Jury Service

STONEISLAND · 27-01-2009, 14:49

How do you get on it?

Has anyone here been on it? Can you go into details?

**Derek** · 27-01-2009, 14:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

How do you get on it?

You just get very unlucky and get a letter saying you've been picked and it gives you a date and place to turn up. 99.99% of the time you'll be on trials with absolute nuggets trying anything to get a not guilty. Very rarely will it be anything interesting.

Just don't do what this guy did.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/7851014.stm

Quote:

A senior police officer was forced to resign after pretending to be on jury service to take time off work.

Det Insp Nav Riaz of Greater Manchester Police was called as a juror for a two-week trial early last year.

**Russ** · 27-01-2009, 14:58

You get on it by being chosen at random by the courts, who go on the electoral register. You are in fact compelled to go - you don't get a choice unless you have a very good reason, such as medical ground. Except in very rare cases your employer is equally compelled to allow you the time off as well.

STONEISLAND · 27-01-2009, 15:06

Thanks.

Anyone been on it?

Delta Whiskey · 27-01-2009, 15:06

As the guys say, it's a random selection from the electoral role. I spent three weeks on jury service much to my employers annoyance. It's pretty boring, lot of time hanging around waiting to be selected for a case. Sometimes you are called and one of the sides objects to you and you have to 'stand aside', they don't have to give a reason. That happened to me three times.

**Russ** · 27-01-2009, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

Thanks.

Anyone been on it?

I worked for the police from 1991 to 93 and at the time anyone employed by the police had to wait 10 years before going on jury service, in that time I was asked twice but had to turn it down (I'd risk contempt of court if I hadn't) but in 2004 I was called up however I never actually made it on to the jury, instead just being a standby.

**Chris** · 27-01-2009, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

Thanks.

Anyone been on it?

Yes. I sat on two juries during my fortnight, each case lasted 3 days, Monday-Wednesday. The first was ABH after a large pikey family birthday party at a community centre got out of hand and someone got hit over the head with a Bud bottle. The second was a massive running street brawl in St Albans. CCTV got everyone, they all plead guilty except one bloke who seemed to think the footage of him was obscure enough for him to claim he had merely tripped over the helpless person lying on the floor rather than actually putting the boot in.

Both defendants were found guilty.

STONEISLAND · 27-01-2009, 15:20

Why do you have to wait ten years? You would have thought Police would be one of the best jurors?

**Maggy J** · 27-01-2009, 15:22

It's interesting to me that some people get called more than once and others(me) have never been called...Makes one wonder just how they go about asking people to attend..

STONEISLAND · 27-01-2009, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

It's interesting to me that some people get called more than once and others(me) have never been called...Makes one wonder just how they go about asking people to attend..

Thats my thoughts too.

**Russ** · 27-01-2009, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

Why do you have to wait ten years? You would have thought Police would be one of the best jurors?

If you have any connections with the case or defendants you are automatically disqualified as it would be considered influential to the case. You have to be complete impartial. If the defendant was someone I knew was a known troublemaker from my time working with the cops then I may entre the court already 'judging him' guilty. In these circumstances a police officer (or police civillian clerk as I was) would be the worst.

LondonRoad · 27-01-2009, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

It's interesting to me that some people get called more than once and others(me) have never been called...Makes one wonder just how they go about asking people to attend..

Perhaps they've read some of your opinions on here

Nugget · 27-01-2009, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek S

You just get very unlucky and get a letter saying you've been picked and it gives you a date and place to turn up. 99.99% of the time you'll be on trials with absolute nuggets trying anything to get a not guilty. Very rarely will it be anything interesting.

Just don't do what this guy did.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/7851014.stm

Oi!!

**Derek** · 27-01-2009, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by STONEISLAND

You would have thought Police would be one of the best jurors?

If the Police were allowed to sit on juries you'd have an almost 100% conviction rate. Some people have the viewpoint that if they've actually got to court they'll be guilty of something...

(Errr. Not me obviously, innocent until proven guilty and all that

)

**Maggy J** · 27-01-2009, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmitage

Perhaps they've read some of your opinions on here

But..but I'm a do gooder haven't you heard?The sort that keeps getting on juries and lets the lawless thugs get off and ignores the rights of the victims.