Reply to: Bloody Jury Service

[Cyberman]

I think there is a lesson for you somewhere in there

Well, I've been a witness twice, been summonsed twice and had my life threatened in court. It seems to be the next natural step !!

[oracleslave]

I'd love to do jury service, but I've never been asked.

I think there is a lesson for you somewhere in there

[Cyberman]

I'd love to do jury service, but I've never been asked.

[TheFaQQer]

It throws a complete spanner in the works though when the defendent pleads guilty at the last minute so that the trial ends up being canned*.

Yep - a day or so waiting for it to start, and then nothing happens.

When I did it, the jury steward person said "at least the children won't have to testify" which I took to be a VERY good sign.

[Gonzo]

As TheFaQQer pointed out earlier, that doesn't work - you'll just be assigned to another case.

You aren't called to serve on the jury in a specific case, you are called to be available for whichever case they assign you to. There's never any lack of cases. If you tried to pull that stunt every time, you'd still be there for two weeks; although after the third or fourth time, you'd be more likely to be getting done for contempt.

There was some interesting stuff on the wall inside the waiting room about how much effort they have to put into predicting the likely number of jurors required in advance by the pipeline of cases (well it was interesing enough when you are hanging around scratching for things to do ).

It throws a complete spanner in the works though when the defendent pleads guilty at the last minute so that the trial ends up being canned*.





*I do realise that this is the better outcome for the taxpayer.

[NickFitz]

My guess would be claiming to know the accused, e.g. we once had a bar brawl / disagreement so I'm not comfortable being on the jury ...

As TheFaQQer pointed out earlier, that doesn't work - you'll just be assigned to another case.

You aren't called to serve on the jury in a specific case, you are called to be available for whichever case they assign you to. There's never any lack of cases. If you tried to pull that stunt every time, you'd still be there for two weeks; although after the third or fourth time, you'd be more likely to be getting done for contempt.

[expat]

No kidding.

Now would be an ideal time for me to be called for Jury service as I'm pootling about with some plan B and part time contract stuff that can wait. If I got called during a major contract I'd be losing a lot of money and my projects would fall apart even more than they do when I'm there.

or so you would like to think

[Clippy]

You can get out of it once can't you? Is that once ever or once every X years though?

Once each time you are asked I would imagine.

[Platypus]

This might work, if you don't mind being fined for contempt.

But the judge said "My first view was to send you to prison"

So probably not the best choice!

My guess would be claiming to know the accused, e.g. we once had a bar brawl / disagreement so I'm not comfortable being on the jury ...

[TykeMerc]

Shame you can't volunteer for it during bench time, really.

No kidding.

Now would be an ideal time for me to be called for Jury service as I'm pootling about with some plan B and part time contract stuff that can wait. If I got called during a major contract I'd be losing a lot of money and my projects would fall apart even more than they do when I'm there.

[TheFaQQer]

I wouldn't mind doing 2 weeks. A long trial could have us out on the street.

If the trial is likely to last more than 2 weeks, then they will ask you at the start of it what kind of impact that would have on you.

Shame you can't volunteer for it during bench time, really.

[expat]

I enjoyed my two weeks jury service.

I didn't bother claiming the expenses; it amounted to about 39 minutes of my rate at the time.

I'm one of those sad bunnies who believes that if you want trial by jury, sometimes you have to do jury service.

I wouldn't mind doing 2 weeks. A long trial could have us out on the street.

[BrowneIssue]

I enjoyed my two weeks jury service.

I didn't bother claiming the expenses; it amounted to about 39 minutes of my rate at the time.

I'm one of those sad bunnies who believes that if you want trial by jury, sometimes you have to do jury service.

[Bagpuss]

say you admire the work of SWMNBN

[HairyArsedBloke]

£100 fine - bargin, if only it would be that small for the likes of us.