Jury Duty

Thelonious Monk

I just got summoned for this last week. Again. A couple of years ago I got it for the first time and showed up at the central criminal court, and lo and behold they put me on the jury for that whole Sean Fitzpatrick thing. When we came to the first day of the trial the judge asked me to present myself and then said I was excused. I asked the usher why and he said something about a junior counsel having met me socially before, or something. It's actually a good thing that happened because it turned out I had worked with one of the main witnesses before and just wasn't listening when they asked if we knew any of the witnesses. I never found out who it was that knew me. Thank God I was thrown off though as the case ended up being the longest one in Irish legal history, 6 months of showing up to court at the far end of town.
Has anyone else been drafted? Share your jury stories here.

PsychoPete

If I'm in court, I'm on the opposite side of the jury

JasonStatham

They wanted me for a pretty serious one. I had just started a new job, so I got my employer to write me a letter saying I felt I was going to miss out on essential training and that i was far too young for judging (18 y.o.).

.anon.

I've never been called up. I'd find a way out of it if I was.

I can't remember who said it originally, but when you go on trial, you're essentially putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

mikeecho

I'm exempt



Cos I know every Fu ker is guilty.

buried

Show up with a MAGA hat. You won't even be picked for your own funeral wearing one a them things.

el Fenomeno

Drugs case years ago. Lad convicted over a drugs haul worth a couple of million. Daughter was in the car with him when they were busted, so it was her trial.

Two things didn't sit well with me.

(1) The prosecution's case was absolutely appalling, and was presented even worse. I always thought if a case went to court, it was likely the prosecution had a strong case. Definitely not in this instance. The defence tore apart the forensics team at one point.

(2) Fellow jurors were more interested in getting home. A couple of them said as much, saying they'd "vote" whatever the rest of us did so we could leave as quickly as possible.

Anyway, the judge instructed us that she was throwing the case out after a few days so we didn't have to decide in the end.

Hego Damask

I'd just refuse to go, f*ck that sh*t

Quantum Erasure

Thelonious Monk

Hego Damask wrote: »

I'd just refuse to go, f*ck that sh*t

If I remember correctly, if you do show up you're unlikely to be picked for a jury anyway, and then you can just give any excuse to the judge like I'm going on holliers and the judge lets you go.
I showed up for the Seanie Fitz trial because I was sick to death of my job at the time and wanted a break, but I'm still so glad I was trun off.

gifted

On jury duty a few years ago....first day in room under the court and a garda was taking our phone numbers ....all bar one of us called out our mobile numbers and then this chap called out his house number...we all looked at him stupid including the garda....most of our deliberations were about this buck who had no mobile lol lol

Purple Mountain

Just a quick one.. Sau you were a jurour and like OP said, if you know one of the witnesses you must ask to be excused by the judge.. But.. Do you get a list of witnesses before the start of the trial or could you be 4 days into a trail and then a witness you recognise could take the stand and only then would you realise you'd have to ask to be excused?

2018na

Got one of those letters a couple of years back. You are summoned to Trim court for jury selection. Am I fcuk summoned for anything. Did not reply or do anything. People making up excuses like 5 year olds. Nothing will happen

McGinniesta

I was called for jury duty. I was selected on the last day and was sworn in. Turns out a barrister made a mess of the paperwork and the case was delayed.

Thelonious Monk

Purple Mountain wrote: »

Just a quick one.. Sau you were a jurour and like OP said, if you know one of the witnesses you must ask to be excused by the judge.. But.. Do you get a list of witnesses before the start of the trial or could you be 4 days into a trail and then a witness you recognise could take the stand and only then would you realise you'd have to ask to be excused?

I'm pretty sure they asked us if we know them and I did know one guy to a certain extent but just wasn't paying attention. I am the type of idiot they put on juries ffs. When I say I knew him I worked in the same office a couple of times and spoke to him a few times, but that's more than enough to be excused from jury.

Vic_08

.anon. wrote: »

I've never been called up. I'd find a way out of it if I was.

I can't remember who said it originally, but when you go on trial, you're essentially putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

That is the problem though, it is seen as perfectly acceptable to dodge jury duty however you can so all that is left is a pool with an unnaturally high % of dimwits and wasters.

