Jury duty, how many times expected in your lifetime?

Atlantic Dawn · 28-03-2022 3:42am #1

So once I've been called as a potential juror, I've been registered as a voter since day 1 based on my age.

How many times as a guide would a person be called as a juror?

Peregrinus · 28-03-2022 3:54am

Not easy to model, since it depends on a number factors which will change over time, and may change several times over the course of your lifetime. The big one is the number of jury trials, which will vary depending on changes in the crime rate, changes in prosecution policy, changes in the law regarding entitlement to jury trials and changes in the factors which affect both prosecutors' and defendants' attitudes to opting for a jury trial in the (very large) number of offences for which either jury trials or summary (non-jury) trials are possible.

Plus, of course, there's the change in the number of names on the electoral roll over your lifetime, which will also be considerable.

Finally, what's the value of knowing the average? What you really want to know is how likely you are to be called, which is a different question. The great bulk of people will be called either more frequently or less frequently than average. So, on average, you will not be called the average number of times. 😀

Pauliedragon · 28-03-2022 7:06am

I was called a few months ago and was told that once that trial is over I'm off the list for 3 years so I doubt too many people get called very often.

endofrainbow · 28-03-2022 12:49pm

I was called once in 1998, served on a jury. I was next called 2018 but couldn't attend.

magicbastarder · 28-03-2022 12:55pm

i'ev been called twice, have been on the register since 1994.

witchgirl26 · 28-03-2022 4:51pm

I've been called 3 times & been on register since 2003. It's sheer chance. I know people in their 50's who have been on the register since 18 & never been called at all.

cj maxx · 29-03-2022 12:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118847869#Comment_118847869

I thought it only once. I was called in 07-ish, turned up only to be thanked by the judge but the trial wasn't going ahead.i think he told us we we had did our duty by turning up and wouldn't be called again.I was disappointed as I was looking forward to it. I haven't been called since , though I've moved to NI since.

thefallingman · 29-03-2022 12:46pm

I’ve been called twice in 20 odd years, one case was deferred after a week and the other didn’t even start

cj maxx · 29-03-2022 8:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118851136#Comment_118851136

Is it that you are obliged to do it once , but you can serve multiple times if you have no objection?

Still stihl waters 3 · 29-03-2022 9:04pm

Called twice and sent a long winded letter back the first time about being self employed and being used to being on my own and didn't like dealing with people, never heard anything back, the second time I simply forgot about it after reading the letter and never heard anything then either, hopefully they've got the message to leave me off it entirely

thefallingman · 30-03-2022 8:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853415#Comment_118853415

i think so, you get a few years off the list if you serve, but do get put back on. I never objected anyway.

magicbastarder · 30-03-2022 9:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853415#Comment_118853415

AFAIK you are obliged to do it when called. a judge can excuse you for X number of years after you've served, but there's no 'once only' rule.

30-03-2022 9:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118847869#Comment_118847869

Similar here, on the register since 06 or 07 and been called 3 times already. My parents (same surname, same address) have been called 0 and 1 times in their lives.

SteM · 30-03-2022 9:28am

Been on the register since 1993 and only called once. There was a huge pool called as it was for the Sean Fitzpatrick trial, thankfully I didn't get picked.

lawrencesummers · 30-03-2022 9:34am

If you do get called you should do it.

Being a juror gives you a front row seat to the justice system in this country for a short period of time and its an eye opener like no other.

If you have some basic understanding of how courts work its fascinating, sad, hilarious and incredibly frustrating to see what goes on in a justice system that can only be described as a complete basket case.

I was called once about 8 years ago, but the few convictions i received since have probably put me off that list now

Toots · 30-03-2022 9:40am

I've been on it since 2003 and never been called (probably jinxed myself now). My mum was called once, and she wrote back to tell them that she's the full time carer for my sister who is disabled. She got a letter back saying they'd removed her from the list and she wouldn't be called again.

magicbastarder · 30-03-2022 9:57am

i was called last october, but got a letter a week beforehand saying it had been cancelled. almost certainly a lack of judges available, i suspect.

witchgirl26 · 30-03-2022 10:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854930#Comment_118854930

Or ya know, Covid which meant that there were a lot less cases being brought forward as they had to deal with all the social distancing etc.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854739#Comment_118854739

Yep if you serve on certain types of trials (murder, rape), the judge will often excuse the jury for x number of years as a thank you. I've been called 3 times but never actually served. Was called into the selection part but due to varying reasons, couldn't serve on those trials so was excused by the judge so technically I have never served on a jury despite being called 3 times.

magicbastarder · 30-03-2022 11:16am

Or ya know, Covid which meant that there were a lot less cases being brought forward as they had to deal with all the social distancing etc.

the press was running several stories at the time about a shortage of judges, e.g.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/the-irish-times-view-on-court-resources-running-out-of-judges-1.4690930

theteal · 30-03-2022 11:28am

When I was living in Ireland, I was called a bunch of times and I emigrated at 27 years old. One time I wasted the guts of a week attending a room in the basement of the Four Courts but never actually got called. A different time, I did get called but had to tell the judge I had college exams the following week so he let me off. Then I did actually foreman a jury for a murder trial which took a week. The judge gave us a 10 year exemption after that but I don't think that gets logged anywhere as I got called twice more in the following years and I had to tell them of the exemption.

Now if only I was as lucky at raffles!

Juwwi · 30-03-2022 11:37am

I was called 20 odd years ago ,but never got picked ,the job gave time off but wanted me to go into work later in the day if l wasn't selected .

I was young and made up a cock and bull story that l was selected for a jury on day 1 and used to just head home each day l wasn't called .

It was awkward when l went back to work they were all asking about the case l had to make something up about a post office robbery .

Got called a second time for the coroners court which l attended about 15 years after the first call up .

Then got called a 3rd time a few years later which l sent a letter in saying l couldn't go .

Nothing since .

miamee · 30-03-2022 12:21pm

I've only been called once in 20+ years. Got selected for a jury, we spent most of the day in a room away from the court, were brought for lunch and when we finally got into the court room for the case to start one of the other jurors had to interrupt to tell the judge that he had just realised he had worked with the accused a number of years previously so we were all dismissed. I haven't been called since!

AnnaStezia · 02-04-2022 4:17pm

One of my uncles, based in Dublin, first became eligible in 1977. He was called three times including last year.

Strumms · 02-04-2022 4:27pm

Been called twice in 10 years..

first occasion I was due to travel for a course for my job…

second time a few months back I declined due to health grounds.

deisemum · 02-04-2022 4:42pm

I've been called once in the UK but wrote to be excused due to being needed at work. Moved back to Ireland in 1997 and was called in 2001 but as I was a lone parent and self-employed childminder minding the children of someone where there would have been a conflict of interest I got exempted. I've been called 3 or 4 times in the last 6 years but I got exempted. I would like to do it sometime but it hasn't been possible so far.

My 24 year old son got a letter calling him for jury duty next month.

Jury duty, how many times expected in your lifetime?

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