The selection process here in Scotland is very different. It appears now we are going back to the pre pandemic situation. The pandemic situation had the jury in a cinema watching from a video stream. Now we are going back to the 15 from 120 for a Sheriff Court and 15 from 90 for the High Court.
We don’t have that stupid Voir thing. Once selected, you are in. There’s an excusal system, so teachers can be excluded from a case involving kids. Retail staff can be excluded from a shoplifting charge.
Next year sees me off my exemption for the Sheriff Court, was last there as a potential juror in 2019, that was a 4 year exemption. My High Court exemption comes off in 2025 as that was a 20 year exemption after being a juror in 2005.
If I’m selected next year, a week of going up to the court to be sent away an hour later, well, I’m going to wear heels. The sound of the click off the marble floors reverberating against the tall brutalist concrete walls will be a confidence booster.
Many of the court female staff here wear heels, if only in the presence of the Justice/Judge. It’s normal for them to have flats on and be carrying their heels in their hand if they are no longer in that courtroom that day, otherwise they tend to leave them under the bench in the courtroom.
Im quite an experienced juror, I’ve been selected twice, been a prospective and unselected juror at least 7 other times. Once it was 6 times in 5 years.
I quite fancy a week going up to the court. I will be wearing my heels this time.