Scott Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I got called up for Jury Duty this week. Fortunately the last 2 days I haven't been required to turn up but I've been "on call" so to speak. This has meant I've been able to chill and get a few extra days with my little girl. Last night I called the helpline to be told that my presence was required today.... What an absolute shambles it was. Anyone done this before? Is it always an absolute clusterflop from start to finish? First off there is NO parking. I left the house planning to be there 10 mins early and I end up barely making it after having to park almost a mile away... in one of those "30 mins max, 60 mins tow" type spaces. I wasn't sure what I was in for so I didn't want to take the chance of being late etc. So, I get in there at 10am on the dot, the place is already full with people reading books, newspapers and chatting etc. I sit down and wait for things to get started. After about 20 mins solicitors start lazily entering the court. Each one looked rougher than the next, I commented to the guy next to me that it looked like it was the works night out last night. I was a little miffed that we all get letters basically threatening us to attend on time yet these film star wage deadbeats just turn up as they please. Around 10.30 things look like they are about to get going, a guy gets pulled out into the dock and the basic etiquette of sit down, shut up and do nothing is explained to us. 10.40 the Sheriff comes out, you can spot him a mile away thanks to his wig. Without a word of a lie this guy was on the ball, he was the only one to actually show any common sense. After a discussion with the jesters it was explained that there were a few "guilty, not guilty" plea cases in front of the trial so there was no need for us to be there. After a quick consultation he sent us out to do whatever we wanted, explaining that we are to be back at 11.45...... win for me as I'm illegally parked. So, the first part of the day is over. The car is now moved to a safe location, I've been to a small takeaway for a couple of rolls & sausage and a bottle of irn-bru and I'm ready for round 2. Thankfully it's a lovely day today so I lounged around outside the court in the sun just watching the world go by. 11.40 comes and I make my way into the courtroom. The solicitors are fussing around paper etc, doing their thing, and we are all eager to proceed and find out what's what. 12.30 comes and we are no further forward, we have had a quick "sorry for the delay, things are happening in the background" type announcements but all we have seen is a lot of paper shuffling and headless chicken walking. 1pm comes and we're in business. It's announced that it's time to do a roll call. At this point I was absolutely gobsmacked. I can't remember the ladies official title but she is the one that takes the minutes etc, a sort of secretarial job, anyway.... the whole time we have been sitting there she hasn't been doing anything other than chatting and occasionally finding information on the PC. Rather than doing the roll call while we are all waiting for over an hour she decides to wait until all the "background" stuff is done and then doing it.... further delaying the proceedings. The thing is, this call out isn't just a 30 second "here/not here" affair, there's a load of dross mashed into the mix as well including information about the case and questions about anyone who knows the accused, witnesses, incident etc. After roll call the sheriff is out and he has a chat with his deputies again. He explains that there was a mixup and things had to be amended before proceeding but now we are ready to go. So, it's name from hat pulling time. 15 names are read out and the 15 jurors are picked, I'm not one of them "phew". A long list of names and accusations are read to the jury, again, and they are asked if they know anyone read out, again, no hands raised. The area where this happened and the date it happened are read out, again, and the jury are asked if they know of the incident, again, no hands raised. It is expected that the case will last till the end of the week and the jury are asked if they will be unavailable.... 2 hands raised (at this point you can imagine what I'm thinking). Out comes the tombola again as I sink into my seat hoping to hide. 2 more names are called and they aren't me, "phew". Now, what happened next is absolutely beyond me. The 2 ladies who were picked joined the jury and it all went back to the start, same questions from start to finish AGAIN!!! (and this list of names and accusations was LONG trust me, and very wordy too). After no hands were raised they were happy to proceed and we were told we would no longer be required. What an absolute waste of time and money. It's no wonder the criminal justice system is on its knees. They couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery. I understand that the Sheriff is the man and they are used to taking instructions from him but surely some common sense has to apply when dealing with these types of scenario. The absolute clincher is that it was explained to us as if it was a "one off" kind of event/mistake etc. I've had 2 relatives who have been summoned in recent months and it's been exactly the same for them. I had to laugh as we walked out and one of the guys behind me commented that they will be breaking for lunch next, led me to think about how it had taken 3 hours to do a roll call and selection. I don't know anyone that wouldn't get sacked after a week for being THAT inefficient. Home sweet home at last! BTW when I got to the car the first time there was a warden 2 cars down from mine. I didn't have a ticket but I don't think I was far off it, better lucky than good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I really wanted to be picked for jury duty, but after reading this, not so much.