Jury Service

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I’ve had notification that I need to do this 8 Aug.

Give me all your advice people!! I’ve always quite fancied doing it; sounds interesting, but I’m also aware that there will probably be a lot of waiting around, I might just sit in the waiting area for a week etc.

I imagine I will be well advised to bring a book each day, but is there anything else you wish you’d known before you did it?

 

[Be More Pacific]

I absolutely LOVED it when I did mine. I was so happy, my fellow jurors thought I was weird I'd wanted to do it since watching an episode of Murder, She Wrote when I was around eight years old. First episode I ever watched and it's still my favourite.

On the first day, all the prospective jurors sat in the jury pool room. We could see what cases were scheduled to start that day on screens (as well as those already ongoing) - I'd checked on the court listings website the night before anyway

CourtServe - Live Crown Court Lists

Daily lists from the Crown, County & Family Courts, RCJ and Employment Tribunals for Barristers Chambers, Solicitors & Law firms

www.courtserve.net

Throughout the day, ushers came in and read out a list of names. Those jurors then went off to their trials. I got selected for the last trial of the day - it was about water contamination at an airbase. My trial lasted for eight days - we did get a day off on Tuesday, whilst legal arguments went on, then the trial finished abruptly on Wednesday, when we were instructed to return a not guilty verdict, as the judge ruled the prosecution hadn't proved their case, so we never heard the defence and I never got to deliberate, which I have always felt very swizzled about! I'd already picked my foreman (not me ) We were then released and didn't serve the last two days of our two weeks. From chatting to some people in the "pool", they sat on two or three shorter trials during their two weeks - for example 1-2 day assault cases etc - so there was much more hanging around for them. The bigger trials generally start on Mondays. The judge will tell you on the first day if the trial is going to be longer than two weeks and how long it's estimated to last to check you're ok to sit on that trial.

I would definitely take a book, although I think the "pool" room had books and magazines from memory. I was only sitting around on the first day - after that, it was full on.

Court normally runs from 10:00/30am to 4.00pm but the judge will tell you what time you need to be there in the morning each day. There's usually three breaks - a 15 minute one in the morning, an hour for lunch and then another 15 minutes in the afternoon. We had one usher look after us all the way through - they come and collect you in the morning and between sessions. We got a daily allowance (I think it was close to a fiver) to spend in the canteen.

Honestly, it was a great experience and I would love to do it again. I live in London now so the Old Bailey would be bleeping AMAZING!

When my OH did his, with absolutely no interest in crime. at a different court, he sat on two trials - the first made national news (there was a salacious aspect) and he was the foreman on the second. Yes, I am still bitter! It sparked something in him though as he's now a magistrate chair and also on the "warrant squad" (where the police have to call to get search warrant approval) He keeps it all secret though (as he should) the big meanie!!

 

[Blonde_moment]

I did it a few years ago. First day was very long and boring - sat in a large room full of people waiting to see if you were called up. They had TVs, but you couldn’t hear anything on them. Recommend taking a book for sure. I was fortunate to be called up and put on a trial on the second day - murder trial lasting nearly 3 weeks. I was for the Jury foreman too, which was a good experience and I enjoyed delivering the verdict!
Same as previous poster - looked after by one usher throughout. 2 short breaks and a lunch hour, with a subsidy for lunch.
I did speak to some people the first day who had been there nearly 2 weeks and hasn’t been selected for a trial. Felt sorry for them as it really is boring sat waiting around - I struggled with just one full day of that!
It was an interesting experience overall and a fascinating insight into the legal system.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

On my first day I got called into the first (only) case. We listened to the evidence and then something happened where we had to go out and wait for the defendants/prosecutors speak to the judge without us there. When we came in we got told the case was going to be delayed to another time, can’t remember the actual term for it. Then we got told on the second day we could go home and as that was the only case that week so we didn’t have to come back.
So was pretty boring, I’d also bought the public wifi access as I wanted to study whilst waiting which was a waste as we didn’t need to go back again. Although it was good as I got paid for being off work by the jury people as I had told work that I could come back early but they had to check first as they’d got cover for me. So I got paid for a few days off whilst waiting to hear when/if I could go back to work. I hope I get chosen again at some point and actually have a proper case!

 

[SamBamford]

First time I went we hung around for a couple of hours, were taken into Court and listened to what they had supposed to have done. Putting ad's in newspapers for stuff they hadn't got. They then changed their plea to guilty and we were let go after being told to still attend the following day. Got there only to be send home again within 15 minutes.
Second time I had moved areas by then and it would have taken 2 buses with a wait in-between to get there. Phoned them up and acted like a half- wit saying I though they would be guilty anyway if it had got this far. They said I wasn't required then.
Mother in law got called up, she informed them she had trouble with her bowels and wasn't sure she could sit there for the required time. They told her she would still have to attend. She was let go after they called for the jury to go in and she was in the toilets. Another juror informed them she's been in there 3 times while waiting. She was quite miffed by this time, she really wanted to in and told them that she was almost sure she was done but they were not taking any chances and sent her home.

