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Topic: Have you ever done jury duty?
SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:23 AM
Anyone here ever had to do jury service?
We don't have juries in our legal system, so in that sense I only know it from movies.
But thinking about it, I think it can be quite trying? A responsibility, sure, but if the case goes on forever or the jury remains divided...

Also, do you still get paid while doing jury duty or is it just a small compensation? Can you lose your job when it takes long?

delightfulillusion's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:37 AM
Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:47 AM

Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?

moomin's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:51 AM
I havenā€™t personally done it , but a friend of mine did and they were paid all of their expenses .
They were very very badly affected by the case , even many many years on my friend is still deeply traumatised by it , what happened and what she had to look at .

delightfulillusion's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:53 AM


Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?


Yes, I have dual nationality. I currently hold a British passport.

Crystal, I loved both my experiences and itā€™s really nothing like you see on television. Iā€™ve always had an interest in unsolved crimes and was in my element haha.

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 08:56 AM

I havenā€™t personally done it , but a friend of mine did and they were paid all of their expenses .
They were very very badly affected by the case , even many many years on my friend is still deeply traumatised by it , what happened and what she had to look at .

Oh, I can so understand that! Another reason I'm happy we don't have jury system here. One could wonder if it's actually just to expose ordinary people to such horrors. It won't come natural for anyone, but there are enough people who could do the job that are kind of used to it or that chose to do that line of work.

You cannot decline, can you?

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:02 AM



Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?


Yes, I have dual nationality. I currently hold a British passport.

Crystal, I loved both my experiences and itā€™s really nothing like you see on television. Iā€™ve always had an interest in unsolved crimes and was in my element haha.

That sounds really positive! Maybe you get to do it again :)
Do the judges and officials really still wear these wigs? Sorry for asking all these questions, hihi.

delightfulillusion's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:06 AM




Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?


Yes, I have dual nationality. I currently hold a British passport.

Crystal, I loved both my experiences and itā€™s really nothing like you see on television. Iā€™ve always had an interest in unsolved crimes and was in my element haha.

That sounds really positive! Maybe you get to do it again :)
Do the judges and officials really still wear these wigs? Sorry for asking all these questions, hihi.


Yes they wear the wigs but the cross examination is not like you see on telly. Itā€™s more ā€˜subduedā€™ for want of a better word. On telly itā€™s like they attack the witness and at both trials it wasnā€™t like that at all.

msharmony's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:11 AM





Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?


Yes, I have dual nationality. I currently hold a British passport.

Crystal, I loved both my experiences and itā€™s really nothing like you see on television. Iā€™ve always had an interest in unsolved crimes and was in my element haha.

That sounds really positive! Maybe you get to do it again :)
Do the judges and officials really still wear these wigs? Sorry for asking all these questions, hihi.


Yes they wear the wigs but the cross examination is not like you see on telly. Itā€™s more ā€˜subduedā€™ for want of a better word. On telly itā€™s like they attack the witness and at both trials it wasnā€™t like that at all.


I have been summoned twice, excluded both times.



Toodygirl5's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:18 AM
I was called for jury duty but the offender decided to take a Bench trial. Another time I was called but got excused because I had a doctor's release not to attend.

Cutiepieforyou's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:24 AM
I have never been on jury duty. I did work for they Judicial System awhile back and maybe that is why?

Riverspirit1111's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:38 AM
I've been summoned a few times, but managed to get excused. In the Florida Keys they only pay $10 a day and that's only if you do it for more than 3 days. I still have a Florida's driving license, so still get summons. But I live in another State so don't have to serve.

Tom4Uhere's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:38 AM


Wiki~
12 Angry Men is a 1957 American courtroom drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, adapted from a 1954 teleplay of the same name by Reginald Rose.

12 Angry Men explores many techniques of consensus-building and the difficulties encountered in the process among this group of men whose range of personalities adds to the intensity and conflict. It also explores the power one person has to elicit change. The jury members are identified only by number; no names are revealed until an exchange of dialogue at the very end. The film forces the characters and audience to evaluate their own self-image through observing the personality, experiences, and actions of the jurors. The film is also notable for its almost exclusive use of one set, where all but three minutes of the film takes place.

Speaking at a screening of the film during the 2010 Fordham University Law School Film festival, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor stated that seeing 12 Angry Men while she was in college influenced her decision to pursue a career in law. She was particularly inspired by immigrant Juror 11's monologue on his reverence for the American justice system.

