Jury Service – Scotland

Anyone had any experience of Jury Service in Scotland? Specifically loss of earnings claims.

My wife got a letter in and looking at the details it seems a bum deal. She will lose earnings, be unable to claim equivelant and we will need to sort out ad hoc childcare as the case does or does not progress.

Think we will come off the electoral register to save the hassle in the future.

There are laws in scotland??

Rachel

It appears so – including one that can fine you £1000 for not doing Jury duty.

Might be the better financial option when weighing up out of pocket expenses and child care bill.

Best way out of it if it really is too inconvenient is to list all the dates you can’t make it and where there’s proof of the booking to make you unavailable. Last time I went it seemed like 100+ people turned up for 2 juries to be selected and a couple of them got out of it by saying things like “I know the defendant” without that even being corroborated.

Have you called and spoke to them ? They tried to play hardball with me insisting that I did my service.

Only I was dealing with them from work in Africa at the time.

I believe I’ve been removed from the list for now.

A couple of times I’ve had the letter and told them it’s simply not possible for me to make it, listing work, self employment, kid care etc… no issues.

She will lose earnings, be unable to claim equivelant and we will need to sort out ad hoc childcare as the case does or does not progress.

I think you can claim child care costs.

Why will she lose earnings – is she self employed? Or is her employer refusing to pay?

Employer is a small business so we are assuming wouldn’t pay- might be wrong

Did a weeks jury service earlier this year. I not self employed or anything so had no problem claiming loss of earnings. The first couple of days were a bit of a hassle as it wasn’t clear then how long the case would last and my work were having to arrange cover at short notice. Towards the end of the second day it became clear that the proceedings would last till the end of the week at least. No hassle at all from then on

It’s OK – I know that some folk are too important to be called for jury service. Better it’s left to the unemployed and retired. After all, they’ve got nothing better to do.

If its going to cause you problems just contact them and say what those problems are. IIRC roughly 2/3rds of people summonsed are either disqualified (i.e. they wouldn’t actually be allowed to be on a jury even if they wanted to be) or excused from serving. Only a tiny percentage of people who ask for deferrals or to be excused get refused.

offering your services Colin?

Towards the end of the second day it became clear that the proceedings would last till the end of the week at least

It wasn’t this one then :D

You can excuse yourself from jury service if you are a practising member of a religious society or order the tenets or beliefs of which are incompatible with jury service.

Just keep muttering loudly that the accused disrespected the Wu-Tang Clan, you’ll soon be sent home. Or perhaps, given the location, The Proclaimers.

You can claim child care costs. As well as subsistence (even though they provide lunch), and travel on top of the loss of earnings. The first week rate is poor, but after that the rate is about £130/day, tax free. With travel and childcare it’s probably not far off the net equivalent of 45k p.a. Whilst your wife might earn more than that and won’t get any more you probably aren’t going to gain too much sympathy, especially as most cases only last 2-3 weeks at the very most. Whilst I understand the frustration (our policy is to top up the allowance to actual salary provided the employee keeps in touch e.g. By checking email before and after court – which only sits from about 10-4) it is an important civic duty – one day you could find yourself in the dock (or the victim of a crime) and would hope for a representative jury.

What amazes me is people only get animated about this when cited, but we all know we could be cited at any time.

I feel sorry for the people that jury service would be a financial hardship for.
I’m fortunate to be poor enough to see it as an opportunity to do my civic duty maintaining one of the fairest justice systems in the world.
:wink:

Thanks all – I’ll get her told she needs to enjoy the privilege of civic duty and to enjoy the time off work while it lasts.

There are laws in scotland??

Of course there are.

I’ve always wanted to do jury duty but never been called up. Doesn’t seem fair.