Jury Duty.........

ball ox

A few months back I got a summons for jusy duty, since then I have changed jobs. I only started my new job today and the trial is tomorrow. Great timing I know. Anyway, I really dont want to do it as there is so much stuff I need to get done in my new job. A couple of my mates reckon things like wearing a suite and appearing very respectable reduce your chances of getting picked but I'm kinda sceptical about that. I'm not going to lie either. Has anyone here done jury duty? Anyone escaped it after accepting the summons?

Rb

Why would wearing a suit and appearing respectable reduce your chances? If anything, I'd have thought it would increase them. At least, thats the approach I was going to take as I've jury duty upcoming and I actually want to be selected (5 days paid leave from work, yes please).

Just don't turn up, sure its an offence, but its only a small fine.

Either that or turn up, claim to be a racist or act insane.

ball ox

rb_ie wrote:

Why would wearing a suit and appearing respectable reduce your chances? If anything, I'd have thought it would increase them. At least, thats the approach I was going to take as I've jury duty upcoming and I actually want to be selected (5 days paid leave from work, yes please).

Just don't turn up, sure its an offence, but its only a small fine.

Either that or turn up, claim to be a racist or act insane.

Well the explaination I've heard is that if you come across as being uneducated and generally ignorant you have a good chance of being picked because a lawer can convince you that a person is inocent/guilty/Elvis just because your easily convinced.

Again, this is what my mates reckon, I have no idea myself as I have never been in a court room or seen the jury selection process

Pherekydes

ball ox wrote:

Well the explaination I've heard is that if you come across as being uneducated and generally ignorant you have a good chance of being picked because a lawer can convince you that a person is inocent/guilty/Elvis just because your easily convinced.

Again, this is what my mates reckon, I have no idea myself as I have never been in a court room or seen the jury selection process

And you'd want to come across as uneducated and generally ignorant?

source

I was called about 2 years ago, and was put on the jury, it's like a lottery system, there might be 40 or 50 people there and they pick names out at random, the defence and the prosecution get a chance to object to a juror, anyway i was picked for the jury, i showed up wearing a suit, and was objected to by the defence, I did however have to come back each day of the week, just in case another case came up,
Remember you're on jury duty for the week not just for the day or if you get picked

brianthebard

ball ox wrote:

Well the explaination I've heard is that if you come across as being uneducated and generally ignorant you have a good chance of being picked because a lawer can convince you that a person is inocent/guilty/Elvis just because your easily convinced.

Again, this is what my mates reckon, I have no idea myself as I have never been in a court room or seen the jury selection process

Have the ejjits that told you that any actual experience of jury duty or are they talking out their hole? The whole purpose of a jury is to get a cross section of your peers in society to judge a case. Picking people cause they are dumb or not picking them cause they look smart is not part of what a jury is about.

Gazza22

If you don't want to do it, i'm sure your GP will give you a sick note.

techguy

OP Are you in any kind of managment position..If so you could get a letter from a solicitor/employer to say the business you are involved in can't stay afloat without you. Thats what my dad did a few years ago, he had a shop at the time..

monkeyfudge

foinse wrote:

I did however have to come back each day of the week, just in case another case came up,
Remember you're on jury duty for the week not just for the day or if you get picked

This is an important fact that the OP doesn't seem to have grasped. It doesn't matter if you manage to get picked or not... you still have to show up.

0ubliette

Jury Duty is actually pretty interesting. I didnt want to do it at first, but then i realised it was 5 days off work with pay, so i did it gladly. Got picked too, it was great. Id do it again no problem.

Turn up completely and utterly butt naked. Sure to work!

shane86

Dont you have to register at the Garda station nowadays to be on the electoral register i.e becoming eligible for duty? Im not registered far as Im aware.

Wouldnt mind it myself, Id say it would be pretty interesting (bar gangland or Ra related cases, for my own safety Id want nothing to do with it)

ball ox

thanks for the replys,

I was not aware that you had to come back every day for the whole week. I did manage to get out of it though because I no longer live in the county where the court is situated. About 10 people were excused though, when it came their turn to swear on oath they objected because they had doctors appointments, some even just said they had hollidays booked. The judge never even asked for evidence he just dismissed them for the whole week alltogether. It did look interesting though. As regars registering, I never registered at a Garda station, I think it might have had something to do with the census or something. I have never personally enlisted to the electoral register either, unless my dad did it for me somehow.

Victor

shane86 wrote:

Dont you have to register at the Garda station nowadays to be on the electoral register i.e becoming eligible for duty? Im not registered far as Im aware.

You just have to be on the electoral register. There are many ways to join the register.