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

[Ann]

It obviously depends on what kind of case comes up while you are doing it. Like Starbuck I was there for a fortnight and got chosen only ONCE, the rest of the time I sat writing christmas cards, chatting, eating snacks from the restaurant, being dismissed when only just arrived and sent back home for the rest of the day 15 miles away, being sent (Christmas!)shopping in town for a few hours to return "after lunch" - I could not believe what a little jolly I was on. We were paid travel expenses and loss of earnings, which in my case as I was classed as a "temp" and only called into an office to cover absence, I was awarded a set amount and proved a good little earner just before Christmas too! My case was a minor crime, although he was found guilty. On the other hand my friend found to her amazement she was on a major fraud case and had to attend for months! Luckily she enjoyed it, but I would have hated that and found it very boring. I would have also hated to be on a murder trial as I am quite squeamish.

[hippyhoppy]

I'm in Derbyshire (Notts get all the juicy cases) so I was selected for a case where a very angry chap threatend some kids in a cemetary... however as the wording was 'he used a weapon' and he used a crowbar (which has a use other than weapon) it got dismissed.. Semantics get them off.. lordy me!!