Crown Court

[Tilly2]

Someone I know is due to appear in Luton Crown Court very shortly. How can I find out the time of the trial? When I look at the Courts website it tells me that I have to log in.

[shoota]

They rarely have a defined start time Till as sometimes they are not redy to go ahead so several cases will be listed for the same day and will go ahead in order or readiness/brevity.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, shoota. Is there a list printed somewhere?

[gingejbee]

I start jury service in January...and they can't say what day, let alone what time. Timings are extremely "fluid".

[shoota]

When all the participants are assembled they will get an indication from the defence lawyers as to what their clients wishes are all the pleas and appearances for sentencing out of the way so the full trials and longer proceedings are pushed to later in the day.
It is possible that if it is known that a case will be going ahead then a court may have been set aside solely for that case, so if your friend has been warned to attend on a particular day they should turn up in the morning (normally 9.30 but possibly subject to local variation).

[jno]

that's odd, gingejbee, when I and family have done jury service we've just gone along on a Monday and waited two weeks, doing cases that arise in that period. (In theory if we'd got stuck on a long one it could have overrun.) You're not tied to any particular case till you get there and are assigned to one. Is your court rather disorganised?

[Tilly2]

A friend and I want to attend. So we just turn up and bide our time, I suppose?

[shoota]

There will be a case list prepared and posted on noticeboards around the court but that is subject to change and is often not prepared until the morning of the day to which it pertains.

[jno]

try not to bribe anyone while you wait, Tilly. Not even an apple for the judge these days. It's PC gone mad.

[gingejbee]

jno: they sound TOO organised. I have to ring on the Friday before (after 15.30), to be told whether to arrive on Monday or another day!

[shoota]

That is the only way I'm afraid although you could phone the court and ask if that case has been given a fixed time or if it is a 'floater' which may pin it down a little.
I have turned up at Crown Courts in the past to be told that the case has been moved to an entirely different court miles away....

[Tilly2]

Thank you all. I had no idea how these things work.

[shoota]

Once the case has started, assuming it goes beyond one day, you will be given the start time and location at the end of each day and they will be pretty much adhered to.

[Tilly2]

Thanks again.

[jno]

I suppose that saves you time, gingejbee. I had to go in every morning and wait until I finally had a case on eighth day. I spent the time reading a study of medieval art, before deciding which of two brawling dog trainers was in the wrong.

[Barmaid]

Good luck with phoning the Court. Best thing to do is to check the daily lists. The first edition normally comes out about 3 and the final edition comes out between 4 and 5. On the website link I post below the edition number is the number to the far right. The higher the edition number the more accurate the list.

http://www.courtserve.net/courtlists/current/crown/indexv2crowndailies.htm

If you look at the menu to the left it will give you daily lists and warned lists - you can access the daily lists for free. Daily lists will give you the times and court room numbers of the fixed cases - just scroll down for Luton. Most trials will either start at 10.30 or 2. Or "not before" those times.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, Barmaid. That is really helpful.

[Peter Pedant]

many thanks Barmaid

[Tilly2]

I have looked at the court listing for Monday and found the person and the time. What does it mean when it says 'For Mention (Defendant to Attend)'?

I understand the defendant to attend bit but was does the 'for mention' part mean?

[shoota]

It means that their is some bit of procedure to deal with, the case will not be heard.

[Tilly2]

Hi, Shoota. Not be heard on that day but on another day instead? The person has been on bail for at least six months. Are they not ready yet?