I Have Jury Duty

a reply to: greencmp

I sat on a jury, years ago. I recommend everyone do it once for a better understanding.

I am now excused from performing my "civic duty" for life.

originally posted by: NewzNose
a reply to: greencmp

I sat on a jury, years ago. I recommend everyone do it once for a better understanding.

I am now excused from performing my "civic duty" for life.

I've been called but, never selected. I probably do know people who have been but, I haven't really inquired extensively enough to know for sure.

I agree that jury trials are critical, the heavy handed arm twisting to make a deal is a big problem.

a reply to: DBCowboy

"Do you think Hank should have let his cows out?" Hell No!! You tell that bastard to stop letting his bovine terrorits out! I'm trying to run a respectable astro turf business, and they keep eating my stock!

Vote Hank GUILTY!!

a reply to: Autorico

I'm generally not an angry person, but for bovine infractions, I'm going to recommend the chair!

a reply to: DBCowboy

I was picked only once so far.
Someone told me they pick from registered voters.
But I don't know how true that is.
Wasn't looking forward to it at first.
The courthouse is in the next, even smaller, town.
I live in a rural county with no public transportation.
I was having health problems at the time,
but nothing I could get excused for they said.
Or I would have had to pay to go to the doctor & get a note!

The first day they just picked the jury.
I passed all the questions they asked & was selected.
Had to come back the next day for the trial.
They told us to take notes, but I was the only one that did!
It was between a shady landlord & the gas company.
Not exciting, but interesting, since I had never been to court before.

When it was over, the judge asked the jury into the deliberation room,
& thanked us for serving & we got to ask any questions we wanted.
There were a lot of questions asked & I really learned a lot!
I think all high school students should have to sit in on at least one case!

It was so interesting that I went back for the rest of the week,
& sat in on a medical malpractice case!
Now that was something!
It didn't go as I expected & I felt bad for the family!
If I had been on the jury for that one,
the outcome may have been different!

The only thing that I wasn't happy about,
was how much they pay for jury duty.
It was less than an hour of minimum wage,
for having to drive to the next town two days in a row!
Wouldn't even have paid the parking meter, if I could have found one!
(Small town, not enough parking spaces!)
Luckily, I found a church parking lot within walking distance!

Maybe if it paid better, more people would be willing to serve!
Especially if it lasts longer than a day!
No fast food places there! Only sit down diners/restaurants.
So gas back & forth to the next town,
parking fees, lunches...it can get expensive!
Especially if you are laid off or retired.
Then there are the cases where you can be bussed 150 miles away.
Those don't come up very often though,
& I don't know anyone personally that had to do it.

Other than that, well worth the experience!
Where I am, I can call the courthouse,
& see what kind of cases are coming up on the docket.
Not a very populated county, so not very many 'juicy' cases.
And the court room is pretty small, so you have to get there really early.
But I would love to go back someday when I have time, & sit in on one again!

WOQ

I did it in 2010 and went through the selection process over 3 days, it was a nightmare.

Never found out what the case was about but it was expected to be a minimum 6 month trial, the group was kept separated from everybody else in a locked room for the duration of the day, our mobiles were handed in each morning and we were escorted out for cigarette breaks. There was literally nothing to do all day except on the final day when the jurors were picked. We had to be picked up and driven home by undercover police that would drop us off at random places to switch cars and pull U turns for no apparent reason, it was frigging bizarre.

The main thing I learned from it is there are people that should just not be jurors and I wouldn't want them anywhere near my case if I ever got taken to trial. All of them ended up being selected too.

a reply to: MagnaCarta2015

That's scary and it sounds a lot more serious than our little courthouse in our town.

I'm not expecting anything that intense, but thanks for sharing your story!

originally posted by: MagnaCarta2015

The main thing I learned from it is there are people that should just not be jurors and I wouldn't want them anywhere near my case if I ever got taken to trial. All of them ended up being selected too.

This is extremely unfortunate.

a reply to: crazyewok

you must be a blast

originally posted by: DrakeINFERNO
a reply to: crazyewok

you must be a blast

I joke about a lot of things but not that.

One day you or me may be innocent but end up in front of a jury. Those people will decide if we walk free or have our lives ruined.

A fair trial is a fundamental right a d probably the most important after free speech so I take it seriously, very seriously.

And if you find yourself through no point of your own in court you will want people like me who take it seriously on that jury and not some pissed off bored lout who will just vote guilty to get home quick.

I believe in the principle but not the reality. I attended a trial to see where I had been wrong (from some psychic visions) and to learn from the experience. I saw cops lying on the stand and also a relative break out in sobs recanting what he had just said, but outside of the jury's presence. Trust me, I learned from that experience but not in the way I had expected.

