UK Criminal System Sucks

[Raven]

Right i've just become extremely disillusioned with the UK justice system!

I was cited for jury duty and had to attend court yesterday.

Iarrive at court at 9.30am (15 mins early) and have to hang about for 20 mins to be escorted into the court itself with all the other potential jurors (in the UK they summon 30 potential jurors to make up the 15 person jury).

The clerk of the court arrives at 10am (we're now 15 mins late) and says that due to a technical issue we have to wait a while before the process can commence. 10.15am she informs us there is a delay so we can all go get coffee and come back at 11am!

11am we all troop back to be told that due to the technical problem we are all "free to go" that's it all over!!

So 30 people all have the hassle factor for NOTHING. Then, to make matters worse, i find out that the maximum payment that the UK justice system will pay per day is £57.00 ($100.00)or thereabouts. So I lose money for having the honour of being pissed about for half a day and then told that none of our services would be required.

On a good note the trial WAS scheduled to last 4 days so i reckon that, had i had to be a juror, i'd have lost about £180.00 ($325.00)for the privelige of serving "her majesty".

No wonder people don't like jury service. I'm now free from this for another 5 years and can guarantee that if i'm called again i'll make sure i'm out of the country (no matter when it is) LOL

What's this country coming to!

Rob

[White-Pinnacle]

Raven,
I had jury duty about 4-5 years ago. I think I was paid $15 US per day plus parking and mileage, I can't remember the exact pay but it was low. That was just too awesome for me. Although it was fun to see and experience the process. Ended up sitting through two cases.

First one was criminal threatening at the fish exchange where the accused was suspended from work and returned with .45 caliber handgun. He was stopped at the door by a couple of friends. He was observed by the management brandishing the handgun and shouting profanity and the police was called. He left and the police arrived. Then he came back to the parking lot and saw the police and left with the police following him and eventually stopping and arresting him.

Second case was about breaking and entering and about stolen clothing i.e. shirt and bra. What a waste of time!

It's interesting to go through the process and listen to lawyers . . . they can justify and twist anything to bring doubt about the case. Fortunately, my employer has the pay differential program so I didn't loose any money. There was a lot of waiting and wondering what's going on though. Someone told me the federal courts paid about $60 per day.

OPREP

[NavyOS]

Raven, I don't blame you. I'd be pissed if they wasted my time and money over some bullcrap like that. At least they didn't keep you the 4 days that you thought they were going to make you stay for. And Oprep, at least you didn't have to pay 50 pounds ($100) like Raven. Nevertheless, I wouldn't mind going once to see what it was like. They always make the court room look so intense in the movies...are they like that in real life?

Navy

[White-Pinnacle]

From my observations from the case and what I can remember, it's nothing close to the movies where people or the prosecutors are "squared away". Even the police officer in one of the cases was a knuckle head. He couldn't remember where he found the suspect's gun . . . he stated during the vehicle search he found it in the glove compartment and the prosecutor had to remind him that he found it in the back seat of the pickup truck.

I also remember during government class during high school, I had to visit the courthouse and listen to a case. The judge asked the defendant if he had a witness and the suspect stated "yes sir, he's in the county jail". The judge replied that he didn't want to know that. That was funny. The whole court room started laughing.

Also, a jury of your peers. Hmmm, that's scary!

Yes, yes, if you ever get the chance to sit and observe the court room cases I highly recommend it.

OPREP

[«ÊÇ»grasshopper]

I witnessed a car accident late last year and received a summons to appearin courtas a witness of course. The accused couldn't speak english and asked for time to "find" an interpreter. The Judge knew what was going on but had to give him his due process,,, the short of it was the next time he came to court the officer didn't and the case was thrown out(((

[seroone]

Raven im wondering what type of trial you had considering my relitives in whales all say that the Death ratio is pretty much lil to nun and that sucks you had to be a juror for half a day but hey, you got a reason to skip work