Expat son living in USA for 5 years now - summonsed for UK Jury service

usignuolo

My son has been living and working in New York for five years now, after his UK employers transferred him to their NY office. He was married in North America and his two children were born in NY. Until about a year ago he was registered as an overseas voter at our home address in the UK (I had a proxy vote for him.)

Last year they got their green cards and he let the UK vote lapse. He is not shown on the latest electoral return at our address. Nevertheless this morning (saturday) he received a summons for him to do Jury service in June here in the UK. (He has authorised me to open all post which arrives here addressed to him.) He is supposed to reply in 7 days. In my experience it takes that sometimes for a letter just to arrive in New York.

There is no provision on the summons for me to forward it to him or to notify the Jury Summoning Court that he is now living abroad. Certainly there would be no possibility of me sending the letter to NY and his firm writing back to explain he now lives and works there within seven days. What is the usual procedure in this sort of case does anyone know?

(Apologies for posting it here but it did not seem to fit in any other category except the CAB forum which is not handling this sort of query at present.)

jfdi

My son had the same whilst he was doing his 'year out' from Uni in Colorado.

I just called & told them, & they took him off the list to be recalled 'later' (but he hasn't yet - & that's 5 years back).

2013yearofthehouse

You could contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau:


jurysummoning@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0845 803 8003
Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
Friday 9am to 3pm



On a general note, them expecting a reply in 7 days is a bit quick! Post can often be several days or more late, plus some people must receive the later while away from home.

Paul_the_Painter

Just in regards to forwarding post, have you thought about getting a scanner? Then you can just scan and email everything to him once a week or so. Scanner/printers can be had for £50. Should pay for itself inside a few months

spannerzone

Or do what 85% of the population do, throw the letter in the bin - it wasn't a recorded delivery letter I assume?

When did my jury duty I asked how many letters they sent out and got told about 5000 and I asked where everyone was and the office clerk slightly red faced said about 200 replied, I asked what they do to chase the remain 4800 and got told they don't, they can't possibly follow up on those that fail to respond. This was a few years back and doubt it's changed at all.

They generally don't send out a hit squad to round up those that didn't respond and usually don't get hauled up infront of the judge.

Disclaimer: Obviously it is everyones civic duty to respond to jury summons

pimento

I would really like to do jury service but have never been called. I know lots of people who have done it two or three times. Even my non-UK born husband has been called.

Austin_Allegro

I live and work abroad most of the year, but I'm on the electoral roll in the UK because I stay with relatives when visiting and I'm still a UK tax resident.

I got a summons last week, the relative who checks my post forwarded it on to me. However, I contacted the helpline and they said the 7 day thing is only a warning, if you explain your situation it won't be a problem. They also said I can reply with a scanned copy of the form via email. (So presumably if my relation had sent me a scanned version of the form I could have printed that out, filled it in, rescanned it and sent it back).

Although I realise it is a civil duty and would quite like to do it, I'm applying for an exemption because I think my circumstances would make it pretty difficult (I'd have to pay for airfare and my wife lives abroad with me, so for personal reasons it is a different situation to someone who lives near their local court).

Austin_Allegro

Update: I scanned and returned my forms via email, stating that I was resident abroad, and also included a scanned letter from HMRC confirming this. Within half an hour or so, I got an email reply saying I was exempt, so I suspect anyone who can prove overseas residence probably gets off.