I don't believe in a fair trial when multiple agendas decide what the jurors will hear or not hear. I quit registering to vote because I got tired of defending a belief that was not prudent to share.

The expression that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is well founded. I bought a bumper sticker years ago that says I love my country but I fear my government -- but I'm afraid to put it on my car!

Good luck but as the saying goes, "Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see." Sorry to be so negative. This subject hit a nerve. Perhaps your presence will be a blessing for all concerned.

a reply to: crazyewok

well im pro death penalty so i dont get asked anymore

6th Amendment participation. Civic duty.

Many times called. Sometimes excused (no need to go), sometimes dismissed after showing up (sometimes after being called into the jury box). Served once.... and, boy, that's when I realized the power a jury has and that If I had to go to trial, I would want a good jury sitting in.

Before anyone was called up, the case was laid out, and I smugly thought, "No doubt he did it!" Once I was sworn in and the trial started, boy, was I wrong! It turned out that the accuser had concocted a story and lied, because he was the one who was in the wrong. The defendant was an innocent bystander caught up in the accuser's act.

In a small town, you'll probably see people you know who also got called up for duty (or you might even know someone involved in the trial.... in that case you probably won't serve... happened to me one time), so while you wait you can chat with them. Or read a book. Or people watch.

Some people say that they could never be on a jury, because they have trouble deciding. That they wouldn't know, even after evidence is presented, which way to decide. Well, I say, go anyway, because you're not alone and you might surprise yourself that you actually can come to a decision.

a reply to: desert

I will bring a book, didn't even think of that.

Thanks for your story and perspective.

HA! I just noticed this thread.

The other day I too received a Jury Summons. I got to looking at it and noticed it was from a county other than the one in which I reside. I called the Jury Commissioner and explained the situation. I had resided in that county about 10 years ago, so I guess they still had my name in the jury pool. Anyway, the next morning I received an email saying I had been excused...which leads me to the funny part of this.

On the summons it clearly states (in bold letters) that the selection for being on a jury is a random lottery process.

So anyway, two days later...I receive another Jury Summons, this time from the county I really do reside in!! Random process, huh? Yeah, right!

I actually don't mind jury duty at all (aside from the inconvenience of it). I think it is an honorable thing to do. However, every time I show up for jury duty I am the first one to get picked...and the first one to get dismissed. As an engineer / physicist I guess one side really likes me and the other side really doesn't like me. Engineering types rarely get selected for juries. I guess we're far too analytical and this doesn't sit well with one side or the other.

In civil matters I usually always get dismissed by the plaintiff's counsel, and in criminal matters I usually always get dismissed by the defense's counsel. Hmmmm...see a trend there???

originally posted by: NewzNose
a reply to: greencmp


I am now excused from performing my "civic duty" for life.

Now there is probably a story worthy of a thread!!!

How on Earth did you manage that...club another juror into unconsciousness, scream "allahu akbar...death to infidels!!" while trying to light your shoe on fire in a crowded courtroom...or just commit a felony?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Nothing so exciting, tho I am tempted to spin a tale!

I have no felonies, no blackmailing of people, etc..

So far my jury duty for the month of March has been a bust.

I didn't get called for anything the first week and this week I had to be excused because I had to go out of town.

Hopefully next week will see something.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Thanks for the update. I was wondering if you had gotten a case.

For the court district where I live, you get called up for only one day, then if you're not selected, your name goes back in the pool. (If you end up being sworn in, they drop your name from the pool for at least a year.) No waiting for a stretch of time to see if you're called. A sister in another part of Calif was on call for a week. Sounds like you have at least three weeks being on call. Yikes!

Well, if you do get a case, hopefully it's interesting!

a reply to: DBCowboy

Thought of your thread yesterday, when I was watching the mini-series, The People v O. J. Simpson. This week focused on the jury. I had forgotten just how long they had been sequestered! Last night's episode gave a glimpse into what it was like. I would have freaked out, just like that one woman (although she didn't do it dramatically like the Hollywood version).

I did hear that the series was about 85% accurate and 15% Hollywood, which is still pretty accurate for a series I love it for the actors and the acting. I remember being glued to whatever was happening from start to finish of the whole thing, starting with the murders, the car chase, etc. I think Travolta is doing a great Shapiro portrayal, although my BFF disagrees, but she's snobbish and too picky sometimes lol

One trial I got excused from involved a murder and was expected to take weeks. (was excused because I had an infant child at the time). What I remember from sitting in the jury pool was when the judge went over the case, and I looked around for the accused murderer. It didn't register at first, that the well groomed, young man in a suit sitting next to a lawyer was the accused! Looked more like a choir boy than the gang member he was. lol