Of course wuth the clown courts we have here chances are all that will happen is your time will be wasted for nothing anyway; go to the trouble of putting your life on hold listening to blowhard barristers for a week or two, dilligently examine all the evidence, make a decision then shuffle off while the judge gives a scumbag with 3 figure previous another suspended sentence.

Spanish Eyes

I got the fifth call last week.

That was after an excusal in 2018 with medical evidence due to my deafness. Served before the deafness though, but was not called. that was in 2006 and I am not a member of the Defence Forces for the record.

Did everything I could to inform them now but nothing in response at all. So my OH who has form said to just turn up on the day and say your piece to the Court Clerk and leave.

I would not be able to hear proceedings at all. And that would not be fair to anyone.

I was called up once but couldn't go as I was penciled in for surgery on the same day so was excused. Pity as I'd like to do it.

Borgo

I done it last year, really enjoyed it. The case itself wasnt a serious one so I suppose it could be a different story if it was a heavy one. Few days off work and free dinner ha. Good mix of people on the jury we had some laugh and also argued with each other about the case. If I got called again I would have no problem doing it.

Vestiapx

I knew of the accused and thought he/she was guilty /innocent

Brand_New

Does the belief in jury nullification exclude you from being selected for a jury in Ireland?

greasepalm

I got excused because of health issues.

buried

They should do it all online if you got the accessibility, which seems to be everywhere. Just video zoom the trial straight to your living room sitting in your pajamas eating toasted sandwiches of your own filling choice.

KaneToad

The Irish legal system - having your fate decided by 12 men & women who weren't clever enough to get out of jury duty...

Spanish Eyes

greasepalm wrote: »

I got excused because of health issues.

Apparently they destroy those records, so you have to start all over again if recalled and pay for the reports, again.

I think they will be chasing me for the E500 fine, but I have done my bit. I really could not give good cognisance to the proceedings now.

osarusan

Got a letter about jury duty, got a letter from my employer about how essential I was at that particular time, got out of jury duty.

Cracking story I know.

buried

Good luck if you are self employed and try to get out the f**king thing. The business I'm in, if I was paid everything I'm owed by bastard solicitors and barristers I could gladly go on Jury duty the rest of my life. C**ts.

Spanish Eyes

buried wrote: »

They should do it all online if you got the accessibility, which seems to be everywhere. Just video zoom the trial straight to your living room sitting in your pajamas eating toasted sandwiches of your own filling choice.

Well to be fair to you most proceedings are open to the public,

The jury on the other hand are corralled.

Trouser Snake

buried wrote: »

Good luck if you are self employed and try to get out the f**king thing. The business I'm in, if I was paid everything I'm owed by bastard solicitors and barristers I could gladly go on Jury duty the rest of my life. C**ts.

Who wouldn't want to drive a nice hearse though?

RedXIV

Due to go in a few weeks. Very much looking forward to it, be a nice break from work, even if I don't get selected

buried

Trouser Snake wrote: »

Who wouldn't want to drive a nice hearse though?

Undertakers have no problems getting paid.

AllForIt

I did one in Southwark Crown Court London a long while back. I loved every second of it. They paid me fairly well and as I was working in the evenings I could have still worked but decided against it.

I was initially worried because the first case I was called on was predicted to last months. Fraud by employees in a government department. Turned out it ended as soon as it started due to some objection. So ended up on a relatively short 2 week road rage one.

The judge seemed to have a very short temper. I recall him throwing out an observer because he was eating sweets. He just wouldn't have it as he put it. Also, when a juror put up their hand at the very beginning of the trial he went "What? Questions already and we haven't even started!". Turned out the juror knew one of the witnesses, and that's not allowed. So a new juror had to be chosen.

I was a bit apprehensive during the deliberations at first because I didn't really follow the instructions about how we're supposed to conduit ourselves but as it turned out there were a couple of other jurors who had done it before so they knew what was what.

