| Jury Service 16:32 - Dec 19 with 6529 views | MrSwerve |
I've managed to avoid it somehow until the ripe old age of 35, but I've been called up to do jury service in January next year. I've looked at some of the instructions that they send through, but I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or tips (or generally interesting stories!)? *looks over to Sirjohn* 
How smart do you need to dress these days? I always assumed it would be formal, however I'm not sure if that is the case these days? I.e. would jeans be acceptable, for example? (Not that I would wear them to court, just curious).
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| Jury Service on 16:58 - Dec 19 with 4758 views | max936 |
I was due to do it beginning of January, but managed to get excused because of my work, it was the last thing I wanted or needed at the moment. |  |
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| Jury Service on 17:06 - Dec 19 with 4743 views | MrSwerve |
| Jury Service on 16:58 - Dec 19 by max936 |
I was due to do it beginning of January, but managed to get excused because of my work, it was the last thing I wanted or needed at the moment. |
Yeah, I was supposed to do it mid-November but it was a particularly important week for me in work, so I delayed it until January. | |
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| Jury Service on 17:10 - Dec 19 with 4739 views | max936 |
| Jury Service on 17:06 - Dec 19 by MrSwerve |
Yeah, I was supposed to do it mid-November but it was a particularly important week for me in work, so I delayed it until January. |
Its not for me to be honest, hope I don't get called again, my lad got called earlier this year, but after a day or two he was told he was not needed, he was a bit disappointed as he would have enjoyed the experience. | |
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| Jury Service on 17:17 - Dec 19 with 4731 views | MrSwerve |
| Jury Service on 17:10 - Dec 19 by max936 |
Its not for me to be honest, hope I don't get called again, my lad got called earlier this year, but after a day or two he was told he was not needed, he was a bit disappointed as he would have enjoyed the experience. |
My mother-in-law had the same experience as your son, last year.
I'm a little bit apprehensive about it, to be honest, no idea why! Law is a bit out of my comfort zone...I understand the whole jury of peers system etc...I just want to do the best that I can. | |
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| Jury Service on 17:21 - Dec 19 with 4719 views | Dr_Winston |
44 and never been called. A mate of mine born four days after me has done it three times. |  |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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| Jury Service on 17:23 - Dec 19 with 4714 views | MrSwerve |
| Jury Service on 17:21 - Dec 19 by Dr_Winston |
44 and never been called. A mate of mine born four days after me has done it three times. |
The mother-in-law is in her 60s, never been called up, and then was called up twice within 3 or 4 years! | |
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| Jury Service on 17:46 - Dec 19 with 4675 views | pencoedjack |
Done it about 8’years ago, not a pleasant experience for the 3 days I had a case the rest of the time was spent hanging about.
I’d wear what you feel comfortable in & if that’s jeans so be it. |  | | |
| Jury Service on 18:04 - Dec 19 with 4654 views | Whiterockin |
You may find you are asked to stay home unless called. They tend to be doing this now and not keep you hanging around the court all day if not required. |  | | |
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| Jury Service on 18:34 - Dec 19 with 4628 views | Sirjohnalot |
As long as it’s not offensive eg one had to be sent him for wearing a ‘f the police ‘ shirt he then came back with a ‘cannabis is life ‘ top. He was lucky not to be done for contempt, thought it was funny. Witnesses in my rape case didn’t think so.
Wear whatever you’re comfy in. Jeans and a smart shirt eg: you tend to find people start off smart and then relax.
Really really important is to under no circumstances do any research into the case, that includes defendant, anything in the paper, the barristers. You can never ever discuss what was discussed in the jury room, during the trial don’t discuss the case with anyone outside the jury room. Idea being they’re not in court as people will give you their opinions on the trial without being there.
Go with an open mind. Remember you have to assume the defendants are not guilty, till the prosecution can make you sure they’re guilty. They don’t have to prove their innocence. This will be spelt out to you by the judge at the start but they do take it very seriously. People have gone to prison for disobeying it.
Believe it or not, if a case of mine a few years ago a juror said he was ill, turns out his partner had got him a ticket for the theatre in London and he went there, then put it all over Facebook! Got 2 months I think.
Don’t make up your mind till you’ve heard all the evidence. It’s such an important thing to do. |  | | |
| Jury Service on 18:36 - Dec 19 with 4625 views | Sirjohnalot |
| Jury Service on 18:04 - Dec 19 by Whiterockin |
You may find you are asked to stay home unless called. They tend to be doing this now and not keep you hanging around the court all day if not required. |
That’s certainly not the case up here. It may not always start on time as as there’s legal arguments and such like that are done in the morning and after the jury retire. | | | |
| Jury Service on 18:38 - Dec 19 with 4619 views | Whiterockin |
| Jury Service on 18:36 - Dec 19 by Sirjohnalot |
That’s certainly not the case up here. It may not always start on time as as there’s legal arguments and such like that are done in the morning and after the jury retire. |
I mean basically you are on standby at home unless you are called in. | | | |
| Jury Service on 18:46 - Dec 19 with 4596 views | raynor94 |
Thoroughly enjoyed it, a great experience.
Wear what you are comfortable with, it's no fashion parade trust me |  |
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| Jury Service on 18:49 - Dec 19 with 4594 views | CountyJim |
My brother did a big fraud case he was on the jury for months he said it was so difficult and really tedious they told the judge they were struggling but he just said it was their duty.
