Jury Service

[robert551069]

I had to waste 14 days to serve as a juror. The case concerned someone who had stolen a £40 ring from a jeweller's shop. On another occasion my wife had to waste 14 days because a jealous boyfriend had set fire to his girlfriends car

[sasskins]

How exactly was the time 'wasted'. They are criminal offences, and I'm sure if it were you in the dock you wouldn't feel the juror's time was being was wasted. I find your attitude shocking.

[rowanwitch]

but you could just as easily have ended up on a murder or rape trial the whole point is that in this country you have the right to be judged by a jury of your peers and jury service is the only thing the state really asks of us over and above being a law abiding citizen. I did it in my early 20s and yes it was boring at times but it gave me some insight into the system and I found it a worthwhile experience.

[deggers316]

you get good expenses though, i did

[Baldric]

I'm guessing it took you away from lazing about watching daytime TV,
What an irresponsible attitude you display.

[Booldawg]

When I jury service last year the clerk told me it cost ten grand per courtroom per day to run a case :-0

She also said alot of defendants originally go to a magistrates court and they can ask for the case to be heard at Crown Court - this usually defers their case by a year or so. When they get to Crown Court they plea guilty straight away so they still get their time off their sentence.

[starone]

I agree. It is a complete waste of time - valuable time. I was on jury service and was picked for two juries while I was there. Both lasted just for one day. The rest of my time was spent hanging about doing nothing. The first case was so obvious - he was caught in the act and it transpired he already had loads of convictions - I wondered why they just didn't sling him straight into a cell and leave him there. The second case the jury were sent into the jury room while points of law were discussed which we weren't allowed to hear. We trooped back in and were told by the judge that we had to answer 'not guilty' to the charges made. No explanation was given and we had already discussed the case and found her guilty. Complete waste of time. I crocheted a baby cardigan while we were waiting. The rest of the two weeks I spent hanging about, waiting. Sometimes we were sent home. I did some shopping in the shopping centre. All being paid for by our taxes.

[exdc]

This is a huge problem Robert, as David Blunkett found out "For my own jury experience left me staggered by the sheer waste of time and public money resulting from the chaos in our courts. Jurors had to sit around for days on end as trial after trial was cancelled because defendants or witnesses failed to turn up, or because barristers had double-booked, or members of the legal profession connived to stymie the judicial process..."

[Hopkirk]

I did jury service when I was eighteen, and wish I would get picked again.

It would make a lovely change from the normal drudge of life.

Mind you, I would hope the seats have got more comfortable.

[exdc]

As a former Home Secretary, once in charge of this failing system, I am left to wonder if I should have pressed harder to get things changed. Having now had the experience of two weeks as a juror, I realise I didn’t know the half of it.

[linedancer16]

I dont consider it a waste of time! I've done it twice and found it a great responsibility. The second time was a drugs related gang murder trial which lasted 6 weeks. We found three accused guilty and one not, but the guilty ones were sentenced to 30 years and thats a lifetime to be responsible for.

[Barmaid]

I have both served on a jury (rape trial, jury discharged after being unable to reach a decision) and seen countless others (from the other side of the fence).

I consider it a fundamental right of a person to be judged by his peers. It is also a fundamental right in this country at least for the prosecution to have to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

How can it be a waste of time to sit in judgement on a fellow human being? Do the victims view it as a waste of time?

[moonraker558]

I never get asked to do my duty.

[exdc]

I agree with the concept of trial by jury, but there is a huge problem with wasted time and abuse which i think is the point of the poster i.e. 14 days for a £40 theft.

[Ankou]

it is a civic duty. it is not a proces for your entertainment and delectation. its like paying taxes.

i had a rape case many years ago. as said by rowan, boring, shocking, depressing and emotional. but a waste of my time ? no.

[madmaggot]

I'm not surprised that so many witnesses fail to turn up. My daughter was a witness and I went along with her to give her a bit of moral support. We were told to wait in the same room as the family of some scumbag accused of a knife crime; in the end we removed ourselves and waited outside in the rain so as not to be forced to listen to their foul language and bragging about what this 'person' had done.
However, I am very much in support of trial by jury; as stated above, it is the backbone of our legal system and hopefully will remain as a right for all (even the dregs of society).

[New Judge]

There are huge amounts of time wasted at all levels in the judicial system and unfortunately much of this falls upon members of the public – jurors and witnesses.

Jury service can never be described in itself as a waste of time. I believe it is probably about the best method of deciding serious charges that there is. However, I have to agree that a trial by jury for £40 worth of goods is over the top. To their credit the last government tried to reduce the number of offences where the defendant is entitled to a trial by jury and low value theft was amongst them. They were howled down by opponents citing the erosion of the ancient liberties of a right to trial by one’s peers. Most of these people did not seem to know (or perhaps at least did not bother to mention) that those accused of many offences which attract far harsher penalties than a £40 theft were already denied their “ancient right”. Huge numbers of offences are “summary only” matters meaning they can only be tried by magistrates and more than 95% of all criminal prosecutions are dealt with to a conclusion in the Magistrates' Court.

“I wondered why they just didn't sling him straight into a cell and leave him there”.

I am very pleased to report, Starbuckone, that, however despicable or detestable the defendant seem, there is the small matter of evidence being needed to support the allegation. It definitely can seem a trifle Inconvenient at times, but mercifully that’s what we’re lumbered with.

[chrissa1]

I was called up for Jury Service 26 years ago. We had just moved to Northern Ireland, so I was excused. I would have liked to have done it though.

[SIRandyraven]

I have not been called up yet (50 and counting) and hope I never am.
Prefer to be at work and productive , than having to hang about for two weeks.
People should be allowed to volunteer and become professional jurors and also allowed to opt out of the process.