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How do you rate jury service?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Some people say the waiting room bit is boring, others who've never been don't want to be called up and a number of people I know talk of interesting court cases. Then it's two weeks or more off work and paid for it

Have you been a juror and how do you rate it?
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have it wasn't great - i sent someone to prison who i am still not entirely sure did the actual crime or at least not the one the CPS were trying to say that he'd done - hummm

    I only did one week though we were told that we wern't needed for the second week.

    I got called up for a second time a few months ago but I managed to get out of it...
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I'll never have to do it. :yippe:
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The waiting around is boring really though these days you have the internet on mobile phones so I guess there is no excuse for being that bored. (Of course you have to give up your mobile before you go in to court, though.)

    The actual cases can be interesting but then you have to make the decision at the end and sometimes I guess they can be pretty tough.

    Also as regards getting paid I don't think they have to pay all your wages if you earn over a certain amount, you'd just get their allowance + whatever you company decides to pay.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Out of curiosity, Kiwi, do you ever join in discussion on threads you start or just post up survey type questions?

    I've never done it, got summoned or whatever it is during 6th form but they deferred it because it would be a lot of school to have missed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Out of curiosity, Kiwi, do you ever join in discussion on threads you start or just post up survey type questions?

    I've never done it, got summoned or whatever it is during 6th form but they deferred it because it would be a lot of school to have missed.

    Give me a chance- you're obviously not patient type. My computer at home has broken down and having to rely on access at work. Didn't take you long to lose patience- 5 hours. Many people are too busy to log in as often as you- I've got a job to do

    Or you're type who likes to enter other people's thread and ruin things
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote: »
    I'll never have to do it. :yippe:

    So you're exempt
    Wyetry wrote: »
    I have it wasn't great - i sent someone to prison who i am still not entirely sure did the actual crime or at least not the one the CPS were trying to say that he'd done - hummm
    I've a friend who wasn't happy what the jury she was part of decided- tried to persuade other members to change their mind from giving 'guilty' verdict but failed to
    Wyetry wrote: »
    I only did one week though we were told that we wern't needed for the second week.
    Sounds like you got a good deal
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've worked in criminal courts but not (yet) sat on a jury. The waiting is boring but the cases are often interesting, even if it's an obvious case or a small case. The worst part of any trial, for me, was waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict. It was always a happy moment when we got an acquittal.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i'd love to be asked to be sat on a jury!

    my dad is STILL waiting to be asked at the age of 48, lol.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    KiwiFruit wrote: »
    Give me a chance- you're obviously not patient type. My computer at home has broken down and having to rely on access at work. Didn't take you long to lose patience- 5 hours. Many people are too busy to log in as often as you- I've got a job to do

    Or you're type who likes to enter other people's thread and ruin things



    I'm not out to ruin things in the slightest, I just know I've replied to several of your threads in the past that start as a survey type question that you don't seem to then participate in any further discussion in. Obviously its a personal style thing, but most people start threads with some indication of where the subject has come from or why they're interested in it.

    Like I said, personally never done it, it came up in one of the rare moments when I was keen on education during 6th form so it was deferred so I didn't miss too much school and its not come up again since then (which was a fair while back).

    I don't know much about the subject, but I do know they changed the rules quite significantly not that long ago so far far fewer people are exempt than used to be. Would be interested to know if anyone knows who is still exempt?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote: »
    I've worked in criminal courts but not (yet) sat on a jury. The waiting is boring but the cases are often interesting, even if it's an obvious case or a small case. The worst part of any trial, for me, was waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict. It was always a happy moment when we got an acquittal.

    I've been to public gallery of a Magistrates court- this summer hope to sit in the public area of and watch proceedings in a Crown court with a jury. For those who've never experienced a criminal court, it's worth a trip
    i'd love to be asked to be sat on a jury!

    my dad is STILL waiting to be asked at the age of 48, lol.

    me too
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm not out to ruin things in the slightest, I just know I've replied to several of your threads in the past that start as a survey type question that you don't seem to then participate in any further discussion in. Obviously its a personal style thing, but most people start threads with some indication of where the subject has come from or why they're interested in it

    Don't people have a mix of threads- they all turn out differently. Internet forums are usually taken lightly- unless someone is at home all day, there are far more important priorities in real life

    Take your point anyway
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was called up but if the case had gone on longer than 5 days, I would have had to ditch it to go back to Uni so they let me go.

    Plus I said I was really bigoted and would be liable to send them down come hell or high water :D

    It would have been quite interesting I think, as it was in Winchester Crown Court which does hear some pretty good cases. I'm going to try and see a trial in the Old Bailey this summer. Should be good fun.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Omg thesite.org trail meet :-p

    I would love to sit on a jury, a long running one at that would be suite,

    do they offer accomodation when ya sit? out of curiosity for anyone whos done it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hellfire wrote: »
    Omg thesite.org trail meet :-p

    I would love to sit on a jury, a long running one at that would be suite,

    do they offer accomodation when ya sit? out of curiosity for anyone whos done it.