In the end they it was not guilty because they couldn't get heads around it they thought that was the best thing to do.
My wife was called up for a child abuse case she was lucky one of the kids she knew she was her dinner lady so the judge let her go , She really was grateful |  | | |
| Jury Service on 18:51 - Dec 19 with 4582 views | pencoedjack |
| Jury Service on 18:49 - Dec 19 by CountyJim |
My brother did a big fraud case he was on the jury for months he said it was so difficult and really tedious they told the judge they were struggling but he just said it was their duty.
In the end they it was not guilty because they couldn't get heads around it they thought that was the best thing to do.
My wife was called up for a child abuse case she was lucky one of the kids she knew she was her dinner lady so the judge let her go , She really was grateful |
I knew you’d reply something like that.
Amazing. | | | |
| Jury Service on 18:51 - Dec 19 with 4580 views | Sirjohnalot |
| Jury Service on 18:38 - Dec 19 by Whiterockin |
I mean basically you are on standby at home unless you are called in. |
Not up in the NW, they’re all in the jury room. | | | |
| Jury Service on 18:52 - Dec 19 with 4571 views | britferry |
take a book or a couple of newspapers, you could be in the waiting room to be called for a few days. If its obvious you won't be called that day, then they'll send you home after a couple of hours.
When they do call you, they'll take around 20 of you in to court and 12 will be picked out at random, the rest return to the waiting room.
I was waiting for a week, got called to a pre-trial hearing, we decided the bloke was fit to stand trial, took about an hour. The full trial was going to start the following week, so we were then finished because we couldn't be in the jury pool for the proper trial. [Post edited 19 Dec 2022 20:00]
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| Jury Service on 18:53 - Dec 19 with 4570 views | Sirjohnalot |
| Jury Service on 18:49 - Dec 19 by CountyJim |
My brother did a big fraud case he was on the jury for months he said it was so difficult and really tedious they told the judge they were struggling but he just said it was their duty.
In the end they it was not guilty because they couldn't get heads around it they thought that was the best thing to do.
My wife was called up for a child abuse case she was lucky one of the kids she knew she was her dinner lady so the judge let her go , She really was grateful |
There are calls for big fraud cases to be dealt with by judges. I’ve turned a case down like that as I’m not sure I’d be able to get my head round it, plus I’d find it so boring | | | |
| Jury Service on 19:08 - Dec 19 with 4549 views | Flashberryjack |
I did a rape case few years ago, he changed his plea to guilty just after the charges were read out, I was then released from my jury service. |  |
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| Jury Service on 19:24 - Dec 19 with 4532 views | Whiterockin |
| Jury Service on 18:51 - Dec 19 by Sirjohnalot |
Not up in the NW, they’re all in the jury room. |
Friend of mine was on jury service 3 weeks ago. On standby at home first week then Tuesday of the second week told they were not required and went back to work. | | | |
| Jury Service on 20:14 - Dec 19 with 4484 views | onehunglow |
I thought Swerve was 40 at least and Winston a good 50 | |
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| Jury Service on 20:54 - Dec 19 with 4453 views | grabsplatter |
No idea how the call up procedure works, until I was nearly 50 I'd never been called & then over a 6 year period I was called up for 'regular' jury service twice & for the coroner's court once.
First time we reported for a couple of days, sat around waiting & were then discharged without seeing the inside of a court, second time I spent 1 afternoon in court before the case was thrown out & we were discharged!
The third occasion was for the coroner's court, that lasted for a week & it's something I'd never want to do again to be honest. |  | | |
| Jury Service on 22:27 - Dec 19 with 4400 views | max936 |
| Jury Service on 20:54 - Dec 19 by grabsplatter |
No idea how the call up procedure works, until I was nearly 50 I'd never been called & then over a 6 year period I was called up for 'regular' jury service twice & for the coroner's court once.
First time we reported for a couple of days, sat around waiting & were then discharged without seeing the inside of a court, second time I spent 1 afternoon in court before the case was thrown out & we were discharged!
The third occasion was for the coroner's court, that lasted for a week & it's something I'd never want to do again to be honest. |
Im 62 in January and that's the first time I've been called up, my Wife and eldest Lad have both been called, lad didn't go first time he was called due to work, but was available the 2nd time, but wasn't needed.
I'm glad I've been excused its not something I want to do. | |
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| Jury Service on 23:06 - Dec 19 with 4376 views | STID2017 |
I was called up twice, but both times was excused as I had caring duties for my wife |  |
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| Jury Service on 04:58 - Dec 20 with 4323 views | Minesapint |
I did it a few years ago and enjoyed the experience. My case was neither gruesome nor boring so that helped. Plus it only lasted 3 days. There is, as others have mentioned, a lot of sitting around. Take a book or ipad. There are lockers if needed and a cafeteria. If selected for a trial, you will spend a fair bit of time with your fellow jurors. My group were great and still in touch with 2 of them. I would happily do it again if called but I was well into my 60s before the initial summons so won't hold my breath. | | | |
| Jury Service on 08:55 - Dec 20 with 4286 views | Robbie |
Been called to Swansea Crown for , at the moment , a minimum 2 week stint end of Feb .
If anybody has any idea on car parking solutions at 9.00 am on a Monday morning in that area I would be grateful for any advice , absolutely dreading the traffic and parking .
Some interesting comments here on the amount of hanging about . so I hope I get an early Not Needed call before travelling a tidy distance , then sent back home , wasting a journey . | | | |
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