Deliberations took 3 days, not many hours per day I don't think. We came to an impasse where we had to convince one single juror to vote with the rest of us, otherwise I think it would have gone to a re-trial. We convinced that juror eventually and that was it. Not guilty verdict. On summing up the Judge seemed to indicate he agreed with the decision when he said "It was a difficult one".

raxy

I got called last year but excused because I'd nobody to mind the kids. Wanted to do it though.

Had a guard call to the house a couple of weeks ago though. I've been summonsed as a witness for a case now. Been told it probably won't go ahead though.

buried

raxy wrote: »

I got called last year but excused because I'd nobody to mind the kids. Wanted to do it though.

Had a guard call to the house a couple of weeks ago though. I've been summonsed as a witness for a case now. Been told it probably won't go ahead though.

This seems to be a frequent thing now, upcoming cases that probably won't go ahead. Were you told why it wasn't going to go ahead?

Yyhhuuu

buried wrote: »

Good luck if you are self employed and try to get out the f**king thing. The business I'm in, if I was paid everything I'm owed by bastard solicitors and barristers I could gladly go on Jury duty the rest of my life. C**ts.

Are the Legal Eagles very tight with their money then? They're certainly well able to charge.

buried

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

Are the Legal Eagles very tight with their money then? They're certainly well able to charge.

They use probate as an excuse to withhold money in an estate situation. A good lot of them in my experience actually try to create and manufacture conflict within a inheritance/will situation. Creates more business opportunities for them. A law came out about 4 years ago? Made it law for undertakers/Hoteliers to be paid for functions immediately, everyone else has to wait, some payments I've been waiting over 10 years. Its typical in this country. The law racket has the game sown up. For some jobs I have done I may never get paid.

Yyhhuuu

I have been summoned to a Jury but I asked to be excused as I'm concerned about Covid. I wonder will they insist on a doctors cert. I dont have a medical card and will have to pay for this . Otherwise I think I would go. I wonder if I was excused and changed my mind would they allow this. I really think the Jury should be paid. It appears from an earlier poster that they are paid in the UK. The Jury summons itself should include a cover letter from the Courts Service. The summons was unduly legalistic.The tone was appalling- demanding my attendance. It was as if I was after being sued. It actually annoyed me.

It's amazing the Juries Act was never updated: the amount of exemptions from Jury Summons are phenomenal. Privileged professionals who could well afford to take time off. I went into a few courts over the years and the Jury appeared to me to be mostly people who seemed to be less privileged or less affluent or less educated people enlisted on the Jury. This was just my impression. Perhaps I was wrong.

RedXIV

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

. I really think the Jury should be paid.

If it helps, apparently house insurance has a clause that allows you to claim for jury duty in several providers, at least from what I've seen so far?

pogsick

I did jury duty a few years ago, your employer must pay you as normal, you could be asked to work if jury duty is outside of your normal hours though.

Yyhhuuu

buried wrote: »

They use probate as an excuse to withhold money in an estate situation. A good lot of them in my experience actually try to create and manufacture conflict within a inheritance/will situation. Creates more business opportunities for them. A law came out about 4 years ago? Made it law for undertakers/Hoteliers to be paid for functions immediately, everyone else has to wait, some payments I've been waiting over 10 years. Its typical in this country. The law racket has the game sown up. For some jobs I have done I may never get paid.

You should watch out for the Statute of Limitations. If the debt exceeds 6 years then you may not be able to sue. If a part-payment is made it may effect the clock on the time limit , but I'm not a Solicitor.

I can understand why a Solicitor may not be able to pay immediately or for some time and why there would be a delay. The payment of debts would be a priority in the Estate distribution but the Solicitor will not be able to access the funds from banks, financial institutions or close a sale of a property until Probate or Administration issues. There may be undue delays in complex Estates in finalizing this. The only person laughing all the way to the bank is the Solicitor.

It is in the interest of the Solicitor that complex matters arise. Some of them also involve themselves in sending out unnecessary correspondence in order to bulk up the file to charge accordingly. I was a beneficiary in an Estate and dealt with them numerous times . I had to tell one to stop regularly sending me out letters with nothing in them. Another Solicitor used to send me out 3 separate letters in separate envelopes on the same day. It was obvious what was going on. They are in my experience a law unto themselves. The pomposity and arrogance of some of them is quite unbelievable.

