Jury service advice....

[The general]

Sorry, not that clear. One case followed the other, not two separate occasions.

Unusual , but good on you doing you service .

 

[The general]

Could you try feigning illness... blame it on a dodgy turkey? No, in all seriousness I think speaking to someone informing them of your carer duties, they can't be that heartless!
Try and enjoy your Christmas

They can

 

[Ingwe]

A juror who was working as a Santa was late into court still dressed as a Santa. He apologised to the judge explaining why he was dressed as he was. The judge said, don't worry, look how they've dressed me up!

 

[The general]

No.... It was in yesterday’s post in the box outside. So unrecorded by us but I think the postman can tick a box on his paperwork to say it’s been delivered.

I would not just say I haven’t had it anyway.

You can tell the letter, if I remember there is red printing on it and looks very very official , of course as soon as you see it don’t open it just disappear in motorhome? I think after 3 wks a police officer might arrive at address to see if the person is at the address ? If not they would say cannot be found ? Then they would cross you off list ?

 

[David and Sally]

So are you saying a judge is worthy of paying but a jury is not. So if it’s not a worthwhile job why would anybody be interested in doing it.

We are obviously never going to agree @Ivory55

A Judge has a job. Paid by society on behalf of society. A Jury has a Duty to perform, on behalf of society. If you paid jurers you would be on the slippery slope to 'professional' jurers - or almost the same as politicians

It has been that way for centuries. No-one has ever come up with a better system so unless you can suggest one it's what we have - warts and all. Just get on with it!

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[Ivory55]

We are obviously never going to agree @Ivory55

A Judge has a job. Paid by society on behalf of society. A Jury has a Duty to perform, on behalf of society. If you paid jurers you would be on the slippery slope to 'professional' jurers - or almost the same as politicians

It has been that way for centuries. No-one has ever come up with a better system so unless you can suggest one it's what we have - warts and all. Just get on with it!

They say if you do owt for nowt do it for your self. There should be an opt out.

 

[Paddywack]

So are you saying a judge is worthy of paying but a jury is not. So if it’s not a worthwhile job why would anybody be interested in doing it.

Do you know what the process is to qualify as a judge, the time and money involved? It is their full time job for which they should be appropriately remunerated, jury service is something that comes around for ordinary citizens for a couple of weeks every twenty years.

 

[Ivory55]

Do you know what the process is to qualify as a judge, the time and money involved? It is their full time job for which they should be appropriately remunerated, jury service is something that comes around for ordinary citizens for a couple of weeks every twenty years.

Well if it’s an unqualified job that nobody has any interest in doing, that there is no decent money being paid for what is the point of making people do it. Don’t say civic duty as it’s a me me world out there as constantly shown by our leaders .

 

[Charlie123]

We are obviously never going to agree @Ivory55

A Judge has a job. Paid by society on behalf of society. A Jury has a Duty to perform, on behalf of society. If you paid jurers you would be on the slippery slope to 'professional' jurers - or almost the same as politicians

It has been that way for centuries. No-one has ever come up with a better system so unless you can suggest one it's what we have - warts and all. Just get on with it!

As I’ve said more than once on this thread it’s for us not about pay or money.

But the fact is that for those like me it will actually cost me money. All I would get is travelling expenses which will not cover the cost. As I’m deemed neither employed nor unemployed I won’t get the meagre £64 per day.

I’m not questioning the system but it has to be fair.

When I was working I was self employed. Now 64 nicker a day for a self employed person is utterly ridiculous... How is it or can it be that because someone has broken the law it them costs members of society to sit in judgement of them ? What happened to fairness ?

I will as said above and having listened to opinions and advice here ring in the first instance and explain my position. If it’s deemed I still have to go I will then be a pain in our doctors butt and request letters.
If that doesent work I’m stumped.
If all else fails and I cannot enlist a person to take my place for the guesstimated two weeks or whatever then I really will take my wife with me. They may deem me contemptuous but sensibility would rule.

There are it seems those who would like to sit on a jury as much as there are those who would. So why don’t we have a system where jurors are given the choice to enlist or not.....
Me ? I would have no problem doing it whatsoever. Be a rest for me !

