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How NOT to get selected for a Jury

9fingers

9fingers

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Romsey Hampshire between Southampton and the New F
I've been summoned to do jury service and I have no acceptable justification to get out of it.
I'm retired and regard it as an infringement on my free time and it will stop me woodworking!
So next line of attack is working out how to behave to minimise my chances of selection.

A "chap in the pub" said turn up in a suit and carry a notebook as the defence lawyers don't want someone who looks efficient or capable.
This might work but I told him that if it doesn't and I then get elected as Foreman of the jury, I will not be a happy bunny :lol:

So I'll throw it open to hear your tips for legitimate avoidance and please don't bother writing "Its your Civil Duty....." type comments because I'm not interested.

Cheers

Bob
 
9fingers":3rl4kef8 said:
I've been summoned to do jury service and I have no acceptable justification to get out of it.
I'm retired and regard it as an infringement on my free time and it will stop me woodworking!
So next line of attack is working out how to behave to minimise my chances of selection.

A "chap in the pub" said turn up in a suit and carry a notebook as the defence lawyers don't want someone who looks efficient or capable.
This might work but I told him that if it doesn't and I then get elected as Foreman of the jury, I will not be a happy bunny [emoji38]

So I'll throw it open to hear your tips for legitimate avoidance and please don't bother writing "Its your Civil Duty....." type comments because I'm not interested.

Cheers

Bob
Click to expand...
Talk to an imaginary friend

Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk
 
I've done it before and every time would have preferred not to. Hope they have forgotten me now.

My lasting impression was how much a waste of time and money it all is and how incompetent most of the lawyers are.

If there is an excuse that works I'll try and remember it and hope I never need it.
 
I did it sometime ago on a 6wk building fraud case which I found to be very interesting.
Because of the length I was then exempted from any future service.
They call lots of people in and ask whose self employed and if jury service would impose financial difficulties , whose got holiday plans etc etc
On my case they chose about 30 of us then one by one you are called in to the jury seats where the Defence and Prosecutors can reject you (up to a limit). It’s all done on appearance.
When we started the case, they found out that one of us was deaf and couldn’t hear, she was booted out and replaced.
Most folks don’t get on a case but are asked to turn up each day for about 2 weeks in case they are needed.

Rod
 
Not looking forward to having to turn up each day just in case I might be needed.
There is no parking provided and the notes suggest that parking fees might not be reimbursed. The only bus service to go to the court from Romsey is no good as the first bus of the day arrives too late for the start time.

All in all a right PITA.

I will have to see if I can find a NF badge to wear. I don't think UKIP would regarded as radical enough.

Dozing off during selection process and feining deafness might be good too.

Bob
 
Got any dependents that need care - grandchildren, elderly missus that gets confused with medication and needs your input or has trouble walking/eating/bathing that you need to be there for? Parents that likewise need your care?

Steve
 
StevieB":9lfka5uu said:
Got any dependents that need care - grandchildren, elderly missus that gets confused with medication and needs your input or has trouble walking/eating/bathing that you need to be there for? Parents that likewise need your care?

Steve
Click to expand...

It is marginal Steve. Mrs is riddled with arthritis but not enough to be classed as disabled nor me as a formal carer. She has had lots of surgery to replace bu88ered joints and so stays reasonably mobile. She has managed to get a blue badge but that is all. Mentally still sharp and able to manage her own medications.
So if I claimed she needed me I not got much of a leg to stand on if they want proof.

Bob
 
I would expect that the people doing the final selection have seen it all before and I don't think that more than 2 or 3 can be rejected. Your best hope might be to recognise the defendant. I wouldn't be surprised that if you wore a recognised political badge of any sort that you would be told to remove it.
 
RogerS":u5t9sqyh said:
Cross dress ?
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that make me representative of a cross section of the population and all the more desirable as a juror :lol:

I'm beginning to think that dozing off and feigning deafness might be a possible tactic. Elsewhere it has been reported that getting rejected for particular cases just puts you back in the jury room from which further juries are selected and you still have to turn up day after day.
If I make myself generally unsuitable, then maybe I'll get sent away on day 1

Bob
 
It’s a matter of luck, you might not get picked, you might get a case that only lasts a couple of days though you still can be asked to come back.
Have you been summoned to Winchester?
I think when I did it you got a daily allowance which my firm topped up to my full wage, a lunch allowance and parking fees.
As I was working in Reading at that time it saved me quite a lot of money.
It was interesting to see how other jurors took in the information. The case was very well proven with a detailed unbroken paper trail but some jurors thought the defendants were not guilty or did not want the persons to be sent to jail.
I got voted the Foreman and after several hours of getting nowhere I had to inform the Judge that we needed further guidance re sentencing. He called us back in and gave us a bollocking and said he would accept a majority decision. Sentencing was down to him we had just to decide guilt or not on the evidence provided.
There were 3 defendants with 12 charges each so I had to give 36 jury decisions.
They had ripped off £600k and got suspended sentences!