Yyhhuuu

RedXIV wrote: »

If it helps, apparently house insurance has a clause that allows you to claim for jury duty in several providers, at least from what I've seen so far?

Yes and your no claims bonus increases at renewal or if you shop around at renewal. They always ask you how many years claims free.
I personally let my house insurance lapse.

begbysback

Did a stint there a while back, I’d actually recommend it to anyone as it’s an eye opener, plus the grub is decent, was there for a few days so you get to know some of the lads escorting you around the place, funny guys.

As a psychological experiment it’s fairly interesting to dump 12 random strangers in a small room and see what happens.

Yyhhuuu

begbysback wrote: »

Did a stint there a while back, I’d actually recommend it to anyone as it’s an eye opener, plus the grub is decent, was there for a few days so you get to know some of the lads escorting you around the place, funny guys.

As a psychological experiment it’s fairly interesting to dump 12 random strangers in a small room and see what happens.

So would you recommend it. Was it interesting.
? How long was the day and what time did it start at? Things have drastically changed now with the risk of Covid and the fact that it has been established but underreported that Covid-19 is airborne. This would worry me in a jury room.

YFlyer

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I just got summoned for this last week. Again. A couple of years ago I got it for the first time and showed up at the central criminal court, and lo and behold they put me on the jury for that whole Sean Fitzpatrick thing. When we came to the first day of the trial the judge asked me to present myself and then said I was excused. I asked the usher why and he said something about a junior counsel having met me socially before, or something. It's actually a good thing that happened because it turned out I had worked with one of the main witnesses before and just wasn't listening when they asked if we knew any of the witnesses. I never found out who it was that knew me. Thank God I was thrown off though as the case ended up being the longest one in Irish legal history, 6 months of showing up to court at the far end of town.
Has anyone else been drafted? Share your jury stories here.

I mentioned twice I was studying. Got off both times.

YFlyer

gifted wrote: »

On jury duty a few years ago....first day in room under the court and a garda was taking our phone numbers ....all bar one of us called out our mobile numbers and then this chap called out his house number...we all looked at him stupid including the garda....most of our deliberations were about this buck who had no mobile lol lol

Was he a football manager?

KungPao

I’d quite like to do jury duty, but I am fairly prejudiced. Grey tracksuit, hand at or near groin, and smoke Jonnie Blue? Guilty.

To the gallows with him.

Mekirin

I did jury duty in 2011, the case involved a football coach who was accused of three counts of sexually assaulting one of the players who was a minor at the time. It was horrible to sit and listen to the evidence. The case was thrown out after the prosecution had finished presenting their evidence. I'm not sure of the exact reason why as we were kept in the jury room while the defence put their reasons to the judge.

Foweva Awone

I've never done jury duty but, pre-Covid, I used to often sit in on big cases in the Criminal Courts. Super interesting, but with none of the responsibilities of actually being on the jury.

Psychiatric Patrick

PsychoPete wrote: »

If I'm in court, I'm on the opposite side of the jury

Ah, Peter is it yourself.

pablohoney87

I got my letter summoning me to JD literally the first day I was eligible to serve after college.

Ended up on a rape case. It was a frustrating one. We heard about a day and a half of testimony from the prosecution and cross examination and then for about a week and a half we were in and out of the Jury room because of confusions (or deliberate disruption) from both sides on what could and couldn't be said in court.

The Judge said there was no way he could expect a Jury to make heads or tails of whats going on and dismissed us and excused us for 5 years.

At the time I was on a zero hours contract and my boss was sound and scheduled me in for 40 hour weeks those 2 weeks. Don't know if what he did was legal even but made a difference to me ha.

Then again the very first month I was eligible to serve again after the 5 years I was summoned again however this time I was working in a small business on a client based role and my boss wrote a letter asking me to be dismissed which I was.

I'd love to know how they draw names or was it just a coincidence my name came up twice as soon as I could have served.

JohnnyFlash

I’d absolutely love to be on the jury for a good murder trial. Something like the Mr Moonlight one.

Nothing gangland, but one involving land, infidelity, jealousy, families, revenge, riding in hay barns etc.