A juror's verdict

Increasingly difficult to avoid

Changes to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 have made it increasingly difficult to avoid jury service. I asked my colleagues and discovered that none had yet served on a jury. Those who had been called had either written fulsome letters to explain why they were indispensable not only to the hospital but also to the universe at large, or else had persuaded colleagues to do this for them. All had been duly excused the evil duty.

I promptly sat down and wrote at length how as the lead clinician for the labour ward my presence was required in the hospital or on call for the safe delivery of the city's infants, for patient care, or for targets of vital import, and that as a generally good egg I should be excused. The following week I had a response. I opened it and read the standard preprinted reply with a sinking heart. I was not excused, and would still be expected at the local court on the appointed day.

Joke on me

I was met with hilarity at work as one wag asked me why the accused should despair when he was informed that he was to be tried by a jury. Sourly I asked to be enlightened. “Well, it means you are going to have your destiny decided by 12 people, all of whom were too thick to get out of jury service.” The joke was truly on me for …