Jury Service
Posted by: Gary1064 on 22 October 2010
I’ve just completed 2 weeks of Jury Service, here are my thoughts on this which might be of interest to some of you.
What surprised me most was the endless time spent waiting around, on some occasions almost complete days were wasted, very frustrating! This mainly seemed to be due to last minute plea bargaining by the defence side resulting in a “guilty” plea being submitted just before the beginning of the case. These negotiations take place prior to the prospective jury being sworn in, but with the jury held in the waiting lounge. One day we were called to court for 09:45 (ready for a 10:00 trial), held back until 15:30 when an usher came down to tell us that they’d settled and we could go home! There are six courts where I was and on another occasion something similar happened to three trials so there were 40+ jurors kept hanging around. The cost to both the state (you get paid a loss of earnings allowance) and the jurors employers (in terms of lost productivity) must be very high.
Another gripe is the subsistence allowance of £5.71 per day which is just enough to get you one hot drink and a simple lunch. I’m a bit of a caffeine junky (double shot skinny latte will do me fine) so you can appreciate this didn’t go very far.
On the other hand, I did eventually get to sit on one trial and this was quite satisfying. It was very interesting to experience at firsthand the judicial system and the interactions of the various participants (judge, prosecution and defence councils, defendant, witnesses, jury, etc). It might not be an ideal system but I reckon that trial by jury is still the best (and safest) method of ensuring justice.
So if you also get called for Jury Service, then you too might find it a satisfying experience but do take a good book or two.
Regards, Gary
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Guinnless
I enjoyed it.
I just bought a newspaper and a magazine to keep the boredom away whilst waiting to be picked.
There was a recorded message that you could ring and listen to after 9pm to let you know if your were required the next day or not. Most handy.
Cheers
Steve
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Gary1064
Yeah, I enjoyed it too when actually on a case. Some from my group never made it onto a single trial in the 2 week period which must be a disappointment.
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Bruce Woodhouse
I have been a professional witness at Magistrate, Coroners and High Courts on various occasions.
I'm always struck by the time wasted and the utter disdain with which the Courts treat those who contribute as wintnesses (and jurors). Police witnesses sitting around for hours then not called, no communication or updates as the situation changes etc etc.
Once in the Courtroom things seem to be professional.
Bruce
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by tonym
I've also been called on as an expert witness many times, but I never actually made it into court.
On several occasions the case has got as far as the Courts and on the day, often at the last minute, settlement has been reached. A considerable waste of time and expense but I guess it's better to settle out of court if possible.
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Gary1064
Yes, I agree that a settlement before the trial begins has to be preferable, but you wonder if there could be a mechanism to force this to happen before the day of the trial?
If they wait until the day itself then as already stated it wastes so much time (jurors, witnesses, etc), and as Bruce mentioned no-one comes along to update you on what's happening.
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Mike Hughes
Nice to see people reporting some positive aspects for a change. I remain to be convinced on the waste of money argument.
First, delay and brinksmanship are an inevitable consequence of an adversarial system. Having worked with tribunals for more than two decades I can say with some confidence that an inquisitorial system does not have the inbuilt advantages that many assume and the same tactics and issues arise.
Second, whilst there is an argument that justice delayed can be no justice that's not automatically the case and delays are often necessary and very much in the interests of justice.
Thirdly, there has to be a balance on costs and expenses. The payment us for subsistence no more. Double it to a tenner per juror and do the maths. It's significant and not hard to conclude the money should be spent elsewhere.
Mike
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Paper Plane
I've done jury service three times and in three different courts.
Hanging around is inevitable, just take a book. At the last court I was at, there were board games, jigsaw puzzles and books available in the jury room. Also a cheap coffee machine.
As a system, it works. Yes, there are the occasional thicko or, worse, borderline racists but basically it beats the alternatives.
steve
Posted on: 22 October 2010 by Dungassin
Well, my pre-retirement occupation seemed to be exempt from Jury Service, although I have attended Coroner's Court as a witness on many occasions. Always involved a fair amount of time sitting around, but probably not as much as in Civil or Criminal Court.
Turned down several offered opportunities to act as Expert Witness. Solicitors always seemed amazed that I wasn't interested in the fee!
Posted on: 23 October 2010 by Derek Wright
I was never "invited" to sit on a jury and now my age exempts me from being called - however if I had have been called I was planning to reply to the invite with a letter of the form
Dear Sir,
At long last I have been invited to assist in ensuring that justice is done to to the criminals that are brought to court. I will endeavor to support the police in their pursuit of the criminals and ensure that they are sent down with the maximum sentence possible.
I was planning to use an old Gothic font as used in old German.
I think that such a letter would ensure that I would not actually be called to serve.
But as I was never called, the letter was never tested. <g>
Posted on: 24 October 2010 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:
Originally posted by Derek Wright:
I was never "invited" to sit on a jury and now my age exempts me from being called - however if I had have been called I was planning to reply to the invite with a letter of the form
Dear Sir,
At long last I have been invited to assist in ensuring that justice is done to to the criminals that are brought to court. I will endeavor to support the police in their pursuit of the criminals and ensure that they are sent down with the maximum sentence possible.
I was planning to use an old Gothic font as used in old German.
I think that such a letter would ensure that I would not actually be called to serve.
But as I was never called, the letter was never tested. <g>
The purpose of Court is to dispense justice to the
accused. If you went in assuming they were all criminals I'm glad they never called you!
Bruce
Posted on: 25 October 2010 by markah
Eeerrrmm, Bruce - I think that Derek's letter is intentionally written in such a way that he wouldn't be called for Jury Service. Well that's how I read it anyway.
Mark
Posted on: 27 October 2010 by mudwolf
It's the same on this side of the world, huge time constraints, hardship for many jurors. I was on a jury that was 2 weeks before Christmas. I hated the part of picking the jury, Tedious the week before hearing everyone's story and being a W I was the last....
Very interesting to see how the lawyers and judge interacted. It lasted one week and they wound up Friday at 5PM for the woman suing landlord. There was an emotional celebration when we got out in the hall with her and her lawyer and assistant. I didn't expect that excitement.
Then the slow crawl 70 miles south to my parents with a million other people relocating for the holiday.
Posted on: 29 October 2010 by allthingsanalogue
I once heard if you turn up wearing a brightly coloured t-shirt and shorts you will probably just get kicked out by the judge on the first day for being inappropriately dressed, job done. After all if you miss the first day you can’t really make a decision after missing half the evidence.
Failing that, sit there for the first day, listen to everything and blab all, anonymously to the local papers!, case will probaly be retried with new jury.
Posted on: 29 October 2010 by Gary1064
Talking of T-shirts, one juror did turn up in a Joy Division one (the collapsing star image from the cover of Unknown Pleasures). I spent a couple of very enjoyable hours talking music with him while we waited.