 

[maytoseptember]

I did jury service in my early 20s. It was a very strange case involving three generations of a family addicted to speed. Pretty sad really. I was nominated as foreman because I was the only one who took notes

Made me realise how low quality most juries must be. We came to a verdict really quickly, mainly because most people didn’t want to piss around any more and wanted to get released back to their jobs.

 

[FoksiOska]

I did it about 18months ago and had a great time. The fellow jurors were generally a very nice bunch which helped a lot!
Prepare to sit a lot whilst in the court room, prepare for a lot of waiting around and prepare to potentially be sent home. I was asked to arrive at 0900 on my very first day and left at 0915 can't remember the exact reason why but something caused a delay for a day.
I was on a trial where a lot of the witnesses didn't speak English so we had translators which probably made the process longer than it would have been. Also expect a lot of repetition of witness statements (depending on the case I suppose..there was a lot with mine!)
Definitely bring a book or magazine each day. Phone charger. Tablet/ipad? Someone suggested to me to bring my work laptop but I knew I wouldn't get that bored

 

[Giggling Squid]

I loved my jury service too, I didn’t get a trial for the whole first week - got sent home at 9.30 some days, and told to come back after lunch a couple. I got a trial in my second week. The whole process was super interesting, I’d love to get the opportunity to do it again. My case was quite tough, but really made me feel like I’d played a role in society and done the right thing.

i hope you manage to get yours rearranged!

 

[Suzesnooze]

There is a lot of sitting around but I got talking to a lovely woman and we used to have some good chats. Some days we were allowed to go home early. I was on two cases that weren't that interesting. I didn't like one Foreman we got, he didn't even do it properly, kept bringing up scenarios about the accused that weren't even put in as evidence!

I found it amusing listening to the posh Judge repeat all the evidence and the swear words used. I had to hold in my laughter! I also found it funny hearing the words of the barrister 'I put it to you'...I thought that was probably only said in TV shows about Courts?!

It was a good experience and I would do it again. My husband got called up a year after me but he spent even longer sitting around and only got one boring case. He didn't really enjoy it as he's not one for sitting around doing nothing!

 

[On A Roll]

I’ve always wanted to do jury service but haven’t been called up! Everyone I speak to about it says they never want to do it so I’ve always felt a bit strange that I am keen to do it. I’ve always wanted to be a forensic psychologist so that probably has something to do with it

How do you find out you’ve been called up? Is it a letter? Is it based from the electoral roll?

 

[FoksiOska]

I had a letter through the post

 

[Suzesnooze]

I’ve always wanted to do jury service but haven’t been called up! Everyone I speak to about it says they never want to do it so I’ve always felt a bit strange that I am keen to do it. I’ve always wanted to be a forensic psychologist so that probably has something to do with it

How do you find out you’ve been called up? Is it a letter? Is it based from the electoral roll?

Yes my friend has always been desperate to do it!

Yes it’s from the electoral roll. My husband and I got picked when we first moved to our area.

 

[Apple In My Pie]

I’d love to do it!

 

[MinnieB]

I’ve been a juror twice, once at the sheriff court which was a bit boring and once at the high court, loved it, bored my family to death talking about it especially high court one, so interesting, luckily the majority of my fellow jurors were really nice, we were well looked after and had a sit down lunch every day and breaks, I didn’t really have time to read a book as we were kept busy

 

[littlepup]

Honestly, it was a great experience and I would love to do it again. I live in London now so the Old Bailey would be bleeping AMAZING!

I get that it’s interesting, I’m a true crime fan and was disappointed recently when I couldn’t do mine due to pregnancy.
However, my experience of The Old Bailey was as part of a trail involving a father sexually abusing his infant child. No one involved in that thought it was AMAZING nor would you I suspect. You don’t have to be quite so gleeful.

 

[MinnieB]

I get that it’s interesting, I’m a true crime fan and was disappointed recently when I couldn’t do mine due to pregnancy.
However, my experience of The Old Bailey was as part of a trail involving a father sexually abusing his infant child. No one involved in that thought it was AMAZING nor would you I suspect. You don’t have to be quite so gleeful.

You don’t have to be quite so patronising, not every trial at old Bailey is as horrific as that. Yes, forewarned etc but there are nicer way of communicating it

 

[Be More Pacific]

I get that it’s interesting, I’m a true crime fan and was disappointed recently when I couldn’t do mine due to pregnancy.
However, my experience of The Old Bailey was as part of a trail involving a father sexually abusing his infant child. No one involved in that thought it was AMAZING nor would you I suspect. You don’t have to be quite so gleeful.

You have to understand that I follow (online) probably 150+ murder trials a year in the UK - so not so much a true crime fan, more total obsessive - and so to do jury service at The Old Bailey, the most famous court in this country, would be an amazing experience for me. I didn't mention subject matter at all.

I'm sorry that you were involved in such a terrible case and yes, you're right, I wouldn't exactly relish having to be a juror on something like that (who would?) but I think it's a bit unfair to pounce on my somewhat lighthearted post and try and twist that into implying that I would find sitting on a case about child sexual abuse amazing because of your own very personal (and understandable) bias.