Why is the only thing I 'win' .................... .................... ..

Knspon your DHs Dr can make sure he is exempt if he has health problems
I was called a few years ago,and the Dr, got me out of it

I have never been called for Jury Service but would probably be exempt as an ex Prison Officer.
I entered a comp once for a week on a health farm and got a runner up prize of a leotard to do my exercises in ?
I entered another comp for a 2 week Caribbean Cruise run by a cereal bar Company ... and got a runner up prize of a years supply of cereal bars !! Omg boxes and boxes all down my hall, my kids begging me not to put them in their lunch boxes anymore ... so anyone who came to visit went away with a box of cereal bars !!

I have been called twice but have never attended either time.
The first time I was working at a college and my boss asked for me to be excused as it was enrolment time and she said they couldn’t spare me.
The second time was a couple of years ago and I tried to get out of it as I have a guest house, it was summer and we had a house full of guests booked in. My DH was panic stricken as he did not want to cope alone but they insisted that I had to go. Fortunately the case was called off and they haven’t called me since.
It is not something I would relish doing.

When do you become to old to do jury service? DH did it a few years ago, it was very inconvenient as it was a particularly busy time of year for him at work, so he was juggling the two things to the best of his ability during out of jury hours. None the less he found the experience interesting.
I’ve never been called, but always thought it would be interesting. I think I would find it tiring now though.

I was called for Jury service just before l retired 2 yrs ago. It proved to be very long tiring days leaving at 7.30am for the train and often not getting back until 6pm in the evenings.
I was actually quite traumatised as on both weeks l was selected to be on a case. Some jurers attended the court each day for 2 weeks and were not selected for a case. I say traumatised as it was a particularly nasty case involving children on the second week ...l won’t say anymore but l found it difficult to sleep each night.
The first weeks case was bad enough but a little easier to cope with.

I for one would be more than glad if l am never asked to do Jury Service again. I could have received counselling as it was always offered to jury members if required but l just didn’t want to re-live the case again so l didn’t take up the option.

So ..just a precautionary note ...some cases are horrible to listen to and if you don’t get picked l wouldn’t worry about it too much.

I've never been called for Jury Service, though I would have been interested to do it. I'm too old now. As for winning, I have not won many things, but, very shortly after joining GN, I won a lovely wooden pirate ship, in one of the competitions. My grandchildren have lots of pleasure from it and also think I'm really clever to have won it! I don't disillusion them.

Never been called for jury service, shame , I would have liked the chance. Didn’t realise there was an age limit, what a pity there isn’t one ( or doesn’t seem to be) for judges, given some off the lunatic decisions they hand down!

I would love to do it.

Winning things you don't want eh ?? I entered and won a competition to win places at a Viking Weekend. Six tickets... only to discover my Viking Weekend is actually a Viking Weekender... a chance for Death Metal music fans to come together and celebrate Viking Metal ... which I now know to be a particularly loud sub genre of their favourite music. Happy days.

Done Jury service too and loved it. Learned a huge amount about drugs !!

I have never been called for jury service. I'm probably too old now anyway. Just reading through the posts made me wonder - does anyone know how potential jurors are selected?

DS1 was called - when he was a toddler! We said he'd be glad to attend but would need time out for his afternoon nap....

You have to enter a lot of competitions to really win much but you probably would if you did. I have won twice from Gransnet. Once a book and once a children's magazine subscription and a few other things like coloured pencils. I use Latest Deals.
I was not able to do Jury service for most of my life because of my job until the law changed. I was called once but I had only recently come out of hospital and I was excused.
It is fine if it is a short case but I knew someone who was on the Brinks Matt case which went on for 18 months and she was under police protection the whole time. Hopefully yours will be something relatively minor and short.

I have never been called for jury service, and as I am 'too old' now, I never will. It has always been a mystery to me why some are called and some aren't. Is it really just random?

As long as you have the time then jury service can be a very interesting period. See how the law works in practice as opposed to the TV version. Then the most unexpected bit comes when you are all together making the decision. That van be very surprising; you hear what others have interpreted being different to your own clear thoughts and for some you wonder if they really are able to follow the case.

We do not often get or seek debate, that is real debate where we need to support our ideas/thoughts/practice. In that jury room when you are in a minority that is when you come face to face with opposition and need to make your own case. Win or lose it is an experience you will always remember.

That is very true! Things got quite heated when we were deliberating. Almost physical!

I was called, some years ago, and ended up on the jury for a rape case. It was an extremely strange situation, and we ended up acquitting the two young men, through lack of enough evidence. one of them was obviously an easily led type of person. he looked so relieved to be let off, and i hope he kept away from the other man, who seemed a much more likely candidate for rape!

Aepgirl It really is random. Some people get called quite often and many people not at all.

As a retired lawyer I'm not eligible but it's nothing like those scenes depicted on tv. Often boring and btw, jurors can't take mobiles or handbags into the courts.

The upper age has now been raised to 75.

danceagran
It's totally random and taken from electoral lists with no bias as to gender or anything else.
You are sent a form which you MUST fill in and return within 14 days, giving your age, job and other criteria as the selection process cannot get those details from the electoral register. Certain exemptions apply and some can be deferred (such as being in hospital) but you'll have to give details as to your future availability.

I have been called three times - first time I went on a case and even though the court was about 25 miles from where I lived the accused was from the village where I lived at the time. I didn't personally know him but when the first witness came on i knew him so had to tell the bailiff, just in case I would know any other witnesses. Because i said within a few minutes they only replaced me not everyone.
The second time managed to get off because of work, third time couldn't get off but it was deferred for a year - got on a case where we found him not guilty due to lack of evidence by the police even though it was supposed to be rape.

No-one else in the family have been called at all

I was called last year but thankfully because of my disabilities I didn’t have to go,first time I have ever been pleased about being disabled

I've always dreaded jury service and thus far have been lucky enough not to be called, touch wood.
As for winning better things, £60 of M&S underwear of my choice, £1,000 on an annual prize draw, a rugby book and a share of £800 (between 10 colleagues) in the Lotto.
I've never won 'the big one' and can't remember if I've still got Premium bonds which have been a complete and utter waste of time.
I've applied to go on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' but I bet they'll think that I'm not 'televisually' interesting enough to be called. Plus I'd probably die of fright if I ever got to the spotlight.

GabriellaG If you are in the UK, the law has been changed. I can't remember when but it was some time ago now. I am a retired solicitor and was called (although I was excused on health reasons).

I have always wanted to do it and been called twice. First time my son was young and childcare was an issue so I was exempted. Second time I had to be exempted on health grounds! I don't know any one else who has ever been called.