Author Topic: Jury Service - what's your experience?  (Read 17700 times)

Mr Larrington

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #50 on: 17 January, 2015, 03:07:27 am »
Interesting I note the Scots on this list seem to have a higher call-up rate.

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Rhys W

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #51 on: 17 January, 2015, 09:14:52 am »
I read something on another forum recently that some towns and cities have a seemingly higher call-up rate because they're big legal centres with relatively low population - lots of courts, not that many people. The example given was Edinburgh.

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #52 on: 17 January, 2015, 10:03:43 am »
As one of the few non-white faces in this town I'd not want to be on a jury, just in case an individual, who had thuggish 

friends/relatives in court, was convicted by my jury's decision and they wanted to gain some 'revenge' on me. I'd be
easy to spot in town going about my lawful business.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #53 on: 17 January, 2015, 11:40:25 am »
Overbearing domination by a couple of very manipulative, opinionated personalities
I sometimes wonder whether it would be better if they didn't deliberate, just each considered it on their own, and held a vote at the end?
I get the impression some people may just go with the majority because they're sick of it and want to get back to work. Not a very good basis to base justice on.


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Tigerrr

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #54 on: 17 January, 2015, 12:41:16 pm »
The jury I served on was fascinating. I really hope never to have to rely on such a bunch of intellectually incapable halfwits for justice myself. Without the benefit of jury service I would never have realised Little Britain was a documentary.
The shocking thing was people's inability to follow the rational fact based evidence in preference for emotionalising or generalising from outside the case. No wonder fraud is so hard to prosecute.
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spindrift

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #55 on: 17 January, 2015, 01:09:33 pm »
A person on my jury said the gay porn was obscene in the legal sense cos a young person could watch it and be turned gay. Another claimed to have got in a fist fight with Madonna.

Jaded

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #56 on: 17 January, 2015, 02:09:40 pm »
Another claimed to have got in a fist fight with Madonna.

It's funny, I never saw photos of that in her book 'Sex'.
It is simpler than it looks.

Zipperhead

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #57 on: 17 January, 2015, 02:33:50 pm »
Another claimed to have got in a fist fight with Madonna.

It's funny, I never saw photos of that in her book 'Sex'.

They were inside the back cover. Her eyes were watering a bit.
Won't somebody think of the hamsters!

Tigerrr

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #58 on: 17 January, 2015, 07:00:21 pm »
You should get onto the jury. Hopefully it will be a big case. Assuming the rest of the jury are the usual assortment of loons and fools, you can establish leadership and then sell the verdict.
I can act as your go between.

I believe this could make a great movie too.
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Euan Uzami

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #59 on: 18 January, 2015, 12:21:17 am »
Another claimed to have got in a fist fight with Madonna.

It's funny, I never saw photos of that in her book 'Sex'.
I suspect Madonna's well hard

Tigerrr

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #60 on: 18 January, 2015, 01:18:44 pm »
She is certainly no stranger to using her fist that is for sure.
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Wowbagger

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #61 on: 18 January, 2015, 01:26:34 pm »
Another claimed to have got in a fist fight with Madonna.

It's funny, I never saw photos of that in her book 'Sex'.

They were inside the back cover. Her eyes were watering a bit.

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #62 on: 18 January, 2015, 01:52:28 pm »
  Interesting I note the Scots on this list seem to have a higher call-up rate.

We need 15 jurors!

I was called once  30 years ago and declined for work reasons, never been contacted since.

ian

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #63 on: 18 January, 2015, 06:47:31 pm »
I've never been called.  The pattern of who doesn't seem to have done it - here and among other acquaintances - suggests the possibility of a list.

Possibly they can't get those selection rays through your foil hat. I've never been selected either. I wouldn't mind the experience but I have the sort of awkward job that wouldn't be amenable for me taking time out on the basis that if I don't do my work no one else does. My wife did jury service a few years ago and that was lots of waiting around and then a truly grim abuse case involving incest and going downhill from there into a truly vile pit of nastiness. I genuinely didn't get the details, beyond that fact that I didn't want to know and the general view that if an asteroid fell on the entire family the world would be a measurably better place.  I think the judge said they could be excused service forever after that case.

JennyB

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #64 on: 19 January, 2015, 09:32:52 am »
I've never been called.  The pattern of who doesn't seem to have done it - here and among other acquaintances - suggests the possibility of a list.

Possibly they can't get those selection rays through your foil hat. I've never been selected either. I wouldn't mind the experience but I have the sort of awkward job that wouldn't be amenable for me taking time out on the basis that if I don't do my work no one else does. My wife did jury service a few years ago and that was lots of waiting around and then a truly grim abuse case involving incest and going downhill from there into a truly vile pit of nastiness. I genuinely didn't get the details, beyond that fact that I didn't want to know and the general view that if an asteroid fell on the entire family the world would be a measurably better place.  I think the judge said they could be excused service forever after that case.

I had a very similar case, made worse by the fact that in the end it had to be a majority verdict. Yes, you do get excused jury service thereafter.
Jennifer - Walker of hills

ian

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #65 on: 19 January, 2015, 10:13:10 am »
I've never been called.  The pattern of who doesn't seem to have done it - here and among other acquaintances - suggests the possibility of a list.

