Jury Service?? - Page 11

Lilly · 14-05-2008, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Day 3
Sat around from 10 till 12, bored stupid, the two early trials never happened so that just left one and it was going ahead so the 20 of us that where left from the previous day went down to the court. They shuffled the cards with our names on and mine came out 3rd, yes, I sat down in my seat ready to pledge the oath. The judge asked if we knew anyone in court and I have to admit I think I recognised one of the defendants from Accrington but the name didn't ring a bell, then he read out the witnesses and one just happened to be a guy I knew, in fact I'd seen him this morning on my way to court. I had to report both of these facts and they took me off the jury and sent me and the others who had not been chosen home at 1pm. To be honest after finding out the crime was from my area I was a bit relieved not to be involved but I would still have done my bit if I had to.
We where told to ring the court at 4pm to see if we where need Thursday which we are so there's a chance I might see some action tomorrow but the thought of spending anymore time in the waiting room fills me with dread.

Garinda, the crimes and trials are there it just seems that the barristers are good at making sure public money is not wasted on silly trials or that's what we have been told.

We were told that too.

The crimes and trials certainly are there in abundance.

The thing is that the barristers use all their powers of persuasion, plea bargaining with their clients to get them to plead guilty before they enter court.

If this is successful they proceed straight to sentencing without the need for a trial.

The barrister still gets paid the same money without having to go through all the rigmarole of a trial.

Best of luck for tomorrow, Bagpuss.

Bagpuss · 14-05-2008, 22:44

Just had a look at the court website, sad I know, there is only one trial I could get on because the other two are on going that already have jurys, so maybe I won't see any action after all.

garinda · 15-05-2008, 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Garinda, the crimes and trials are there it just seems that the barristers are good at making sure public money is not wasted on silly trials or that's what we have been told.

I know that, I guess I was just really lucky. As I said earlier, I had two five day trials, in the two weeks I was there.

I'd have been pulling my hair out as well, if I'd have been sitting around all day, especially as at the time I did it was a really busy time at work.

Bagpuss · 15-05-2008, 22:57

Day 4
In at 10.15 told the trial I could have been on is not going ahead, sent home at 11.15 what a waste of my time and their money, totally peed off. They don't need me tomorrow because for some strange reason they don't start trials on Fridays so I'm going to work but I have to go back to Burnley on Monday and it starts all over again.

Lilly · 16-05-2008, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Day 4
In at 10.15 told the trial I could have been on is not going ahead, sent home at 11.15 what a waste of my time and their money, totally peed off. They don't need me tomorrow because for some strange reason they don't start trials on Fridays so I'm going to work but I have to go back to Burnley on Monday and it starts all over again.

I've got my fingers crossed for a better week for you next week, Bagpuss.

Bagpuss · 19-05-2008, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

I've got my fingers crossed for a better week for you next week, Bagpuss.

Ha, new week same again. In at 10.15am we are the week 2 people now so we got the comfy chairs in the smaller room. 10.30am lost 12 of us who where in court to finish one that was left over from last week. We had a different usher this week reminds me of Jo Brand, we are very busy today she said and disappeared until 12.15pm when she said we could go for lunch..... wait for it ...... until 2.15pm (2 HOURS), as I don't drive and went on the train what the bloody hell was I to do for two hours? You can't go to the pub so I found myself in McDonalds that killed 10 minutes so I spent the next hour walking about (I don't do window shopping), by now I'd had enough so I went back 40 mins early and carried on reading and chatting until 2.20pm when the usher came in and said we could go.

WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME !!!

Lilly · 19-05-2008, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bagpuss

Ha, new week same again. In at 10.15am we are the week 2 people now so we got the comfy chairs in the smaller room. 10.30am lost 12 of us who where in court to finish one that was left over from last week. We had a different usher this week reminds me of Jo Brand, we are very busy today she said and disappeared until 12.15pm when she said we could go for lunch..... wait for it ...... until 2.15pm (2 HOURS), as I don't drive and went on the train what the bloody hell was I to do for two hours? You can't go to the pub so I found myself in McDonalds that killed 10 minutes so I spent the next hour walking about (I don't do window shopping), by now I'd had enough so I went back 40 mins early and carried on reading and chatting until 2.20pm when the usher came in and said we could go.

WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME !!!

LOL at Jo Brand......I know the usher you mean, we had her for the second week. The first week we had a bloke called Michael.

It's another world in that court.

They don't rush, do they?

Isn't it frustrating when you get told to go for lunch and come back in 2 hours time only to then be told when you come back 2 hours later that you can go home?

Bagpuss · 20-05-2008, 22:09

Did nothing, all cases failed to go ahead including one where the defendant arrived for court with blood coming from his head ??? they had to get an ambulance for him, heard yesterday that there was a fight outside court after I'd gone home, who still wants to do jury service ???
Sent home at 1.15 after the judge apologized to us for keeping us hanging around today, (what about all the other days?), told to ring at 4pm where I was told nothing doing tomorrow and that it could be the end of my jury service as its a bank holiday weekend (but it's only Tuesday I thought), ring Wednesday just in case, no I won't I'm not going back ever again.

Bagpuss · 21-05-2008, 18:22

That's it , don't need me again this week thank god, it was a relief to go back to work today and I hate the place so that's saying something about doing jury service.