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Hello everyone,

I'm going to be around MUCH less frequently over the next 10 days or so. I've been called up for jury service. Consequently, I have to exercise a LOT of caution about my online bulletin board and chat room activities, as there are some heavy duty legal obligations that are attached to jury service, but hopefully, the court will only need my services for a limited period as a juror and I'll be back and posting more epic dissertations in due course.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Have fun Cal, 12 angry men await

Make sure they stick to the facts- I KNOW YOU WILL LOL

It sounds as though cali wont be around to answer this so hopefully somebody else can. How is jury duty served in the UK?

In the Massachusetts, some states have different ways, as a registered Voter/Selective Services Participant (the draft All men over the age of 18 are required by law), which if your not you are not afford any benefits from the government(ie unemployment Welfare state sponsored Health insurance)plus your an idiot. You can only be selected to serve once in a four year period starting from date of last selection. You will get a notice in the mail 3-6 months in advance that tells you when and were and gives you the option of delaying for another year. What typical happens is you get to sit in a room in a jury room in a district court that is in the county you live in but not the one that you would be judged in as a defendant. You call the provided number to find out if you Jury Pool was selected and whether or not you have to show up at all(50-50 chance of not having to go) Typically you sit there for 6hrs and read a book well all the cases are dismissed, continued without finding or never make to trial. At the beginning of the day the residing Judge will meet with the Jury Pool and tell you right then if he thinks a case will go to trial. If a case goes to trial you go through the screening were the DA and Prosecutor asking you question and send you home or keep you. Just like “The Devils Advocate” Keanu is such a good actor. Anyway you dont get paid unless you have to sit on for 4 days or more, but you also dont lose the days pay as you company has to pay you but only for the first 3 days. So unless you make less than $75 a day your losing money but you are providing a valuable service to the public

and good luck cali i sat through a week long trial only to be selected as an alternate jury last time I was chosen for duty

"No whammy, No whammy, No whammy, STOP!!"

1984-Michael Larsen On Press Your Luck

I had to do jury duty 3 times now and will not do it again. Sorry people I served my time for a system that just doesnt work. To many legal trick to keep the truth out or backroom deals to get this guy and let another guy go. Fortuantly, I have small children that I have to provide care for right now, but after that I will just state how I feel and I'm pretty sure I will be excused. I know this is wrong but I'm basing my feeling on experience, I use to get excited about the process, maybe it just an age thing, maybe I'm just jaded, whatever the case it better in your hands Calli than mine. I would like to say THANK YOU

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Enjoy your jury duty. I have done it. It is a fascinating experience.

Yay me! I read an entire post by Calilasseia. No offence.

Aaronfry... I am in Australia not UK but here one gets a letter in the post. People over the age of 18 are randomly selected from (I think) the electoral roll... which by rights should cover everyone in the country over the age of 18 of sound mind, since voting is compulsory.

You turn up on the appointed day/time. Are are appointed to a trial. If you are challenged you go back and wait in a holding pen and they assign you to another trial.... and on it goes for that day.

Depending on the case representation could lean towards wanting a younger juror, one of a particular gender or cultural background. Hence they 'challenge' certain jurors. Judge also reads out to the prospective jurors and asks if there is any reason they shouldn't serve on this jury. A juror may have been the victim of a similar crime and feel they could not be impartial or know some of the witnesses.

I was told my trial would run for 10 days. It was exactly right even with 1.5 days of deliberation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Cali. on jury duty........I would like to be a little mouse in the corner of that jury room.

Good luck Cali.! Have fun!

Heh I've gotten out of jury duty three times now, each time I was selected for the wrong jurisdiction.

The most recent one was for PG county in maryland, a month after I flew to Oz.....hmmmm....

^_^

Brief reply before I set off for today's episode ...

[1] Jury selection in the UK is random. All individuals between the ages of 18 and 69 who are on the electroal register are eligible for selection.

[2] You receive your summons by post. Taking part is a legal requirement unless exemption criteria apply.

[3] Exemption criteria include:

• Recent conviction for a criminal offence (in which case it is a further criminal offence for you to serve on a jury unless the authorities have decided that your conviction is sufficiently 'spent');

• Being sectioned under the Mental Health Act;

• Possession of a serious physical and/or mental disability other than those covered in theMental Health Act above that would impair your performance as a juror (though efforts are made to accommodate otherwise able persons who, for example, are wheelchair bound). In the case of a learning disability, a judgement has to be made on a case by case basis as to whether the individual is capable of performing the duties of jury service, and understanding the legal obligations attached thereto.

[4] Strict rules about communication of information obtained witin court apply, hence my being circumspect about my online activities for a while. However, since thsi post simply informs people as to the legal requirements here in the UK, I can post this. There are a host of regulations applicable, so that, for example, if I am assigned ot a case and it transpires after the fact that I know or am known to one or more defendants in the case, I must inform the court authorities immediately and request that I be assigned to a different case. Likewise, I am required to inform the court authorities if ANY attempt is made to apporach me by persons connected with the case, lest those persons seek to influence my deliberations.

I think that covers all the bases.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Yep, that's pretty much exactly how it works here in NY. I've never been requested for jury duty, and would probably never make it, since I work for the sheriff's dept and know every one in the legal system, and quite possibly have taken the call that involves the defendant

I was called for jury selection. I made it to the point where they split everyone up in rooms and we go through a series of waiting. . . and waiting.. then get split up again into smaller group, wait some more and then finally my group was released. I don't remember ever making it to the part where they ask me questions personally, as opposed to in a group in setting. I am sure I would be released due to my job if it got to that part anyway.

Here in NY though, your company is only required by law to pay you for missing the days work if that company employs over a certain number of people (I believe 10). Otherwise, it is up to the descresion of the employer. (I was called for County jury duty, not Federal, but I believe it works the same for both)

---

"it's the neck, it creaks under the weight of too much heavy thinking."

I sat on a Grand Jury couple of years ago. I have to say it was incredibly interesting and would love to do it again.

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Well, I'm back from jury service.

And what a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME it was.

I spent eight days heading off to Crown Court, waiting to be selected, and every time I went, the court usher would enter the assembly room and announce that the defendant had decided to plead guilty and offer no defence against the charges (usually because the police had enough CCTV footage of him caught in the act to keep Crimewatch going for another decade). So, I ended up spending all that time doing crossword puzzles waiting to be selected.

Bleh.

Still, I got some shopping done on two afternoons.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Don't you just love the british governmet?