New - The things that really annoy you

[Sniffer]

I had my letter come through too last week for 28th July. Derby Crown Court is my venue. Not particularly looking forward to it.

A fully refundable, paid for, holiday booking could well be your friend to avoid the possibility of being on a jury for a case that is planned to last for an extended period of time.

 

[Hereford Wolf]

I loved my Jury Service. Two weeks off work. Very interesting. Being foreman!

 

[EpsomWolf]

Never been called and one of those things I’d actually quite like to do. Whether the reality matches the expectation is doubtful given the experiencers of some of you lot.

I did check some time ago to see if it was something you could volunteer for but strictly random selection only.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Do you really want to discuss the law with the general public?

I'd rather go for a pint with Bruno Lage and Jake Humphrey.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Do you really want to discuss the law with the general public?

I'd rather go for a pint with Bruno Lage and Jake Humphrey.

I was on jury duty once.
Some fucker got caught miles away from where he said he was going to be, with a holdall, a length of plastic tubing, a funnel and a 5 litre plastic container. The copper challenged him as he was kneeling at the side of the car...
The jury had to decide on whether the case was that he had intent to steal petrol at 3am.... You may laugh!
The fucker got off with it.
We asked the copper afterwards, 'Why didn't you wait until the cunt had a mouthful of petrol?
"Not allowed" he said....
FFS!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Isn't that just going equipped anyway?

 

[EpsomWolf]

Do you really want to discuss the law with the general public?

I'd rather go for a pint with Bruno Lage and Jake Humphrey.

The desire runs much deeper than that.

Having watched very close family members who were victims of fairly significant crime seek and fail to achieve justice, I would get some satisfaction from contributing and knowing the jury had at least done it’s job properly irrespective of the outcome.

I’m a lay adjudicator in Social Work England fitness to practice hearings for some very similar personal reasons too. There are parallels with the judiciary in the sense the accused behaviours and actions can cause devastating consequences for innocent people and those individuals need to be held to account.

The frustration at certain protocols and the need to more often than not accept difficult outcomes can be challenging, but the successes can bring huge comfort to the victims. That, and the involvement in curbing any further damage is ample reward, so I see JS as a bit more than a blether about law with the general public and I don’t think wanting to contribute where you can is any bad thing.

 

[BillyDee]

Have you thought about becoming a magistrate?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Juries don't decide matters of law. They are advised on matters of law by the judge. They decide matters of fact.

 

[leedswolf]

Juries don't decide matters of law. They are advised on matters of law by the judge. They decide matters of fact.

Yep, the jurors deliberate the evidence presented during the trial.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

I’m no expert on the matter, and haven’t looked into the alternatives, but aren’t jury trials a bit outdated now? I believe most other countries have got rid of them.

I’m not sure I would want to rely on 12 members of the British public to find me not guilty for a crime I didn’t commit.

 

[Kenny]

I think a recommendation has gone in to make it the defendants choice to have a trial v a jury or just the judge.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Have you thought about becoming a magistrate?

Yes, I’d considered that. I certainly had doubts around my intellectual capacity for such a role initially but moreso it was the understanding of the drivers behind the motivation that steered me away.

My fuel is lit in areas where professional misconduct has facilitated harm to victims. Letting down those you are trained and paid to protect is to my mind unforgivable and targeting those is where I’d rather be than the magistrates chair.

Social Work England and their fitness to practice hearings tick an awful lot of my boxes. I think for obvious reasons it’s best I bail out of this discussion for now.

 

[SLA]

I was a on a coroner's jury a few years ago, so different to criminal, and very, very sad, but I was surprised and pleased at how seriously the other members of the jury took it. The main problem was a lack of confidence in their own ability to understand the cases and make a judgement. Obviously as a middle-aged, middle-class white male, I was supremely confident in mine!

 

[Sniffer]

My jury service so far has consisted of convincing the judge in front of the court that a 29th August end date was too long to be away from the job that I do, followed by 2 days of not being required to attend.
I’m disappointed not to have had a case yet and would have enjoyed the responsibility of the one I was selected for if work wasn’t an issue.

 

[darlowolf64]

My jury service was an armed robbery at a post office when they were having a delivery of cash from a security van.

CCTV footage, the bloke was caught with dye on him from opening the secure cash box, positively identified in a line-up by staff and witnesses but because he was tall (at least 6'5") they had to do the ID parade seated. They also had to wear tights over their heads because of his facial features... He had a HUGH nose.

Because of the last bit (height and features), and after a 5 day trial, we had to convince 3 women that he was guilty. They didn't think there was enough evidence, and the fact that his appearance couldn't be matched for the line up, it was unfair!

After finally finding him guilty, at sentencing, the prosecution asked for other crimes that he was guilty of to be taken into account including a raid at a vehicle compound where he stole an articulated lorry, crashed through the gates and caused mayhem down the A1, crashing into vehicles and police cars.

The three women looked a little embarrassed with themselves after the case (and bloody rightly so)

 

[BillyDee]

So they had to hide his identifying features in an identity parade?

 

[darlowolf64]

So they had to hide his identifying features in an identity parade?

His lawyer said that it was unfair that noone else in the parade was both very tall and very big nosed

Even with the tights on (as worn in the robbery) it was so obviously him

 

[AndyWolves]

His lawyer said that it was unfair that noone else in the parade was both very tall and very big nosed

Even with the tights on (as worn in the robbery) it was so obviously him

Who is the lawyer? He sounds very good!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Fairly standard procedure to usually try and get the ID parade excluded as procedurally wrong in those circumstances. Might as well try it i suppose.