Jury service

I’m not 100% sure but I think she could defer once but would be expected to be able to arrange childcare for a second date

Yes, she can defer once. I read today about a lady who did this due to child care issues.
When she tried to defer a second time she was issued with £300 fine. Her husband had to take unpaid leave to care for child.

Yes I defered my jury service as we had already booked a holiday. No problem, I was given another date 2 months later.

Yes I also deferred due to having just had an op. They allowed me 3 months to get sorted out.

I read the case ninathenana and whilst I don’t know the full details I think it was grossly unfair of the courts to expect her husband to take unpaid leave to look after the children and the fine is just plain spiteful . If this happened in my family they would not be able to afford to do it. Not many young working people could .

I think the maximum you can claim is under £70 a daty total for loss of earnings plus childcare. Which is ridiculous. It's time it was changed. It's the same for court witnesses. No one should lose financially for doing their duty. Although you are called for jury service you may not be required on the day.

The current maximum you can claim per day here in the North East is just under £65 per day but this might vary in different regions???? You need proof of earnings to even get this amount . If you are only required for half of the day the amount is halved too . Which young working mother or father could afford to do this?

Unless the rules have changed, your employer has to make up the rest of your salary.nobody is out of pocket. They also pay travel expenses.

An employer does not need to make up the difference in loss of wages Humbertbear It is purely voluntary. Fine if you are “public sector” as they tend to pay the shortfall (it’s all tax payers money anyway) but private employers rarely do.

Gillybob is correct. And rhe system is totally wrong. Even the amount allowed for food is not enough imo.

My friend was tidying up and came across an unopened letter which was the call for jury service. She had completely missed it but has heard nothing since!
Many years ago, when I was called, it was half term. I missed my holiday and DH took the week off to look after the children. He took them away to stay with DM.
It was a trial in the high court. I found it interesting and such a contrast from caring for children. Every night, alone in the house, unable to discuss the case, I felt scared.
I was given travel expenses.

Mr absent got a deferment on serious health grounds – not least because the condition from which he was suffering, plus the medication caused sudden and serious diarrhoea – and when he was called again we presented the same reason for deferment. He was then freed from any further jury service. I suspect that childcare issues don't fall into the same category.

I looked after the grandchildren when absentdaughter did jury service, but not everyone has an available granny. Maybe they need to revisit their criteria.

I totally agree that not every young couple can find satisfactory child care if they are called to serve when summoned I think what didn't help the young lady concerned was her comment that there are "plenty of retired people doing nothing all day" who could be called according to media reports.

I agree that her comments didn’t help, but surely someone with an ounce of sense in the courts service could see that a young couple with children should be excused. I recently wrote a letter to get someone completely excused (not deferred) from jury service and the reasons given were fully excepted.

I know. However, jury service is a civic duty. If its left only to those who can afford it or who have time to spare then justice is not served. Its important that juries are made up of a wide cross section of the public.
The issue seems to be the financial recompense for lost work hours or child care costs. Increase/modernise these rather than have people actively avoid jury service.

I totally agree with you Jane10 they need to look at the system for recompense in order to enable everyone to do their duty without financial hardship . As it stands most working people would be out of pocket .

It's been the same for a long time. They know its unfair. No intention of changing it.

I have avoided that due to health issues.

I was summoned to that in Redbridge just after we had a moved home up to Cheshire in 1987.

Hardly surprising that there isn't the money to compensate further, what with CPS barristers only being paid £46.50 for a day in court!

I requested a taxi to get me to the Jury Service and later had a call to say they no longer needed me!

I understand that because of “valid reasons” not to serve that jurys are already unbalanced and tend to have more representation from the elderly and the unemployed.
Such a pity we can’t resolve this better as Jane10 says.

I think any working person should have their full wages covered for the days they are doing jury service, plus the cost of travelling, a meal etc. Anyone with children should have their childcare expenses covered too. Anyone not working/retired etc. should have their travel/food expenses paid. This is the only way to ensure a fair jury.

I was called years ago when I was at University and two weeks before my final exams. I felt very stressed. I got my tutor to write me a letter and got deferred. I had to do it about three months later shortly after I started my first job which did not go down well as complicated fraud case and I had to do the whole week. Personally I do believe that it is everyone's duty to do jury service if requested because we would all like the option of trial by jury. I also think each person should be allowed to defer once with good reason or have a longer term medical exemption if necessary. There are plenty of child minders around and many will take a child for an odd week. You can claim those child care cost back with a receipt.

I have recently been a prosecution witness in a High Court case - had travel expenses reimbursed, hotel paid (2 nights), plus a subsistence payment. I am assuming from previous posts that the financial recompense for jurors is not the same, or is there a variation between Scotland and England in the way witnesses and/or jurors are treated?