There have been a number of adaptations. A 1963 German TV production Die zwƶlf Geschworenen [de] was directed by GĆ¼nter GrƤwert, and a 1973 Spanish production, Doce hombres sin piedad, was made for TV 22 years before Spain allowed juror trials, while a 1991 homage by Kōki Mitani, Juninin no Yasashii Nihonjin ("12 gentle Japanese"), posits a Japan with a jury system and features a group of Japanese people grappling with their responsibility in the face of Japanese cultural norms. The 1987 Indian film in Hindi language Ek Ruka Hua Faisla ("a pending decision") and also in Kannada as Dashamukha ("ten faces") are the remakes of the film, with an almost identical storyline. Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov also made a 2007 adaptation, 12, featuring a Chechen teen on trial in Moscow. A 2015 Chinese adaptation, 12 Citizens, follows the plot of the original 1957 American movie, while including characters reflecting contemporary Beijing society, including a cab driver, guard, businessman, policeman, a retiree persecuted in a 1950s political movement, and others.

In 1997, a television remake of the film under the same title was directed by William Friedkin and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In the newer version, the judge is a woman and four of the jurors are black, but the overall plot remains intact. Modernizations include not smoking in the jury room, changes in references to pop culture figures and income, references to execution by lethal injection as opposed to the electric chair, more race-related dialogue and profanity.

Here is a stage play with dialog very accurate to the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngbEpZ0tTjI

Being a citizen qualifies any legal adult for jury duty.
Unless you fall into one of the classes of exempt persons you are technically eligible to be called for jury duty. In that regard everyone who does not have a disqualification for jury duty can expect to be called.

Jury duty occurs when a U.S. citizen receives a summons from a Federal or state court to appear on a particular day and time to potentially serve on a jury. When a prospective juror arrives at their assigned court, the first task is to fill out a questionnaire and participate in the jury selection process.

If you're over 18 years old, you can be called for jury service. Some people aren't eligible for jury service or can get excused because of their job. There's no automatic exemption from jury service for being elderly. You can ask to be excluded when you're over 70.

Jury duty has long had a bad rap because of notoriously inefficient court systems that would keep people waiting for hours or days before being told if they were on a jury. Jury duty also can be exhausting and pressure-packed, depending on the alleged crime and the ultimate punishment.

Jurors should not wear shorts, mini-skirts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats (except for religious purposes). Jurors who are not appropriately dressed will be sent home and ordered to appear for jury service on a future date. Courtrooms can be cold, so a sweater or jacket is recommended.

Before potential jurors are summoned for service, their names are randomly drawn from voters lists (and sometimes drivers lists) to receive a questionnaire to determine whether they meet the legal qualifications for jury service.

The average Court sitting-time is about six hours per day, but it will probably suck eight or nine hours out of your day just to make sure you're available when you're supposed to be.

If you have not registered to vote, you won't be called from that list. If you don't have a driver's license your name won't be available to the court as a potential juror. In most states Individuals who have been convicted of a felony are ineligible to serve on juries.

When entering any courthouse you will be required to go through an airport style weapon screening device. Your handbag, briefcase, backpack, and all containers will be x-rayed. Objects like scissors, nail clippers, and knitting needles are not allowed in the courthouse.

A separate type of federal jury service is as a grand juror. Unlike trial jurors, grand jurors do not sit on an individual case or assess guilt or innocence. Grand jurors review multiple cases over an extended period of time. Their role is to decide whether or not the accusations warrant prosecution.

Late jurors will not be accepted. If a juror is late the juror will receive a failure to appear summons to appear for jury duty on a different day in 60 ā€“ 90 days. Jurors should plan to arrive in the garage at least 30 minutes prior to check-in time.

Most states prohibit an employer from terminating ā€“ or even threatening to terminate ā€“ an employee for serving on a jury. Rules for exempt (salaried) employees are different: Employers may not deduct pay because of jury duty absences unless an employee did not work the entire week.

Jury duty leave also extends to employees who must serve as a witness in a trial.

Missing jury duty is generally classified as civil contempt. Penalties for missing jury duty can result in contempt of court, which may be punishable by: Fines (sometimes up to $1,000) and/or. Jail time (usually up to 5 days maximum).

All jurors should deliberate and vote on each issue to be decided in the case. In a civil case, the judge will tell you how many jurors must agree in order to reach a verdict. In a criminal case, the unanimous agreement of all 12 jurors is required.

Each juror is assigned a unique number called your "Juror Number". This number is used to identify the person addressing the Court and also when you submit a request for excuse.

May I bring a cell phone or laptop into the courthouse? Yes. Jurors are allowed to bring these devices into the courthouse. Electronic devices must be turned off in courtrooms and whenever the judge so orders.