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 I really wanted to be picked for jury duty, but after reading this, not so much.. It's not as bad in the way that you are put out a little. Afterall, I can't grumble. My work is covering my wages so I'm not losing any money and for a few hours a day, potentially, and being on call it's not exactly going to be a hard week. My gripe is with the disorganised way of it all. I can't even comprehend the money that is spent to run a court on a daily basis, if you ever need a soliciter your eyes will water when you see what they charge as an hourly rate compared what they do in court on an hourly basis. It isn't even their fault really, there is just no organisation. 200 people just spent 4 hours being messed around for absolutely no reason. Paperwork was being torn up due to mistakes being made, copies of things were being made, people were flapping around between court rooms, some looked SERIOUSLY hungover and noone seemed to have any idea of what a logical approach to anything was. In my eyes if we are asked to attend at 10am, everyone involved should be there at 10am. The attendance should be taken at 10.10am, along with ALL the information CLEARLY given about the trial that we are potentially being selected for. Hands should be raised if for any reason they can't help, rather than doing it multiple times just do it once (surely this is blatant common sense?). At 10.30 the names should be pulled out of the hat, the Jury will be the Jury as they will have already been asked all the previous questions. At 10.40 everyone not required should be asked to leave. At 10.45 all the people involved in the court room that day should be asked if there is any business that needs to be concluded prior to the trial beginning, if there is then an approx estimation should be given and the Jury should be allowed to leave and do as they wish until the agreed time. When the agreed time comes, the trial should begin. By 11am everyone will know exactly what they are doing and when they are doing it saving 185 people 3 hours out of their day, the soliciters being directed to do what they need to do and everything being in order ready for the beginning of the trial. Is that REALLY rocket science? That's what I find more annoying than anything, not the inconvenience (as not exactly a hardship), it's the waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJI Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Nice write up Scott. Sounds pretty much how my mom exaplained the proceedings to me on her recent call up for jury duty. The whole thing sounds like a total waste of time, money and oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 It's not hard to work out quick-win improvements is it There must be some ghastly legal precedents that mean it has to be like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creative Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 2 of my good friends are lawyers... One is prosecutor the other is defense.... And they drink, alot! Was funny when they got the head judge hammered one night and they were all in court the next day, so I can understand what you mean when they looked rough! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I had to do jury service a couple of years ago, at the Old Bailey so no parking issues as I had to suffer rush hour commute on the trains and it was boiling at the time. First couple of days were much as you described, lots of waiting around, but no chance of fresh air as once you're in you're in for the day apart from lunch. Finally got picked for a case, 16 year old kid stabbed and killed by a 17 year old (lovely). The scary thing was most of the jurors seemed to have taken a wrong turn on the way to Jeremy Kyle's studio. We had 9 days of forensic evidence, witness statements, cctv to get through then retired to consider our verdict. This took 2 days as most of the jury appeared to have not listened to previous 9 days of blurb, and it had to be explained again. Some of the jury were so easily swayed one way or the other, like the guy in the Fast Show who can never make his mind up. Murder verdict arrived at eventually, and at least 18 years for the perp. The most depressing 3 weeks in summer I've ever had, sordid and nasty stuff. I had been passed over for the case before this one, which was a double, drug dealer murder which went on for 6 weeks so could have been worse. Really hope I never get picked again or have to be judged by my "peers". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garetheves Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Randomly enough im doing Dury Service on monday Really looking forward to it actually, just hope i get picked for something interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I've done it and really enjoyed it. I read up on it first, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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