Proper pee'd off

[valkyries]

Got home from work today an hubby said i got a letter on my desk, i didn't bother thought it was prb just another bill.

Well i just picked it up and the first thing i read on the enverlope is Her Majesty's Courts, well i think holy s**t what have i done now lol

Well gutted when i open it, i've been called for jury service, it's a bl***y Jury Summons gutted

So come on peeps what should i expect ???

[Guest Spider_Crazy_Removed]

I dont know as iv never been called to court. I do know that during the trial your allowed no outside communications and other strick stuff.

Peter - If I find out more ill post

[PnkFlyd204]

Got home from work today an hubby said i got a letter on my desk, i didn't bother thought it was prb just another bill.

Well i just picked it up and the first thing i read on the enverlope is Her Majesty's Courts, well i think holy s**t what have i done now lol

Well gutted when i open it, i've been called for jury service, it's a bl***y Jury Summons gutted

So come on peeps what should i expect ???

We call it jury duty in the USA. LOL

I looked at it as a day off of work. And I actually got picked to be on a jury. So I missed 2 days of work. Didn't get to make a judgement though- the judge took the ruling out of our hands for some reason.

[Marc]

So come on peeps what should i expect ???

A few days off work paid for a start LOL

[Guest Spider_Crazy_Removed]

We call it jury duty as well

[Lil Miss Bump]

yeah linda it's awesome!!!!

you may be sat around for a wee bit but take a book or something with you-you might get an interesting case!!!!

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/jury_service/index.htm

hope this helps

xxx

[Lil Miss Bump]

Jury service

You may be one of many people who have been chosen for jury service. A jury consists of 12 members of the public selected at random. Jurors usually try the more serious criminal cases such as murder, rape, assault, burglary or fraud. These trials take place in the Crown Court.

Receiving a jury summons means you are legally required to attend court. Please do not be worried about this, most people overcome their initial concern and find jury service interesting and rewarding.

Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to perform. As a juror, you have a chance to play a vital part in the justice system. You do not need any knowledge of the legal system. Each individual juror will be asked to consider the evidence presented and then decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.

How long you are likely to serve

As a juror you would normally be asked to serve for a period of ten working days and during that time you could sit on more than one case. If a trial takes longer, the jury is expected to sit for the whole of the trial, however you will be told about the length of the trial at the start. If there are any exceptional circumstances which prevent you from serving for a longer period of time you will need to tell the court before sitting on the jury panel.

Civil, High Court and Coroner juries

Sometimes jurors are needed in civil trials for cases such as libel. This does not happen often. When it does, the trial will take place in the High Court or a county court. Sometimes jurors are also needed for Coroner’s courts.

A juror in a civil case or coroner’s case will have a similar role to a juror in a criminal case but there are some important differences. These will be explained to you if you become a juror for these specific trials.

Further support

For most people, jury service is interesting and something they will do only once or twice in their lifetime. However, the extra travelling, or the responsibility, may be a strain. Remember that you will not be on your own and if you have any difficulty you may talk to court staff.

More information about your jury service can be obtained from the Crown Court where you have been asked to attend. Staff there will be able to provide you with information about court facilities and also about claiming travel and other expenses.

Travel

All claims for travel expenses must be supported by proof of purchase.

By Public Transport

If travelling by public transport you are entitled to claim the amount of the fares actually paid. This is usually only standard class travel. First class travel will not be paid for.

By car

If travelling by car you are entitled to claim for your mileage at the standard mileage rate (please see the Allowance sheet for exact mileage rate). The special circumstances rate can only be paid if the use of a car would result in a substantial saving of time, or where there is no other means of transport available. However, this must be approved by the court in advance.

In circumstances where a car is used and there is no viable public transport, car parking charges may also be reimbursed in full or in part, up to a maximum equivalent to the charges for the cheapest convenient car park.

By taxi

If travelling by taxi or mini-cab you must firstly get prior approval from the jury manager at the court before using this method of travel. A receipt must be obtained from the driver to support an expense claim. Taxis must only be used where no public transport service is reasonably available or if you have mobility issues.

Subsistence

The day subsistence allowance available to you is calculated according to the period on any one day that you are absent from your place of residence, business or employment. This also includes the time spent travelling to and from the courthouse.

In most locations, on-site catering is available through the use of a ‘smart card.’ The caterers will supply a card credited with a daily subsistence amount. This allows you to purchase food and drink without the need for cash. At the end of your service, the caterers will ask for reimbursement from the court by producing a receipt from the swiped card. Any unused credit from the card will be payable to you by the court. The use of the ‘smart card’ is optional and if you choose not to use this system you will be entitled to the appropriate daily subsistence allowance as a payment at the end of the service.

Financial loss

An allowance may be claimed for an amount of loss or additional expense (other than travelling or subsistence) which you have incurred, subject to the maximum set out in the [url="http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/docs/infoabout/juryservice/juror_allowances_e.pdf"]allowances sheet (PDF). This is calculated on a daily basis, according to the period of time over which the earnings or benefits under the National Insurance Acts are lost or additional expense incurred.

Salaried jurors

Claims for loss of earnings must be supported by a certificate, which has been fully completed, signed and officially stamped by your employer. In the absence of an official stamp, a supporting letter on your employer’s headed notepaper should be requested. You will receive the loss of earning certificate (PDF) with your jury summons.

Frequently asked questions for employers (PDF)

Self employed jurors

If you are self-employed some evidence of loss of earnings or additional expenses incurred must be obtained, e.g. a letter from an accountant stating average weekly income; a copy of a previous tax return; an authenticated letter from someone who would have offered work, quoting the remuneration.

