Club Arnage

I've been called up to do my civic duty Jury service next week & I've had advanced notice that a case is on that could last upto 6 weeks. we've been told to bring documentary evidence of holidays etc & the judge may consider these (kin cheek)

I really Don't wanna miss Le Mans obviously (even if it's means going out late friday back early monday) & being asleep in court on Monday  ::) boss was none too impressed either  :laugh:

Anyone have any advice how to squirm out of the 6 weeker other than ferry,hotel, ticket & campsite booking.

Thanks

I have just had the same situation. All I did was tell the jury service that I had booked my holiday months ago and was committed to go. I got my service deffered till November. If you just write them a sob story you should be able to move the dates till later in the year. ???

I have been called up twice in the space of 8 years!!! There is obviously a very small pool of upstanding folk in my neck of the woods!! :angel:
The first time I was called I had it deffered from July until October as I informed them it was approaching the busiest period at work and they accepted that excuse no problem. I seem to recall having to put it in writing and they then confirmed the later date backed up with a stern notice telling me I would not be able to defer the service again.

What they said. You can defer jury service once only for each call up. Tickets, hotel, campsite bookings etc. will justify your holiday, only thing is if you're doing it next week it might be too late to defer!

There's also a pretty good chance you won't get the 6 weeker, I did it last year and for two weeks I only got a 1 day trial.

If you do get the 6 weeker, the defence counsel have the option to have members of the jury removed so when you get in there shout out something like "he definitely looks guilty" and you should be fine  ;D although that might get you done for contempt of court, hopefully your trial will come after Le Mans  :police:

Actually just remembered something else. I can't remember what the bloke is called who does all the admin (position not actual name) but it's worth making friends with him. They decide who goes on the list for possible use at each trial, a quiet word with him should see you left out of the long trial list.

 

I had considered that option ;D or going for the I'm anti everybody line. how many bases does that cover  ;)

I stupidly accepted it at 1st thinking it was only 2 weeks & away from work :-[

Pray for nice weather!!!......the judge on my jury service was more interested in getting on the golf course than seeing justice done.  

You never know he/she may also be going!  "Let us adjourn until after Le Mans"  ;D

Is it to late to get your own criminal record?  ;)

I do have some Bob Dylan at home does that count  ;D

The chances of getting on that particular jury might be slim anyway

I went to Reading crown court last year on jury service, there was a pool of about 80 possible jurers, of which about 15/16 were called into court for each case.
In our case we were then asked if we had connections with, worked at, or knew anyone at a certain place of work. If we answered yes we were excused that case.
The clerk then selects 10 people trying to balance age, sex etc to produce a balanced jury, then the defendant has a chance to object to anyone.

Some people in our group never got to sit on a jury.

However bearing in mind Sod's Law, go for a deferment.

If after you accepted they came back to you and told you about a long case, then I'm sure so can defer, or at least not be considered for that case.
They don't want people on a jury of a long case that don't want to be there.

Go for the deferment, deffo.

When I did it I had to own up to having gone the the prosecuting barristers wedding ( he was getting wed to my wifes cousin) .....honest,,,,,and I was still allowed to sit on the case..scary.

Jem

They warn you that you can only defer once, but I managed to do it twice!

Strictly speaking they can only defer you once, so that means the second time they have to excuse you completely - result! ;D

My excuse was that I was moving house, and when my second date came around I lived 300 miles from the court. An extreme way to get out of it, but it worked!

Buck

So was mine.....but within 2 months of arriving in Manchester I was called up again with no get out!

F

It's too late to defer apparently ??? When they send out the summons now it includes a deferral form that you HAVE to put down the dates you cannot attend in the future so they'll give you a date that you said was ok.

I think they excuse I have to avoid the long case is good but there's always the chance to come up against some jobsworth  >:D

I've not registered to vote for over 20 years to avoid just this problem! If you ain't on the electoral roll you can't get called up.

Make sure you make friends with the person who runs the jury desk then.

Good luck.

That's that sorted thankfully  ;D handed in my booking confirmations etc & all ok I didn't even have to beg  :'( the faces of the people that did get picked was a picture. I don't think they were all prepared for it  :-X

All excited and raring to go again now  :D