A question to anyone who has ever done jury service in the UK?

First of all don't worry about it.

Take a good book to read as you will initially be sat in the jury room until such time that you may be picked to sit on a jury. You could be sat there some time. I did 2 weeks of jury service and never got on a jury. I met several people who equally never got on a jury and just sat in the jury room. Some days we got stood down early.

Likewise I was aware of people selected for a 12 week trial. As you can guess most people did not want to be on a trial that long. Around 30 potential jurors packed into the court in front of the judge, where the jurors names were then called. If you had a valid excuse, i.e a family holiday already booked then you had to stand in front of the judge and ask to be excused. He/ she has the final say.

I know some trials can be interesting but most are very slow going. That is just the way the courts run. There is a lot of legal process to get through.

Jury Service Advice

Jury service is easy. I waited for 8 out of the 10 days before I was put on a jury, and even then it was a fairly mundane one.

Don't worry about it too much. Everything's explained to you and you're with a group of people all in the same boat. And you can talk to somebody if you still feel anxious.

It is nothing to panic about. When you report in to reception at court, someone will then guide you through everything. There is a useful guide on the Court Service website: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/jury_...

You will remain anonymous as far as the lawyers and defendants and witnesses go and you are kept separate. Do not be frightened to ask the usher who looks after the jury if you are not sure about something. But there is an awful lot of waiting around and going in and out while the judge discusses legal points with the barristers. Good luck. Enjoy the experience.

Yes I have done jury service, the only thing you have to worry about is if you get a long trial, I done my jury service at Southwark Crown Court and it lasted 8 weeks.

I was called up for Jury service and was called into court on my first day. 24 of us went in and I was the first name to be called out to be on the jury! I felt a mixture of excitement and terror! Anyway the defendant was up for murdering his girlfriend and dumping her in a car (they found her months later in the boot in the middle of summer!). I was spokesperson and we found him guilty! The second week, I got called in again, again I was chosen to be on the jury (with the same judge - who recognised me and asked if I was ok!!!) - this time it was a rape case. We had to declare him not guilty as there wasn't enough evidence.

All in all I found the whole experience very exciting and interesting. I think had it been worse cases e.g. children - I don't think I could have gone through with it.

Enjoy it, you may or may not get picked, its the luck of the draw. Just remember to take some reading matter, snacks and drinks - you could be waiting for hours!

Hiya !

Before your trial starts - try going to the court and watch a trial from the public gallery. Also - you could try asking at reception if there's anyone who could chat in private to tell you what will be happening.

REMEMBER though - once you're sitting the jury you can NEVER discuss the trial with ANYONE outside the court.

You can not only jeopardise the trial BUT end up in front of the judge for contempt ! Having said that - please try not to worry.

Your panicking over nothing. Its quite enjoyable and sometime quite ammusing. I was on jury service that lasted a week.. But 3 days were just waiting for your name to be called. When I did it was funny even thou we couldnt laugh. Neighbours in a tiz waz. eventually.. WE were asked what we thought of the overall situation. We gave our feelings in a balot. It was thrown out and each side had to pay costs. Its a couple of days of hearing others.. I enjoyed myself..

I have never done Jury service but if you are genuinely really anxious about it or have other stressful things to deal with in your life then I'd suggest you see your GP who could sign you off attending.

You can expect loads of waiting around. Take a book or a magazine. Theres absolutely nothing to be scared about apart from boredom.