Jury Service tomorrow

I've been called twice, the second time at the Old Bailey. Quite an experience but it can become incredibly boring when you are not on a jury. Take a good book to read. or crossword/sudoku. However, you do seem to strike up instant friendships with the other people and we all had a great laugh. Bit like being on holiday really, you never see these people again but it's good while it lasts.

Yes, I was called ten years ago. Most of my time was spent reading and chatting. We got a voucher to spend for lunch. The one time that I did get chosen, I had to ask to be excused. I had actually typed the interview of the defendant and knew the officers in the case. I was a shorthand typist for the police.

I was called about 14 years ago, I loved every minute of it. I don't think I'd be able to do it now due to my health but I am very glad that I have ticked it off.

I did it about 10 years ago.It was an underage sex case (a schoolteacher was on trial for having a relationship with an underage pupil.

It was fascinating-so multi-faceted. I got very invested and was the only one of the 12 to want him cleared. In the end, the judge accepted a majority verdict so the teacher went down.

Very, very interesting experience.

DH was called years ago. He's v tall and sat squashed in the jury box with his toes sloping upwards on the floor! It was a v old building! He couldn't do that now that's for sure.

My sons's partner was called a couple of weeks ago. She did 2 weeks. She found it interesting and quite enjoyed it. I don't think I would enjoy sitting on a very serious case - such a responsibility.

What surprised me was that there is a maximum payment per day for child care (£60 I think it was), even if a person has more than one young child who requires it. I think she also said there was a flat rate for loss of pay. I believe her employer made up the difference but if a trial goes on for weeks and someone loses out as a result of either of these issues, that must be a huge worry.

It must be 20 years ago that I was called. We had a child (well teenager) abuse case were we found the accused not guilty on one count and couldn't agree on the others so that was a bit of an anticlimax. Then we should have had an interesting criminal case but the accused and his lawyers didn't turn up and the judge dismissed us. It was interesting but our foreman's reliance on prayer rather than hard evidence was a bit wearing.

I shall definitely opt out if they want me for a long trial I shall have trouble sitting still for long periods as it is. I'm going to ask if its alright for me to stand up occasionally (if I'm actually on a jury) they may not actually want me if I'm going to be a pain in the @rse, pardon the pun I just didn't want to pass up on the opportunity right from the off.

If I were called now I would have to ask to be excused. Painful joints mean I can't sit for long on uncomfy chairs; am hard of hearing (eh?) and have the concentration (or is memory?) of a goldfish

I was called 10 years ago and was on a murder case that lasted for over 5 weeks. It was very interesting. We were asked at the beginning if we would be available for 6 weeks so be ready with an excuse if that happens to you - you can't just say no without a good reason.

I wouldn't say I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a low level historic child abuse case. based mainly on one case of touching a child inappropriately, with no suggestion that it was the tip of an iceberg, nor of it being other than an isolated incident. Nevertheless, not very enjoyable.

However the experience was very interesting, seeing how the court system worked, from the law enforcement side. The jury I was on all took the job seriously and we had a good foreman. i found it particularly interesting to find out the extent to which the jury could pass notes via the clerk to the judge to ask for further information during the cross-examination stage.

I've been called twice but only served once, about three years ago. I went reluctantly but enjoyed the experience. There is a lot of sitting about so make sure you have something to read or listen to.

I had to phone every evening after 5 to see if I'd be needed. I'd cancelled all arrangements all week just in case and duly phoned each evening -and wasn't needed at all. There must have been several hundred of us throughout the city all calling in for the various courts. What a waste of time for so many people to have their lives on hold just in case. I can't help thinking that there must be a more efficient way of going about things.

Good sounds like positive experiences all round , I have my Kindle App on my ipad so plenty of choice of reading material.. morethan2 my 'old bones' are seriously hurting and I'm waiting to have my second THR

Never been called, and always wanted to do it, so I'm Do let us know how you get on!

My DBIL sat on 3 cases during his fortnight, and said two were interesting, one deadly dull (but didn't last long). A colleague had to sit about reading for a fortnight, then was called on the last day in relation to a very long murder trial - fortunately, the jury just had to decide on fitness to plead, then a new one was chosen, or she'd have been there for ages! And a friend's husband had one 2 week case, absolutely loved it, and said it was just like being in a film.

I went a few weeks ago. My main advice is to be careful when you are sitting reading. I now have a pain in my neck from looking down so much!
It was certainly interesting. I was called three times but just sat through one three day trial.

My experience was like Rumpole of the Bailey. I loved every minute of it!

I was called first week in to a new job. Was on one case only, but it was a very interesting experience. Not a bit like Judge John Deed, unfortunately.

Take a good book. I enjoyed the experience and got on well with the other jurors during 'down time'.

I had never done it before but was called 3 years ago. They call many more than they need so in the end quite a few sent home but on daily standby. There's a lot of hanging around but I was eventually on a case than lasted 2 weeks, and ended up being foreman(person) which was interesting. Quite an enlightening experience. Hope you find it so.

Hope you get somthing interesting Tanith but we'll never know will we hope the 'old bones' are o.k