Called for Jury Service -advice needed

bestpud

RLH33 wrote: »

I have been called for Jury Service which was due to start on 1 September, my son's first day at school. The options you are given are to defer it, but it has to be done within 12 months, or be excused.

My argument to them was that as my son was only going to school for 2/3 hours a day for the first five weeks, and I had no childminder/nursery to look after him or pick him up/drop him off at school, I couldn't do it until 5 October.

I then explained that by the 5 October I would be 28 wks pregnant and it would be unfair to make me sit in a courtroom without free access to a toilet (!). Then of course the baby would be born and again it would be unfair for me to leave it before September, the end of the 12 month deferral period, and again I don't have a childminder/nursery to look after it. I therefore politely asked that I be excused at this time.

I received a letter this week saying I had been excused so they obviously do take into account a lack of childcare as otherwise they would have made me do it on the 1 September anyway.

How long did they take to reply, if you don't mind me asking?

I wrote a couple of weeks ago, but rang today and they said they haven't received it and to call back in a week - but my jury service is due to start in 3 weeks!

I'm wondering whether to write again but send it recorded delivery this time... :think:

I can't do it so I may end up getting a fine for not turning up if they don't get the letter!

Janepig

gghh wrote: »

so you're expected to leave your children with a stranger/strangers just because they are paying for it??!!!! that's really unfair on the children as well as the parent who has been called up!!!

it's interesting to hear everyone's views on being called for jury service, i always thought it would be very exciting but having been on the other side (i was a victim of a crime where there was very little hard evidence, my word against theirs) i can see how hard some cases can be on a jury, not only the agonising decision of guilty or not guilty (which won't always be clear cut) but also the emotional strain of hearing/seeing people visibly distressed, having to re-live the worst time of their lives etc. making that decision is a huge responsibilty and not something i would ever want to have to do

Well by stranger you make it sound like you'd have to leave your child with the local bogeyman!! I see it slightly differently because my son goes to a day nursery part of the week and I see no problem with it. Again, slightly different, but I've seen someone try to wriggle out of unpaid work because of childcare and saying that their child wouldn't settle with a day nursery for a few hours (the child was about 2 or 3) and the Magistrate more or less told her to stop being so mollycoddling.

The thing is they've got to be inclusive haven't they. I'm sure there'd be plenty of people up in arms if they just said "oh we won't take anyone with a child under 10 for jury service".

I work in the criminal justice system and would hate to have to do it. As someone has said, be careful what you wish for, because lots of people would love to do jury service, but would they want to do a harrowing child abuse case, or rape or murder? Probably not. As I've said, anyone with an interest in the Court system can go and spend a morning sitting in their local Magistrates Court, it's open to all and usually very interesting.

Jxx

Savvy_Sue

Janepig wrote: »

Slightly different scenario, but if you commit a crime and are given unpaid work you can't use child care problems to get out of it and the Probation Service pay for a registered nursery place for the child.

OK, so they pay for it, do they also FIND the place?

Because that would be the problem for many people: actually finding someone with whom you were able to leave the child for the times required. I had a wonderful childminder, but she wasn't able to do school drop-offs / pickups, and courts don't seem to work school hours only!

Kavanne

UKTigerlily wrote: »

I have mental health propblems so can't do service but would love to! I'm sure there's a way to work round it & you might be able to take paid leave or they will top up the earnings I think

Would anxiety be enough to get out of it?

DKLS wrote: »

Its about time we had professional juries.

No. I would do this. However, people who WANT to be jurors shouldn't be given that power!!

chewmylegoff

sugarsuze wrote: »

I have a hypothetical question that I wonder if anyone can answer. A mate of mine has just been called up for jury service, hes a self employed guy and a single dad. He would lose a lot of money and be stuck for childcare if does the jury service. He said he has written off to them to tell them he is very racist and very sexist, and believes everyone who ends up in court should automatically be found guilty regardless of eveidence so he believes he is not a good candidate for jury service!! (hes not at all racist/sexist in reality, he just wants to try everything to get out of doing it). What do you think they will say to him? What if in reality someone WAS racist/sexist? Wouldthe jury service have to let them off?

an colleague of mine who was an ex-police officer got called up for jury service. he wrote them a letter saying "having served as a police officer for 30 years , i know that everyone who appears in crown court is obviously guilty, and will therefore make my decision on this basis rather than considering the evidence". he still had to go.

milliebear00001

Janepig wrote: »

I would have thought that any mother who would conceivably still be under a maternity leave period from work (even if they don't work iykwim) should be exempt. I'm not sure what the stats are for mothers breasfeeding over one year, but even if they then defer for a year because of the breastfeeding then they surely wouldn't still be breastfeeding after that - or not many would anyway.

Jxx

I breastfed my son until he was 2 and a quarter. I also actively chose for my children not to have daycare, so I would be horrified to be told by the Government that I 'have' to do this!

pipkin71

Katyag wrote: »

My mum has got doctors notes to excuse her but then she has Graves disease (eye problems due to thyriod) so her eyesight can have bad days and good days so trying to see evidence etc would be a problem.

Shes been called up 3 times in the last 2 years!! Shes sick of it!

I was excused on medical grounds too, when I was called up Katyag. Have only been called once though and thought that would mean they wouldn't issue another duty letter, but clearly they can given your mom's experience.

Katyag

pipkin71 wrote: »

I was excused on medical grounds too, when I was called up Katyag. Have only been called once though and thought that would mean they wouldn't issue another duty letter, but clearly they can given your mom's experience.

She thought she wouldnt be called again since her disease is on-going and no real cure (she is awaiting surgery to see if that helps but no guarantee) but it makes you wonder if they read the docs letter or just not pay much attention!

Janepig

milliebear00001 wrote: »

I breastfed my son until he was 2 and a quarter. I also actively chose for my children not to have daycare, so I would be horrified to be told by the Government that I 'have' to do this!

It's not me that picks who goes mind!!!!!!

I don't know how often this would happen anyway - it would be interesting to know whether providing childcare for jurors is a common occurrence.

Jxx

Janepig

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

OK, so they pay for it, do they also FIND the place?

Because that would be the problem for many people: actually finding someone with whom you were able to leave the child for the times required. I had a wonderful childminder, but she wasn't able to do school drop-offs / pickups, and courts don't seem to work school hours only!

Yes they do find the place. People doing unpaid work have to come into town to do the charity shop work or to get the bus to project, so they tend to use a nursery that's also in town so the child can be dropped off on the way. Again, I know of the odd occasion where it's been used, but not often - most people do tend to have someone they can leave junior with, and becuase work can be done on the weekends that makes it easier. But like jury service it's all about inclusivity - someone can't be excluded from unpaid work purely because they're a parent - in the past this has led to parents getting heftier sentences because of it.

Jxx