Possibly they can't get those selection rays through your foil hat. I've never been selected either. I wouldn't mind the experience but I have the sort of awkward job that wouldn't be amenable for me taking time out on the basis that if I don't do my work no one else does. My wife did jury service a few years ago and that was lots of waiting around and then a truly grim abuse case involving incest and going downhill from there into a truly vile pit of nastiness. I genuinely didn't get the details, beyond that fact that I didn't want to know and the general view that if an asteroid fell on the entire family the world would be a measurably better place.  I think the judge said they could be excused service forever after that case.

I had a very similar case, made worse by the fact that in the end it had to be a majority verdict. Yes, you do get excused jury service thereafter.

The trial collapsed after three days and the jury had to be dismissed. Thirteen year old girl too drunk to give evidence (amongst other things). I think that says enough about the nature of the case. There probably wasn't a realistic prospect of conviction and the case seemed to be driven more by a need for someone to do something about the family in question which was messed up beyond reasonable redemption. Needless to say, my wife wouldn't have been keen to repeat the experience so she's happy to be off the list. She said it was a view into a world she wouldn't normally see and, to be perfectly selfish, wouldn't ever want to see again.

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #66 on: 19 January, 2015, 04:44:27 pm »
I read something on another forum recently that some towns and cities have a seemingly higher call-up rate because they're big legal centres with relatively low population - lots of courts, not that many people. The example given was Edinburgh.

Somebody suggested to me on a similar note that they wouldn't call from the surrounding area as the travel expenses would be too dear. No idea if there was any truth in it but it would go some way to explaining the call up rate....
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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #67 on: 05 May, 2022, 11:21:46 am »
I've just been called for jury service in a city I moved out of 5 months ago (not even sure how the citation reached me, given my Royal Mail redirection expired 2 months ago). I know I'm on the correct electoral register, as I've voted in today's elections (in the correct city!). ???

Wowbagger

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #68 on: 05 May, 2022, 11:32:06 am »
It's perfectly legal to be on two electoral registers - and, I'm pretty sure, to vote twice in local elections, as long as your two residences are in different council areas. You would not be allowed to vote twice in a general election because you are voting for the same parliament.

Have you moved addresses in the past year or two, which would make it probable that you are on both registers? Edit: sorry for asking a question you had already answered.
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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #69 on: 05 May, 2022, 11:40:51 am »
It's perfectly legal to be on two electoral registers - and, I'm pretty sure, to vote twice in local elections, as long as your two residences are in different council areas. You would not be allowed to vote twice in a general election because you are voting for the same parliament.

Have you moved addresses in the past year or two, which would make it probable that you are on both registers? Edit: sorry for asking a question you had already answered.

I actually phoned the old electoral registration office this morning to check that I'd not been inadvertently left on two registers: nope. I was removed in January, and this citation was sent out last week. ???

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #70 on: 05 May, 2022, 01:43:17 pm »
High Court / Court of Session, or Sheriff Court? I'm not sure but I think High Court jurors can be expected to travel from further afield, as it has jurisdiction over the whole country but only regularly sits in Edinburgh/ Glasgow/ Aberdeen (and infrequently in some other Central Belt locations;  Court of Session is Edinburgh only, but only has juries for certain cases).

Contact the Court with the details on your letter, they're unlikely to insist you attend if you are not within reasonable daily commuting distance. They might send you a new citation for your local Court instead.

I think the actual selection of people to call may be done quite far in advance of letters being sent out so you might have been picked before the electoral register was updated.

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #71 on: 05 May, 2022, 07:28:04 pm »
High Court / Court of Session, or Sheriff Court?

High Court (Glasgow). :-\ I've emailed them and will see what they say.

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #72 on: 09 May, 2022, 11:47:00 am »
High Court / Court of Session, or Sheriff Court?

High Court (Glasgow). :-\ I've emailed them and will see what they say.

Ah well, they've responded and confirmed I'm excused. :thumbsup:

rogerzilla

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Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #73 on: 09 May, 2022, 01:50:40 pm »
My mother got called for jury service on a kiddy pr0n trial.  She did not enjoy the experience.
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ian

Re: Jury Service - what's your experience?
« Reply #74 on: 09 May, 2022, 02:28:30 pm »
My wife did a rape trial. What they didn't know until the end was that the defendant had got back with the alleged victim who'd had a kid with him in the meantime. Or that she had previous for stabbing him. A litany of bad, abusive relationship tropes. He was unanimously acquitted in the end, not because anyone on the jury thought he was a nice guy, but because both parties seemed to be mutually unpleasant fabricators (and lots of the evasiveness was probably down to the fact they went home together to their flat at the end of each day). All of the jury were pissed off that they essentially wasted two weeks of their time on a trial that on day 1 was clear wouldn't have ended with a conviction, more so given the undisclosed circumstances. It also explained why they spent most of the time sequestered outside of the courtroom while legal teams debated. She's not keen to do that again (I've somehow never been called up).