Juror hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise informed by court personnel. A television, magazines and games are available to you while awaiting an assignment to a courtroom. Lunch is from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Breaks will be announced throughout the day.

For the most part, federal court jurisdictions only hear cases in which the United States is a party, cases involving violations of the Constitution or federal law, crimes on federal land, and bankruptcy cases. Federal courts also hear cases based on state law that involve parties from different states.

Federal jurors are paid $50 a day. Jurors can receive up to $60 a day after serving 45 days on a grand jury. (Employees of the federal government are paid their regular salary in lieu of this fee.) Jurors also are reimbursed for reasonable transportation expenses and parking fees.

Jurors are on call for two weeks (10 consecutive court days beginning the first day you are on call).

Since skipping out on jury duty is against the law, yes--it could affect background checks. Not to mention that you can not only face criminal charges but also civil charges. Basically, it is a bad idea to skip out on jury duty. Show up for the screening, and subtly mention the term 'jury null'.

If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts. A hung jury does not imply either the defendant's guilt or innocence.

Jurors can generally expect to sit one day each week between the hours of 9:30 to 4:00 P.M., with a one hour break for lunch. During a grand juror's term of service, certain days off will be allowed for specific reasons if the juror has been excused in advance from the Court.

http://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/these-tricks-will-give-you-the-best-chance-of-getting-out-of-jury-duty.html/

Is jury duty taxable income? Yes. ... You must declare this payment and include it in your total taxable income on your annual federal tax return ā€” jury duty taxes. The general tax rule requires you to report all jury duty pay on the ā€œother incomeā€ line of your Form 1040.

The simple reason why some people get summoned to report for jury duty more than others is that the selection system is completely random. Prospective jurors are randomly picked by a computer from the jury pool.

A background check is not typically run on jurors. However, a trial lawyer does have the right to perform a background check on all prospective jurors. Attorneys attempt to learn as much information about potential jurors as possible before making a decision in jury selection.

Don't talk about the case, or issues raised by the case with anyone, including other jurors, while the trial is going on, and don't talk to the lawyers, parties, or witnesses about anything. Don't take notes during the trial unless the judge gives you permission to do so.

You must never discuss the case with your fellow jurors until after the judge instructs you to begin deliberations. If the proceedings last for more than one day, do not talk with others (non-jurors) about the trial. You may discuss the case with non-jurors only after the jury has reached a verdict.

In the annals of lengthy jury deliberation perhaps the longest ever was the famous Long Beach California case in 1992, which took 11 years getting to trial, involved 6 months of testimony, and four and a half months of jury deliberations.

Types of Cases
Criminal Cases. Criminal cases involve enforcing public codes of behavior, which are codified in the laws of the state. ...
Civil Cases. Civil cases involve conflicts between people or institutions such as businesses, typically over money. ...
Family Cases.

Jurors are entitled to claim a loss of earnings allowance from the court.

Eight (8) states require an employer to pay employees while serving jury duty: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, and Tennessee.

Although it usually doesn't amount to much, jury duty pay is considered taxable income and should be reported on your tax return. Some courts will mail you a 1099-G or 1099-MISC to report the payment, but many courts don't mail anything at all.

If you HAVE been summoned to a jury pool but not actually picked for service, there is likely something about your profile that neither party thinks is good for their case, so you've been ā€œstruckā€ by one or the other (or both).

An innominate jury, also known as an anonymous jury, is a jury whose members are kept anonymous by court order. This may be requested by the prosecution or defense in order to protect the jury from the media, potential jury tampering, or social pressure to return a particular verdict.

There is a recent legislative movement to limit the disclosure of the names and addresses of jurors. ... In California, juror information is actually sealed at the end of the criminal trial. It can then only be accessed if there is good cause to do so, and if the juror does not object to disclosure.

While it is generally permissible to request employees to return to work following an early release, some states prohibit employers from requiring an employee who has served for a full day of jury duty to then work a full shift (for example, a night shift). Make sure your policy complies with applicable state law.

No food or drink may be openly displayed or consumed in any courtroom or anteroom of a courtroom without the express permission of the judicial officer presiding over that courtroom. ... Only upon approval of the Presiding Judge should food or drink be consumed in the Heritage Room.

If you show any anxiety or weirdness you're unlikely to be picked. If this is what you want don't be afraid to put on a show.

Personally, I have never been called to jury duty.