 

[Puddleduck]

Seriously get someone else to do the forms.
They will ask questions and you answer and they will write the answer down.

No reason not to.

T

his is good advice @Charlie

Agreed, most towns have a disabled advise group who have experienced advisors who will fill any forms for you and stamp it with the groups official stamp.
Much better than struggling yourself.

The CAB are very helpful and some have benefits advisors, as do local authorities.

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[Puddleduck]

I hope all works out for you @Charlie , if it was up to me you would be exempt. I think if you talk to the clerk of the court and state your case you should be okay. If not please get your MP involved asap. I would go in your place if that was allowed - but I'm sure it isn't.

My friend was called to do jury service many years ago (1987 I think) and she had two very young children. I got paid for looking after them - which I would have been happy to do anyway. That was in Wales.

I've never done jury service but would not object if I was called. My Mum has been called twice and both times she went dressed super smart looking like a Head Teacher. Every time she was one of the first 12 there was an objection. She was not happy and thought the whole thing a complete waste of her time.

 

[billym]

I hope you get sorted Charlie. I am sure you will

This time last year I was on a jury having two weeks off for Christmas in a four month trial. It was a sad heartbreaking murder trial where four defendants got life with minimum terms of over 100 years between them.
Not once did any of the jury complain although there were a lot of tears.
So please let us not tar all jurors with the same brush and for that matter judges. Ours was young(ish) and extremely 'with it'

 

[Lenny HB]

If all else fails and I cannot enlist a person to take my place for the guesstimated two weeks or whatever then I really will take my wife with me. They may deem me contemptuous but sensibility would rule.

That actually sounds like a very good plan. Usually the clerk of jury is very understanding and they ask if anyone has any extenuating circumstances, both times I've been 3 or 4 people have had words with them & never seen again.

 

[gus-lopez]

Hmm. I thing modern day judges are out of touch. But to be a judge takes years of training and commitment. (Don't laugh). They are they top of their profession. If you want to change that become a judge

Do you know what the process is to qualify as a judge, the time and money involved? It is their full time job for which they should be appropriately remunerated, jury service is something that comes around for ordinary citizens for a couple of weeks every twenty years.

Here you learn to be a 'judge ' at university.Some are barely in mid 20's.

 

[PeteH]

Never done jury service, Being a Merchant Seaman might be one reason?, Can`t exactly drop everything in the middle of the Pacific or up the Arctic circle, and just nip home!. Even after too, always been on the Electoral Roll somewhere in the country. SWMBO did "jury" back in the 70`s though, I had to mind the kid`s for over a week!. good job I was actually on leave!.

Can`t see how sending a letter or E-Mail explaining the situation?, wouldn't help?. After all when you think about it, if your thinking how the "other half" is doing, Your mind wont be on the job properly, will it?.

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[gerry mcg]

No one 'wants' to get called. It's a nuisance and inconvenience, but it is a Duty. Not optional.
Just do it and stop whinging.

 

[Ivory55]

Duty ! Have you had a look at the uk today or are you living in a bubble somewhere.

 

[MattR]

No one 'wants' to get called. It's a nuisance and inconvenience, but it is a Duty. Not optional.
Just do it and stop whinging.

Did you read the OP's question and reason for asking or did you just jump in with your opinion?

 

[SpeedyDux]

Qualified lawyers used to be exempt. Nowadays even Judges and Police have to do jury duty. In theory.

I got a short deferment after I wrote in and explained that the date on the Summons clashed with a pre-booked holiday abroad. I still had to do jury duty and as a freelancer I ended up working in my spare time when I got home, while most of the 10 days were spent in the Juror's waiting room in a mix of boredom and frustration.

Whether care duties would lead to being excused - I don't know but it would be worth trying. Good luck.

 

[nicholsong]

Qualified lawyers used to be exempt. Nowadays even Judges and Police have to do jury duty. In theory.

