Have you ever done jury service?
I have just completed three weeks of jury service at a crown court in south London. Was scheduled to be two weeks but the trial went into the third week. This was my 2nd time doing jury service, the first time about 40 years ago at the Old Bailey.
My experience this time. About 50 new jurors arrived on the Monday for a lot of form filling, watching instructional video etc. Most importantly the system of letting you know if you are needed the following day. "you will get a text and email before 5pm tonight with the time you have to be here. If you don't get a taxt or email, you don't need to come in. Remember, no news is good news."
8.45am on Monday was the only early start, but we did go home at 12.00. Apart from 12 who got picked for a jury. Rest of the week I was starting at 11.00 and released to got home by 3.00pm. Wasn't needed at all on the Tuesday and Friday of the first week and the next Tuesday.
On the Wednesday of the first week I was one of the 16 names called to go into the court as a juror in waiting, but was not one of the 12 chosen for the jury. On the 2nd Monday, after waiting around most of the day, the usher came to inform us that the defendant had changed their plea to guilty and the trial we were going to be called for was now not needed. Finally on the 2nd Wednesday I was one of the 12 picked for a jury. I was number 10. There was only enough time for the introductions and to read out the indictment, so we didn't really start until 10.00 on Thursday morning.
The trial I was involved with. For legal reasons I'm not allowed to divulge any details even though it has finished. But this was the case;
The indictment was, possession of a class A drug (cocaine) with intent to supply. Two defendents, one male one female. Both needed a translator as English was not their first language. That was the main reason for going into a third week and quite a few delays for points of law.
The verdict. Male guilty, female not guilty. We decided the male was guilty in a few minutes. We needed about 45 minutes to all agree on a not guilty for the woman, but that was because some of us were in a "not sure" position. There was nobody saying she is definitely guilty. The not guilty was because we believed, after studying the judges twelve pages of summing up and guidance, that she was being coerced into being a drugs courier.
My experience this time. About 50 new jurors arrived on the Monday for a lot of form filling, watching instructional video etc. Most importantly the system of letting you know if you are needed the following day. "you will get a text and email before 5pm tonight with the time you have to be here. If you don't get a taxt or email, you don't need to come in. Remember, no news is good news."
8.45am on Monday was the only early start, but we did go home at 12.00. Apart from 12 who got picked for a jury. Rest of the week I was starting at 11.00 and released to got home by 3.00pm. Wasn't needed at all on the Tuesday and Friday of the first week and the next Tuesday.
On the Wednesday of the first week I was one of the 16 names called to go into the court as a juror in waiting, but was not one of the 12 chosen for the jury. On the 2nd Monday, after waiting around most of the day, the usher came to inform us that the defendant had changed their plea to guilty and the trial we were going to be called for was now not needed. Finally on the 2nd Wednesday I was one of the 12 picked for a jury. I was number 10. There was only enough time for the introductions and to read out the indictment, so we didn't really start until 10.00 on Thursday morning.
The trial I was involved with. For legal reasons I'm not allowed to divulge any details even though it has finished. But this was the case;
The indictment was, possession of a class A drug (cocaine) with intent to supply. Two defendents, one male one female. Both needed a translator as English was not their first language. That was the main reason for going into a third week and quite a few delays for points of law.
The verdict. Male guilty, female not guilty. We decided the male was guilty in a few minutes. We needed about 45 minutes to all agree on a not guilty for the woman, but that was because some of us were in a "not sure" position. There was nobody saying she is definitely guilty. The not guilty was because we believed, after studying the judges twelve pages of summing up and guidance, that she was being coerced into being a drugs courier.