Freebird Deluxe's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:45 AM
I got the letter while I was working (my own business) and making fantastic money at the time, apart from the mad situation of just dropping my customers for who knows how long , not being able to arrange future work , and the maximum claim for time was less for a week than I could earn in a day, meanwhile even if I did go I would not be able to concentrate on the case for worry that my business was suffering ,It was just me and my wife who would have been unable to cope

I started thinking this letter was not even a signed for delivery !, How did they they know I was not on a three month cruise ?or that I had moved from that address?, I binned the letter.

My Sister who worked for the CPS said they would send police to arrest me !.
They are too busy with real crime ,not someone that may have moved or be abroad for months , I never heard any more

Retired now I would like to do it , the pay is still poor and as little as Ā£32.50 for a short day

soufiehere's photo
Wed 07/15/20 09:48 AM
I got called every 2 years (the maximum) up until I hit 70 when
you can recuse yourself for age.

I had a real hard time with the other idiots, er, jurors. One
time they just played 'tickle' me while supposedly deliberating,
when we came out the Judge asked what was so funny, I just
rolled my eyes..hard to explain your fellow jurors had one aim
only, to get out early, one old lady said, as soon as we entered
deliberations, "Well, if he wasn't guilty we wouldn't be here
so let's give him one and not the other, poof we are done!"

I was permanently horrified.

Another time, twas a fellow up for burglary and assault because
he went out, got drunk and when he returned to his house, he
got the wrong one and tried to fit his key in the foreign lock,
homeowners came charging out with a rifle, he is drunk and
therefore not understanding, tries again to open the screen door
and bumps the old lady with it=assault, trying to open the
door=burglary..11 to 1 on that one..and I was the only non-drinker
on the jury!

Lame.

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 10:31 AM

I got the letter while I was working (my own business) and making fantastic money at the time, apart from the mad situation of just dropping my customers for who knows how long , not being able to arrange future work , and the maximum claim for time was less for a week than I could earn in a day, meanwhile even if I did go I would not be able to concentrate on the case for worry that my business was suffering ,It was just me and my wife who would have been unable to cope

I started thinking this letter was not even a signed for delivery !, How did they they know I was not on a three month cruise ?or that I had moved from that address?, I binned the letter.

My Sister who worked for the CPS said they would send police to arrest me !.
They are too busy with real crime ,not someone that may have moved or be abroad for months , I never heard any more

Retired now I would like to do it , the pay is still poor and as little as Ā£32.50 for a short day

You binned it?? rofl rofl rofl
That IS bawsy!!
But your objection is exactly what I think is ridiculous about it. Like in your case, it could've financially ruined you and rebuilding that might not be possible plus having to find the drive again.
Glad you never heard from it hihi.

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 10:32 AM

I have been summoned twice, excluded both times.




And were you happy about that or would you have like being in the jury?

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 10:34 AM

I have never been on jury duty. I did work for they Judicial System awhile back and maybe that is why?

Possibly.

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 10:35 AM





Iā€™ve done jury service twice. Both were in the High Court. First was a murder trial and the second was a double rape trial.

First time was before my daughter started school so I claimed for childminderā€™s fee which I received. The second time was when I was working. The courts pay you for your time (your hourly rate at work) and travel expenses and my company also paid me for the week I was on jury service. My company knew that I was being paid by the courts and were happy for me to take the money. Not many would do that so it worked well for me bigsmile

I have heard that once you sit in the High Court, you wonā€™t be asked for jury service for 10 yrs. Donā€™t know if thatā€™s true or not though. There was a gap of 15 yrs between the two.

As an aside, my ex mother in law was once selected for jury service but the prosecution rejected her. Thought that was so funny.

I'm surprised, wasn't aware the UK had a jury system too! Does that mean you hold UK citizenship?
And nice how it went with the pay!
Both cases do sound really heavy, pfff... Was it easy to let go of all you had heard later on?


Yes, I have dual nationality. I currently hold a British passport.

Crystal, I loved both my experiences and itā€™s really nothing like you see on television. Iā€™ve always had an interest in unsolved crimes and was in my element haha.

That sounds really positive! Maybe you get to do it again :)
Do the judges and officials really still wear these wigs? Sorry for asking all these questions, hihi.


Yes they wear the wigs but the cross examination is not like you see on telly. Itā€™s more ā€˜subduedā€™ for want of a better word. On telly itā€™s like they attack the witness and at both trials it wasnā€™t like that at all.

Yes, what you see on telly, how they deal with witnesses, is sometimes insane!

SparklingCrystal šŸ’–šŸ’Ž's photo
Wed 07/15/20 10:36 AM

I was called for jury duty but the offender decided to take a Bench trial. Another time I was called but got excused because I had a doctor's release not to attend.

Not sure what a bench trial is, but quite amazing it happened to you 2x as well!

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