the 1820s, defendants in felony cases were allowed no legal representatives with them in court, as it was considered that the judge would defend their interests there. As a result, courts could romp through cases, usually several a day.

[AtW]

True, but many of these cases take ridiculously long, often due to blatant delaying tactics and obfuscation by defence lawyers.

Well, as a juror you will be able to have your say over this, right? I mean its you who will say the guy is guilty or not.

And also I don't buy your notion of extremely long cases -- even major national scale stuff takes weeks, not years. I don't know the frequency of juror's callup, but if it costs to you few weeks every few years then its not a problem, so stop whining and be happy that fellow citizens have control over justice system.

[WageSlave]

The Crown Prosecution Service is an example in miniature of what happens when civil servants make decisions whether to prosecute - Before Edward Heath set it up in the 1970s, the UK had Grand Juries (as they still do in the US) to decide whether there was a case to answer. Only if the Grand Jury returned a true bill [of indictment] would a case come to court before a petty jury (i.e. the kind of jury we still have today).

CPS, truly scary trolls. I had a lot of dealings with them when I worked at the Home Office. Ugliest and most stupid people outside of Wales.

[Lucifer Box]

Well, as a juror you will be able to have your say over this, right? I mean its you who will say the guy is guilty or not.

And also I don't buy your notion of extremely long cases -- even major national scale stuff takes weeks, not years. I don't know the frequency of juror's callup, but if it costs to you few weeks every few years then its not a problem, so stop whining and be happy that fellow citizens have control over justice system.

That's all fine and well as long as you don't end up on a three year fraud case (e.g. Guinness) and end up losing your job and all prospect of future employment, or on a dangerous gangster trial and end up having to flee the country and change your identity. I remember a documentary a few years ago called "Jury Service Destroyed My Life" or somesuch that was full of such examples.

Remember, Alexei, your employer is not obliged to pay you while you do jury service or even keep your job open for you - they are quite entitled to sack you. If your employer refuses to pay you, you can claim a daily allowance of about £20 from the state. If you are self-employed or are otherwise a one man band, you could go bankrupt (and that is not one of the excuses you can use unfortunately).

[Lucifer Box]

You can always plead insanity to escape jury duty.

It's what I do.

Worked every time so far...

I thought you just ate the judge?

[AtW]

I suppose you have a point Lucifer, it is a tad suprising the law does not prevent employer from sacking you, I think this should be changed -- and lost earnings should be returned in form of tax credit for that amount.

[Lucifer Box]

I suppose you have a point Lucifer, it is a tad suprising the law does not prevent employer from sacking you, I think this should be changed -- and lost earnings should be returned in form of tax credit for that amount.

You have a point also, Alexei, in that your chances of ending up on a three year fraud case or having to deal with dangerous gangsters threatening to "sort you out afterwards" from the dock are low, but for those it happens to it is a living nightmare for which they get no reward or thanks, and from which they may never recover. The blurb you get when summoned explains that it is your civic duty ("the most important thing any citizen can be required to do", it says) and that the reward of serving your Queen and country is reward enough.

[OwlHoot]

stop whining and be happy that fellow citizens have control over justice system.

I am happy - I was only whining about the fact that long cases make jury service unpopular and thus discredit it in some peoples' eyes (which is what the Government would very much like, as they're itching to abolish it).

[AtW]

The blurb you get when summoned explains that it is your civic duty ("the most important thing any citizen can be required to do", it says) and that the reward of serving your Queen and country is reward enough.

Well, I think it should be changed to make sure juros don't think about money they did not earn during process -- this is not good for justice.

[Lucifer Box]

Well, I think it should be changed to make sure juros don't think about money they did not earn during process -- this is not good for justice.

Perhaps give them all an amnesia drug at the end of the trial?