    An all-expenses 4 month hotel stay as a juror?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well for example for me, I live on an island so if called up i'd have no where to stay, I assume they accomodate you in a BnB
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think that they would cover your costs or they might just say no go away your to expensive. I wouldn't want to be in a long running trial - not only because i found most of it to be a bit boring and traumatic but because they also don't cover your full costs unless you have a really low wage - so its likely you will end up out of pocket and your employer will have to find someone else to cover your job as well. Also i dont' think that the child care costs full cover what it actually costs for someone else to look after your child etc etc
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You get a daily allowance of about £60 and then you get your travel and lodgings covered too. But only to an extent. If you're on a low wage you won't lose money, but if you're on a higher wage or you're self-employed you will. It's at the employers' discretion whether they pay you during the jury service or not, some do and some don't.
  • Soph001Soph001 Posts: 105 The Mix Convert
    Kermit wrote: »
    You get a daily allowance of about £60 and then you get your travel and lodgings covered too. But only to an extent. If you're on a low wage you won't lose money, but if you're on a higher wage or you're self-employed you will. It's at the employers' discretion whether they pay you during the jury service or not, some do and some don't.

    Yes, here's the HMCS allowance sheet if you're interested. Sounds pretty lucrative to me!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote: »
    You get a daily allowance of about £60 and then you get your travel and lodgings covered too. But only to an extent. If you're on a low wage you won't lose money, but if you're on a higher wage or you're self-employed you will. It's at the employers' discretion whether they pay you during the jury service or not, some do and some don't.

    Your business will suffer too in the long run, if self-employed, as opposed to when working for an organization
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well I no way earn 60quid a day so i'd be ok :) i'd love to do ti
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Soph001 wrote: »
    Yes, here's the HMCS allowance sheet if you're interested. Sounds pretty lucrative to me!

    Sounds the exact opposite to me. Childcare alone can be £10 a day.

    But it's your CIVIC DUTY so it's OK for HMCS to rob you blind :banghead:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kermit wrote: »
    Sounds the exact opposite to me. Childcare alone can be £10 a day.

    But it's your CIVIC DUTY so it's OK for HMCS to rob you blind :banghead:

    I was gonna say - it definitely *doesn't* sound lucrative to me...!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    At 22 it doesn't sounds lucrative to me in the slighest.....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my dad is STILL waiting to be asked at the age of 48, lol.

    It's pot luck if you go or not.
    Wyetry wrote: »
    I got called up for a second time a few months ago but I managed to get out of it...

    How did you manage to get out of it the 2nd time round? Apparently, if called, it is very hard to get out of it.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    KiwiFruit wrote: »
    So you're exempt

    A criminal conviction 5 years ago rules me out for another 5 years thank fuck. I had hoped it ruled me out for good but just found I was wrong.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    g_angel wrote: »
    I was gonna say - it definitely *doesn't* sound lucrative to me...!!

    Government rules bound to mean no one gets more money from jury service than work- more likely get less money for 2 weeks
    Monserrat wrote: »
    It's pot luck if you go or not.

    I know folks of retirement age who've never been called
    Soph001 wrote: »
    If you're self employed, you should recover any loss of earnings...In theory nobody loses out.
    Thing is if you're a one man business propietor- the business is affected if customers disappear and go elsewhere
  • Soph001Soph001 Posts: 105 The Mix Convert
    It depends on your situation I guess. For instance if you're on JSA, you'll continue to get it for 8 weeks. If you're self employed, you should recover any loss of earnings...In theory nobody loses out.

    But as with all of these things, you need to be an expert in form-filling and be super organised. If you're not, that's when they screw you.
    Skive wrote: »
    A criminal conviction 5 years ago rules me out for another 5 years thank fuck. I had hoped it ruled me out for good but just found I was wrong.

    Skive lives up to his name...I love it when these things come together!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Even if you're super organised though, the maximum limits won't make up the lost earnings for a lot of people.

    It's another matter if your employer pay you while you're there, but if they don't then you're highly likely to end up out of pocket, especially if you're a professional.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yep I was really luck in that my two employers agree to top up the £60 to my actual wages so I didn't loose out on anything. £60 a day is only £15,600 per year which is well below what most people at least in London earn in a year.

    I'm not going to tell you exactly how I got out of it but i did send them a very long list of dates which i couldn't do
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wyetry wrote: »
    Yep I was really luck in that my two employers agree to top up the £60 to my actual wages so I didn't loose out on anything. £60 a day is only £15,600 per year which is well below what most people at least in London earn in a year.

    I'm not going to tell you exactly how I got out of it but i did send them a very long list of dates which i couldn't do

    Yes, some employers can be very sympathetic to jury service. What about those who work in the black economy and their boss don't give a toss about the law? Quite some builders, agricultural workers and people working in some small shops may be called for jury service and can't even declare it

    People with no paperwork won't be called to be jurors, but what about retirement age part-time small shop workers who are employed casually
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