Rod
 
Bob, can you drive to the edge of town and bicycle in from there? At least you'd save on parking.

Kirk
in a state where phone notifications are the norm while you're waiting to be called...
 
Get yourself a Donald Trump supporting T shirt Bob the way his ratings are going that’ll guarantee you’re thrown out of most places. :lol:
 
Rod":2q96eagj said:
If it’s Winchester you could use the Park and Ride at Winchester Village (Romsey Road, Pitt)

Rod
Click to expand...

Sadly not Rod. It is the new(ish) court in Southampton at the bottom of the Avenue.
Possibly going to be train/bus into central southampton and walk to the outskirts.
Seems very short sighted for the relocated courts not to have any sensible parking arrangements.

Bob
 
9fingers":23azef72 said:
Sadly not Rod. It is the new(ish) court in Southampton at the bottom of the Avenue.
Possibly going to be train/bus into central southampton and walk to the outskirts.
Seems very short sighted for the relocated courts not to have any sensible parking arrangements.

Bob
Click to expand...

Its all part of a policy to encourage us to use public transport rather than cars and building car parks uses space that can be sold (££££££) for houses or other buildings.

Kevin
 
Is there free parking at the Common - not too bad a walk from there?
One thing if you are selected, the hours are short, something like 10 till 4 with a longish lunch break.
We are a much more polite group on here - I see the topic has been removed elsewhere [emoji3].

Rod
 
Rod":3o3mzu11 said:
Is there free parking at the Common - not too bad a walk from there?
One thing if you are selected, the hours are short, something like 10 till 4 with a longish lunch break.
We are a much more polite group on here - I see the topic has been removed elsewhere [emoji3].

Rod
Click to expand...

Hi Rod,

Just checked up on parking on the common and it is chargeable but no guarantee of a place as I will arrive after normal workers and it maybe full. Instead have booked a space on a private driveway with JustPark nearby for the first day for £4.50 and see how it goes.

I have just applied to the court to permit reimbursement of fees (as per their leaflet) as public transport cannot get me there at the appointed time. I await their response.

Bob
 
Hi Bob,

A lawyer friend of mine says that the certain way to get sent home is to wear a suit and ensure that you have a copy of the Daily Telegraph visible under your arm at all times.

Neil
 
Newbie_Neil":34ffoza6 said:
Hi Bob,

A lawyer friend of mine says that the certain way to get sent home is to wear a suit and ensure that you have a copy of the Daily Telegraph visible under your arm at all times.

Neil
Click to expand...

Thanks Neil
I might well try that. My suit tends only to come out for funerals these days so it will be a chance to get some further wear out of it.
With luck being sent home on the first day based on how I look will mean I don't get called back for other days within the the 2 week period either.
Otherwise is might be easier to be selected for a short case, "serve my time" as it were and be released.

I will try the suit & DT for day 1 but perhaps not with the loud ties that I used to wear for work as a mild form of protest.
I may adjust my style for day 2 according to results!

(I used to work in applied research - more of a beard and sandals sort of place but then was moved into management where I adopted a suit, loud ties and kept the sandals :lol: I built up a bit of a reputation in MOD by wearing sandals all year round. Only bettered by an Army major who regularly wore non matching socks in eye itching shades of fluorescent green, orange and pink. I think he was in EOD (bomb disposal) it takes a certain sort of chap to do that sort of work! :lol:
As an aside both my wife and I dealt with a Major Double, forenames Ivan Charles, difficult to keep a straight face confronted with a name badge reading "Major I. C. Double" !! )

My mood towards the court service has slightly lightened as I emailed them saying the first bus in from Romsey will not get me there is time and they have replied saying quote " As you're travelling from Romsey, we wouldn't expect you to get the bus from that distance and would therefore pay your parking." and they also pay 31.4p per mile.
That will save me about 2 hours per day sitting on a bus with the great unwashed and waiting for one to turn up (hourly service).

Bob
 
I have visions of...

Bob..Day One

Cleese-BBC.jpg


Bob..Day Two

images.list.co.uk_2-LST090507.jpg



:lol:
 
fill a whiskey flask with water.
before you go in , have a swig of the real stuff and swill it round your mouth .. dab a bit on your neck ! lol .. then swig the water regularly while you are being watched
 
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