Being selected for jury service

[JLH]

Has anyone been selected for jury service and the selected date falls within holidays you have booked off through work ? I guess if your not going away you can’t use any excuse but I am mildly annoyed that I was having time off and now I will be doing jury service . I could defer I guess but I wouldn’t want to risk the chance of being called up when I am meant to be going away - well I shall certainly look forward to my August holiday as it will be first time off this year !

[catherinesian]

As far as I know when you defer you tell them of any planned holidays and they take them into account. A colleague had to defer, told them her planned holiday (incidentally to WDW) and t hey called her in immediately after she came back (going to jury service on the Monday after coming home on the Sunday with jetlag wasn't great, apparently! )

[Andybear]

You might get lucky like me. I got called for jury service (not during time I'd booked off work). It all got sorted through work, I went to the court 3 weeks in advance so I'd know how to get there without panicking and getting lost on my first day. Then 2 weeks before I was due to go they rung me, said they had too many jurors and didn't need me. They then said it would be at least 2 years till I'd get called up again. 14 years later I still haven't been called up again.

[youre-nicked]

I got a date when I was on holiday so sent the letter back explaining that, they replied cancelling me and asking if I was available for a given date which I accepted.

I then turned up and knew a good 50% of the defendants, told the receptionist that and I got stood down, only there an hour, didn't even get one days free lunch

[mitch84]

Might be worth checking with work, at our place you are allowed time off paid for jury duty, so you'd get your holiday days back

[scooby99]

When I got called up, we were going to be away on those dates; they didn’t ask for proof of that.

The form sent included a section for me to send back to inform them of this & requesting deferral; there was also a section for me to include further dates when I’d be unavailable.

I filled that in with all future holiday, birthdays & medical appointment dates etc.

They wrote back to me with a new jury service date avoiding all above dates.

I did the 2 weeks, 2 cases, interesting to see how it all works but lots of hanging around, bring a Kindle, I read 2 books!

[lizzie145]

as PP said if your employer gives paid time off then you should get your leave back.
When i was called i only did 3 days to returned to work for the rest.

So if you are required then fine but if not you can still take your leave

[Bella1]

I was called 20 years ago, I was working in what was then a "recognised profession" (I think they have done away with that now), I had a husband who was working away from home most of the time and a 3 year old and 1 year old with no family within 100 miles.

I broke down at the thought of trying to juggle everything and wrote a letter explaining that I didn't think I would be mentally fit enough at the time to perform the duty. I had a letter agreeing deferment and stating that I would be called again in the next few years and wouldn't be able to defer again for any reason.

20 years later and I'm still waiting!

[jengibbo]

I did jury service last year and I deferred the original date due to the fact I am a teacher and it was at a crucial time for my year 11 classes. I filled in the paper work giving my reason and told them the most suitable date for me. My original date was deferred to the new date I suggested for them. My dad also deferred his date which was November 2018 his reason was he was 6 weeks post heart op. He stated that 1st April 2019 would be better and this is what he got. You could defer and say you are on holiday then state a time more suitable. Check you get paid from work if not you will get an allowance for the jury service but this maybe less than your daily pay. The rate was less for me but my work made up the difference. You get travel refunded and £5 for food.

[scoobydooby]

My son has deferred as he was on teaching practice which is a requirement for his degree. It means he’s had to sacrifice his holiday time though.