Jury Duty - what happens if you are picked?

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glowinthedar

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I have been called for jury duty and having searched through the many threads here, I know what happens if you are not picked .

But what happens if you are picked? Does the trial or hearing (?) happen the day you are picked or another day in the future?
 
Hi there,
I served on a jury in the Central Criminal court just before christmas.
The presiding judge essentially went through each case listed, and where a not-guilty plea was lodged a Jury was selected by ballot & sworn in.
This took place on Monday and most of the cases were then listed to start on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The only thing the selected jury had to do on the Monday was retire to the Jury-room and select a forman.

All the cases called were very heavy-duty (murders, kidnapping etc.) so the preparation would probably have been going on for months and an extra day or two before commencement wouldn't have made too much of a difference.

With less serious matters dealth with in the circuit courts etc. you might find the cases are called and heard on the same day.
 
In the circuit court and the circuit criminal court, the trials start immediately after the jury is picked.

The time I was there, about 3 trials were listed to start each day, except Friday,
they dont start trials on a friday. Trials typically take 1 to 3 days in the circuit court.

In the jury waiting room, a delightful basement room, you can see what is happening in court on cctv, but not hear anything, until it is time to pick the jury.

A trial starts, if the def pleads not guilty a jury is picked and heads to another room to start. Then the second trial starts and the same thing happens. This takes about 2 hours, and then everyone in the waiting room, is told to come back the next day to go through the whole rigmarole again. In my case, almost everyone pleaded guilty and the 150 of us waited every morning for 2 weeks. It was a blast.
 
I like doing jury duty... they pay you for your missed work... ;-)
 
Is it true that they select your name from the register of voters list? Or is there some other way your name gets selected.
 
Yes, that is the only way you are selected to receive a jury summons.

At the court you are usually selected to serve by being drawn from a hat.
 
You aren't asked any questions by the Judge or solicitors other than if you know any of the parties to the case. You can ask the Judge to be excused from a particular trial if you are picked for personal reasons, i.e. it might be a rape trial and you may not wish to be on the jury. The Judge will excuse you and you will be sent back to await another trial.

The Judge will tell you the anticipated length of the trial and if you have any appointments that clash with the trial please let the Judge know before the trial starts.

There is further information [broken link removed] on the Courts Service website about serving on a jury.
 
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What about 'deselection', the Hollywood way - you know, for the more high profile cases when either the defense or prosecutor objects to you as a juror because of your background/perceived likely bias etc etc - how common is this in reality does anyone know?
 

Each side in a case can object to up to six jurors. They cant question them, its done on sight alone and as they are walking up to get sworn in. It's very noticeable that the prosecution tends to object to people in tracksuits etc. and the defence to people in suits.
 


So if I don't want to do jury duty I should wear either a suit or a tracksuit?

And now do they object? Do they stand up and just say it out? Objection your Honour???
 
UptheDeise said:
And that's it then you just walk off the stand and go back to the waiting room? Could the judge ask why there has been a challenge?
Click to expand...

As it seemingly happens before the jury is sworn in I took it that this happens outside of the courtroom?
 
The prosecution and defence do not have access to your background, all they have is a name. The challenge happens in the court.What you wear or which newspaper you carry does not always have a bearing on whether you are selected. I've seen people wearing both business suits and tracksuits sworn in to the same jury.

If you have a genuine reason for not wishing to serve then inform the court. There is no point in wasting the courts time.

From the link I supplied above:

"An accused person may 'challenge' up to seven prospective jurors, without giving any reason. The prosecution may also 'challenge' seven prospective jurors. If your presence on the jury is successfully challenged, you will be required to step down.

You should not let this upset you, as it is not a personal reflection on you. Challenges are allowed to ensure that there is absolute fairness in the proceedings.

If you are challenged without a reason being given you must leave the jury box. You may be called to serve on another jury in a different courtroom later.

If you are challenged with reason, it is the judge who decides whether or not you will serve.

If you know the accused person, a witness or anyone taking part in the trial, or if you are in any way connected with the case, you must let the judge know before you have been sworn or have affirmed. If you become aware of a connection after the trial has begun, you should immediately send a note to the judge through the foreman/forewoman of the jury."


 
It happens in open court in front of everyone.

Each side may challenge 7 potential jurors without giving any reason and may challenge any number of jurors if they can "show cause". Once the free goes are used up any juror can be challenged if cause can be shown. In those cases the judge will want to know why.
 
Called for jury service.Judge told half of us to come back tomorrow and the other half to go back Wednesday.Do the people who are not in tom go back to work or do you go back when your excused?Do you get a letter from the court when finished for the days missed?
 
If the judge told you to come back on wednesday you must go to work on the tuesday, you should also go back in the afternoon if you are not picked. I believe I got some doumenation sent out to me that says that...

Yes you can get a letter after the case has been finished but it needs to be requested from the clerks office.

I was picked for a case that went on for 5 days back in Feb.Overall found it to be great experience, to see how the whole thing works!
 
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