Without a supported certificate, or other satisfactory evidence, payment other than for travel and subsistence will not be made.

Night work

Compensation will be paid to you in respect of night work lost during the period of jury service but this must be supported with a certificate or other satisfactory evidence from your employer.

Other expenditure

The financial loss allowance also covers any other expenditure, which you would not otherwise have incurred, but any costs incurred must not exceed the stated maximum.

Claims for:

• childminding
• care of dependant relatives
• any expenses incurred solely as a result of attendance for jury service

may be allowed. All claims must be supported by satisfactory evidence stating the daily rate paid, e.g. a signed receipt on headed notepaper, or the original copy of the name, address, and telephone number of the carer must be clearly printed on the receipt. It is recommended that, for child minding claims, original supporting evidence, such as birth certificates, confirmation of child benefit and child passports, are provided as evidence. Please note that all financial loss expenditure incurred must not exceed the maximum allowance level set for financial loss.

[Saffmonster]

I did jury duty a few years ago. They tell you it's for 2 weeks, so work gave me 2 weeks off.

On the first day I was sent home and told to come back tomorrow.

On the 2nd day I got a 'theft from a car' case. The case lasted the whole day, we found the guy guilty and I we were then told we weren't need for the rest of the 2 weeks... woo hoo free 1 and half weeks off work lol!!

On the other hand, a friend of mine was chosen for a murder case last year which lasted almost 3 months :-(

You never know what to expect until you get there.

[valkyries]

wow Diz one more thing hun, you wanna do it for me ???? or give me a good reason i can't do it lol

[Marc]

LMFAO @ Aimee .......... Your like a search engine LOL

[Andy]

Nice one Diz. . +1 to rep

[Lil Miss Bump]

wow Diz one more thing hun, you wanna do it for me ???? or give me a good reason i can't do it lol

well i'd absolutely love to!!! have been to court to watch cases quite a few times-it's AMAZING!!!!

from what i can remember you can only get out of it for a serious medical condition which is confimed by specialists etc!!!

and i hope everyone is +1ing me for all this bloomin info!!! I dont do it just for sh*ts and giggles!!! I don't know an amazing amount about huskies so i need to get my rep up somehow and Law I can do!!!!

[valkyries]

if i have a conviction i can't do it can i lol ????

[Rosemary]

That's super exciting Linda - hope you get a real interesting case ...................... we don't have a jury system in South Africa.

Good work Diz

[Dunc]

Glad its you and not me lol

[Lil Miss Bump]

lol it depends what the conviction is for-they will have backgrounded checked you before inviting you for service anyway xxx

[ISDW]

I dont know as iv never been called to court. I do know that during the trial your allowed no outside communications and other strick stuff.

Peter - If I find out more ill post

I think that may only be during deliberation of a very big case.

I've never done it, but know a few people that have, they all said it was boring, and were sent home more often than not, but then had to go back in the next day. But even if your case goes on for more than a day, you are allowed home each night to carry on with your life:D

[Tamz]

lmao...linda have you got a gulity secret you are hiding?????????????? must be summat dead bad if you first thought you had to go to court coz you'd been a bad girl xxxxx

[Lil Miss Bump]

yep you go home every night but you're not supposed to discuss the case with anyone......obv not allowed phones etc in court anyway.

[valkyries]

lol Tami we all have secrets and every forum needs a bad girl lol

[Tamz]

roflmao your dead right there xxxx

[Alex T]

Its great aint it! I remember wondering what the hell have I done when i got that envelope a few years ago!

Day 1 - they give you all the info you need about the court - get shown around - things explained - sit around for ages! If your lucky get put on a trial!

They usually pick 15 people to go in to the court room before the trial starts and 12 are picked! The defendent then gets to reject any of the 12 if they have a valid reason.

Day 2 - Sit around again - or get sworn in on a trial.

The rest is pretty much the same, unless your on a trial then the judge gives you times to arrive in court each day, after lunch, etc.

You are not allowed to talk about the trial whilst you are an acting member of the jury, as no one is meant to interfere with you own judgements. Only go by the evidence given and not any feelings you may have about the defendent. Best advice I can give you - listen to every little detail, even the ones that you dont want to listen to! Its the little things that helped make my mind up when I did it. Also if you get any young adults (18 yr olds) on the jury with you be prepared for a long deliberating stage.

We had a really shitty trial, made me feel well sick for months after, especially having a young family at home! 10 of us made our minds up straight away when we went to deliberate n the verdict - our two youngsters kept on about 'what happens if we make the wrong decision?' 'How do we know they are telling the truth?' 'What happens if ...' and so on. In the end we told them to make their mind up based on what they had heard, which we ended up explaining all over again to them. Bloody waste of 2 days sitting in a small room getting them to make their minds up!

On a plus side for me though - I did it in the summer holidays so I got paid from court for loss of earnings and work paid me as it was my holidays!

[Lil Miss Bump]

good info alex t!!!

[Val (Zebedee)]

I did jury service about 10 years ago - didn't know what I was in for till I got there, but I loved it! The whole of the 1st week, I sat every day & waited for the little man with the clipboard to shout my name - but he didn't! The second week, I got put on an attempted murder charge case, it lasted 3 days then that was it!

When I did it, I was asked if a case came up that they thought may go on longer than the period of time you are asked to do, would you be able to do it & you can answer no, as I did, but you do a lot of sitting & reading - Oh, and take your own sandwiches cos their restaurants are expensive!!

[Saffmonster]

Yeah, I forgot about that... definatly take a good book! There's lots of waiting around.

They do give you a food allowance for the cafe. I didn't use the cafe, so they gave me the money for the allowance.