OT Jury service. At 75? Are they serious?

[Huge]

Never been called. The wife was, but we'd just moved house and the summons went to the old address. Wrote back and told them that and she was excused. She's never been called again, either.

[Brian Gaff]

Talk to your doctor, had any form of mental illness or any kind of sensory impairment. I got out of it on the fact I was blind, but i could have been really cussed and wanted to do it at which point all court material would have had to be made available as electronic text or audio, which the clerk told me when I declinesd they did not have the budget for so they dreaded any of us blindies saying yes. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Oh yes it is, you go in, then hang about for ages and some time they then come and say not needed come back tomorrow etc. Brian

[NY]

The real problem is the length of time between you arriving and them deciding that they don't need you. When I was called, I made sure I claimed for every penny of expenses (travelling, parking) because I felt really annoyed that they had taken me away from my work to do... nothing but sit around. I'm one of those people who finds it very difficult to concentrate on a book in a crowded waiting room where there are people bustling around and talking, so I kept getting distracted from my novel every few minutes, so time passed very slowly.

Normally I'm not so penny-pinching about expenses, but I thought "I'm here under extreme sufferance so they don't get owt for nowt". :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Think it depends on where you live. Courts seem to have a catchment area for jurors. On my first stint, I knew one by sight. And London has the Old Bailey which gets its jurors from the London pool.

I was staff at the time, so didn't loose out on income. Unlike some who did - rather unfair, IMHO. Chatted to one who worked IIRC in a supermarket, and whose income was made up with overtime. Which wasn't taken into account for expenses.

Personally I don't think it a good idea to do many jury stints. You sort of learn the jargon and start reading between the lines. For example, if the accused has no record of a similar crime, the defence makes a big point of this. If they don't, you tend to guess they have a record as long as your arm. ;-)

[spuorgelgoog]

"Crime and Punishment", perhaps

Owain

[newshound]

Lucky you! I've only done it once (two juries) and found it very interesting if also quite draining.

[tim...]

in 40 years of being qualified, I have been called up once and then they cancelled that before I even turn up

never been picked again :-(

tim

[tim...]

and the "wrong sort of person" would likely apply

tim

[ARW]

Like politicians then?

I would not mind a week off work, a bit of free food and the chance to tax my brain without an apprentice anywhere in sight.

[ARW]

Throw a sicky. Go see you doctor.

[charles]

I noted that if there was police officer in the public gallery, it was to give details of previous convictions if the defendant was found guilty,

[charles]

It's normally 2 weeks, but when I was called, there was a trial estimated to last 10 weeks in No 1 Court. I was lucky, I knew the judge and he said "I can't have anyone I know on the jury in my court."

[charles]

only in so far as he was the Chairman of our Village Hall management committee - and I was Vice-Chairman.

[GB]

Blame the scrotes for pleading guilty at the last minute.

[Harry Bloomfield]

ARW pretended :

Well, they tax everything else..

[Huge]

*Applause*

[Bob Eager]

Our Crown Court was accessible. But each court had four separated entrances (dock, jury, judge, public)

[Bob Eager]

I have done it once. Three juries (and I was foreman on them all!)

[Bob Eager]

I did. Spent most of the time chatting to other people in the jury room.