I'v been summonsed 4 Jury service, your stories please.?

Question

Any1 else out there that has had 2 do this? any advice appreciated please!

Answer 1

Take a good book to read!!!!!

I did it a few years ago and spent the first 4 days sat in the jury room at Preston Crown Court - nice building - drinking coffee and chatting to people I met.

When you get called down to court, they may keep you, they may not. If you stay in the courtroom, just listen to the evidence given and make your judgements on that. You aren't allowed to discuss the case when you get home so be careful.

Don't get the giggles when the barristers start scratching their wigs, it looks so funny!!!!!

Answer 2

Go and do it, its a right laugh, I went with the open minded view that they were all guilty, they wouldn't be in a Crown Court otherwise. If you can get yourself elected as foreperson, then its you that gets to smile at the condemned - sorry accused and tell them they're guilty.

Court starts at 10 but you'll have to be there at 9 the first day, when they'll explain what goes on and ask you if you think you dont qualify for various reasons, then the rest of the time you'll be there 9:30 ish, and it finishes at 2:00 - 2:30 in the afternoon. I enjoyed it a lot, found it amusing watching people come up with ridiculous stories trying to lie themselves out of trouble.

If you dont want to do it you can get your employer to say that you're indespensible etc. or put down on the form that you earn way more than you do, or telling them that you've been in prison is a good one - you'll be out of there so fast you wont believe it.

Answer 3

I had to do jury service at Canterbury Crown Court last July and it completely undermined my respect for the criminal justice system in this country.

During the deliberation in my first case most of the other jurors admitted they had fallen asleep within five minutes of the case starting and therefore had not got a clue about what had been said. They suggested that we should just find the defendant guilty as the police and the crown prosecution service though he had a case to answer and therefore he must be guilty!

On my second case, which involved a black guy who was caught stealing from a shop, one of the jurors said that he must be guilty due to the fact that he was a nig ger!

There must be so many people out there who are walking the streets even though they are guilty of crimes and likewise there must be so many innocent people in prison!

Don't take it too seriously because nobody else does. Basically as far as most people are concerned its just a two week holiday!

Answer 4

Canterbury Crown Court Address

Answer 5

I was once called for jury duty, but in the end didn't have to do it. The first day we got there and were ushered into this room. After a while we were told that the case had been re-scheduled for the next day, so we could go home. The next day saw us all sat in the room while there were legal arguments going on in the court. We were then informed that the defendant had changed his plea, but we were allowed to sit in the court room to see what happens. When I walked into the court I saw someone I recognized but couldn't place, then when the judge and everyone else was in place, they brought in the defendant and in a very quiet court room all you could hear was a loud voice saying "Oh my god, it's my cousin". Unfortunately the person who said that was me. Very embarrassing!!

Answer 6

I have been called to Crown Court Manchester but after two days, we had been sitting in the main canteen, we were called to a case where the prosecution witness lied and her friend (on a video link) told a different story and the Judge ordered us to find the accused 'Not Guilty'.

Take that book that you intended reading but never got around to it but, if like me, you meet someone interesting to talk with, take that opportunity. I did just that and the reward was well worth while. One lady donated £200 to a charity that I support. Networking?

Answer 7

If you want to get out of it, just go in their after you have eaten something very greasy, or something that will give you wicked gas, I mean wicked. Like waking yourself up in the middle of the night gagging type wicked gas. And while you are in the election process, just let yourself go. They will probably not pick you simply because that is the last thing a courtroom needs during a trial, a wicked smelling juror. That and there will definatly be someone who will be laughing their *** off because naturally, farts are hilarious, so it will be a major distraction.

Answer 8

How disturbing that you are being advised not to take it too seriously! I hope more responsible citizens are on the jury should these irresponsible people ever have the misfortune to be charged with a serious offence.

Answer 9

I've gotten the letter a gabunch of times, but they've never needed me to come in.

The night before I call a number and hear a recording telling me the "groups" that need to come in, and telling me my group is done.

Answer 10

I knew a shop foreman, nice guy, who simply told the truth. He said that when he hears one side of a story he thought yeah, that sounds good. Then as soon as he heard the other side he thought that sounds good too. When he told them that, they didn't want him.