I got a short deferment after I wrote in and explained that the date on the Summons clashed with a pre-booked holiday abroad. I still had to do jury duty and as a freelancer I ended up working in my spare time when I got home, while most of the 10 days were spent in the Juror's waiting room in a mix of boredom and frustration.

Whether care duties would lead to being excused - I don't know but it would be worth trying. Good luck.

I too was exempt as a Barrister but was not summoned till I passed 75 and exempt again bit insulting really.

I do not know what would have happened had I been summoned while living outside the country but still on the electoral role.

Geoff

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[gerry mcg]

Did you read the OP's question and reason for asking or did you just jump in with your opinion?

yes I read his question.
He should do his civic duty and stop trying to avoid it.

 

[MattR]

yes I read his question.
He should do his civic duty and stop trying to avoid it.

In your opinion. It appears from many other replies that he has reasonable grounds to request a deferment.

 

[Charlie123]

No one 'wants' to get called. It's a nuisance and inconvenience, but it is a Duty. Not optional.
Just do it and stop whinging.

Was that aimed at me ?

 

[Charlie123]

yes I read his question.
He should do his civic duty and stop trying to avoid it.

Have you actually read this thread ?

 

[Pete5996]

I'm a bit surprised at the flippancy and false bravado of some of the posts here, given that it's a situation that is clearly very worrying for Charlie. Don't waste any time prevaricating or trying to get the answer here. You must communicate with the Jury Service and explain the situation to them. They will listen and guide you in what to do - it won't be the first time for them. I suspect they will ask you to provide evidence such as a letter from your GP and I'm sure they will consider your application sympathetically.

There are a number of threads such as this one on a Carers Forum which should be reassuring.

As far as....

he'd have had to lock me up there & then as I'd have kicked off big time.First thing they should do is start at a sensible time ,not 9,30 am or 10 & finish at 4 when they've only just come back from lunch.
He'd have had to throw away the key as well as I'd never pay or apologise.

.....is concerned, I'm sure there should have been a 'wink' emoticon following it.

The reality is, he'd have probably sent you down to the cells below the Court for a couple of hours or so to consider your response when you re-emerged later in the day (normally when the Court rises). The Judge wouldn't let the jury go until you'd returned for the little chat, of course. If you'd chosen to not learn from the experience, he'd then probably send you back down the steps with a further appointment with him a week later.....

Don't try and buck the system - like it or not, it will win....

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[PJGWiltshire]

The exemption application process is stupid. From my dealings with Jury service on behalf of my wife (years ago) when she was called and having two children (5 and 3) to care for. (I was working away at the time and the system just expected you to make care arrangements).
My wife rang up on first day of due attendance and stated that the child minder rang up sick. She attended the next day and once at the court it was clear that her attendance was going to cause problems if she was on jury and was subsequently dismissed.
Years later i received Jury summons. I had just retired from the police (the rules had changed and that I was liable to sit) so was looking forward to two weeks of seeing the justice system from a different side.
It then turns out that I had to declare my police experience. As a result the defence team on jury selection are informed and on each occasion that I was picked, objections were made and i was stood down.
By week two after the third stand down I informed the Jury team that there was no point me being at court and was then allowed to go.
It's a case of just getting to the court on the day and tell them the facts.

 

[mitzimad]

yes I read his question.
He should do his civic duty and stop trying to avoid it.

surely his first duty is to his wife? at no point does he say he doesn't want to do it but needs help to fulfill his duties .If that help isnt available then he should be ommited on this occasion

 

[Charlie123]

surely his first duty is to his wife? at no point does he say he doesn't want to do it but needs help to fulfill his duties .If that help isnt available then he should be ommited on this occasion

Thank you.

Just to clarify... I have said twice that I would like to do the jury service. Though I will admit I have little sense of obligation or civic duty.

That said it would be interesting and a respite from the usual. My concern really is my wife and making sure all is taken care of at home.

Thank you all for the advice. I’ve thought about it now and have some direction in which way to approach the problem

 

[Puddleduck]

@Charlie if you could nominate a substitute I would do it for you.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Hi @Charlie
Something on TV tonight about jury service reminded me of you. Have you managed to contact the courts about your situation?

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