Out of the box

A Gazette reader who prefers to remain anonymous emails with another tale of a (rather distinguished) judge attempting to sit on a jury.  

‘When the prohibition on judges serving on juries was removed, John Dyson (before he became a justice of the Supreme Court and master of the rolls) was one of the first judges to report for jury duty. I believe it was the Crown court sitting at Middlesex Guildhall. As I remember the story, counsel did not recognise him, but the trial judge chimed in and said “This juror is known to me” before excusing him from serving.’ 

We’d love to know if the story is true, and if Lord Dyson ever managed to do jury duty. 

Email obiter@lawsociety.org