Jury duty

[Airehead]

Have to call again at 11:45 tomorrow and be prepared to report at 12:30

[Further]

That sucks. We call in after 6 or so to find out if we have to report in the morning. Ours is better.

[JerrySTL ★]

Hang 'em high!

[Ralphie ★]

4 minutes ago, Further said:

That sucks. We call in after 6 or so to find out if we have to report in the morning. Ours is better.

My recent experience was even better, similar to this though. They made good use of the web and gave plenty of notice, and best of all it was all cancelled. Woo ha!  Years ago I had to waste hours sitting in a courthouse before being dismissed. 

[Further]

I used to think that appearing as a bigoted, ignorant, red neck would get you excused, now I'm afraid that act might get you elected jury foreman.

[shootingstar]

Hmmm I got a notice for jury duty for  British Columbia courts.   I haven't lived in B.C. for a number of years.  So good thing I could respond to their form via  email, I was no longer a resident there.

[Airehead]

32 minutes ago, Further said:

That sucks. We call in after 6 or so to find out if we have to report in the morning. Ours is better.

I had to call after 6 tonight. This is when they told me to call back tomorrow 

[Further]

6 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I had to call after 6 tonight. This is when they told me to call back tomorrow 

I guess calling in is better than sitting there all morning to be sent home.

[Kirby]

I would think you'd be pretty quickly excused with your job.  The main thing I hate about Jury Duty is that I always get called to the federal courthouse which is a 70 minute commuter  train ride, then walk to the local train, and take the local train to the southern part of Manhattan.   Allowing time for driving to the station, parking, train delays, security at the gate, I have to leave my house at least 3 hours before they expect you to be there. And then it's likely another 2.5 hours on the way home.

[Airehead]

I have always been excused once questioned. I assume it is my advocacy for those in need. 

[Kirby]

the last time I was called, they had picked a jury and were doing the "any last reason you can't serve" question.  One lady asked to speak to the judge and then said that her minister was on the same jury and she'd be too likely to be swayed by his opinion.   So they excused the minister and sent her back to the jury pool.

[Road Runner]

The last time I was called, it was for a car accident injury case.  They asked all the potential jurors what they thought of chiropractors.  I said that I thought they were total quacks.  I was immediately excused from duty.  

[sheep_herder ★]

Lawyers don't like the fact my mom was hurt in a car wreck and we did not sue.

[Dottleshead ★]

If you really don’t want to serve, just figure out either side and get behind one 150%. You don’t even need to believe in the cause. The opposing attorney will pluck you out during the jury selection process and then you won’t be called back. Just sayin’. 

[Longjohn ★]

I have only been summoned for jury duty three times in my life. The first time I served on the jury, it went well. It was a civil case. The second time I had just moved out of the county and the post office forwarded the summons to me at my new address. It said on the envelope “do not forward”. The third time was last year when I was in the middle of chemotherapy and I was excused so I could continue treatments.

[maddmaxx ★]

I hope you take the opportunity to serve on a jury seriously.  If you have a serious reason for not being able to go that's one thing.  Perhaps you should check on how long after having covid that you will be allowed to serve.

On the other hand, those who attempt to get out of jury duty just because they don't want to serve do democracy and our country no good.

[Airehead]

37 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I hope you take the opportunity to serve on a jury seriously.  If you have a serious reason for not being able to go that's one thing.  Perhaps you should check on how long after having covid that you will be allowed to serve.

On the other hand, those who attempt to get out of jury duty just because they don't want to serve do democracy and our country no good.

I believe strongly in the responsibility to serve. The problem is that in the four times I have been called, I have never been selected. One time they asked whether I believed in corporal punishment for children and poof I was gone. One time they asked me what I did for a living and poof I was gone. The last time, they asked if I read the news, subscribed to the paper or something like that. Poof I was gone. 

[Airehead]

I think the fourth time I just sat there and was never questioned 

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

They ask what I do for a living.  Usually after I respond 'engineer', either one or both of the attorneys will fling garlic at me, sprinkle Holy Water on me, and kick me out the door.

[Airehead]

14 minutes ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

They ask what I do for a living.  Usually after I respond 'engineer', either one or both of the attorneys will fling garlic at me, sprinkle Holy Water on me, and kick me out the door.

Waste of good garlic. 

[maddmaxx ★]

21 minutes ago, Airehead said:

I believe strongly in the responsibility to serve. The problem is that in the four times I have been called, I have never been selected. One time they asked whether I believed in corporal punishment for children and poof I was gone. One time they asked me what I did for a living and poof I was gone. The last time, they asked if I read the news, subscribed to the paper or something like that. Poof I was gone. 

It is unfortunate that lawyers attempt to game the system by rejecting those who they feel might not be in favor of their case.  They don't often look for real bias except for that bias which is in their favor.  Along with the exceptions granted for those who manage to get them the jury pool is actually very biased.  This is part of the breakdown within the system.  I've sat through a couple of days of not being called.  I've been rejected by a lawyer who didn't like my unwillingness to decide the case during voir dire.  He actually asked me if I would find in his favor when he proved his case and I responded "if you prove your case".

I've been selected and then dismissed part way into the case when the defendant changed lawyers well into the trial.  I've been granted one exception when I was on a contract job in another part of the country.

Womaxx has served on two federal cases complete through jury decision.  Both were civil suits, one involving police excessive force and one involving wrongfull death in a gang related incident.  I was unemployed during the first and sat in the back of the courtroom for the trial which was a very educational experience.

[JerrySTL ★]

I've told this one before. Bicycling got me out of jury duty once. It was an automotive product liability case. During the voir dire phase of selecting the jury, the plaintiff's lawyer asked the prospective jurors if we would avoid looking up facts about the case on the internet and googling where the accident happened. I had seen where the accident happened while on a group ride. Basically, the Jeep went straight where there was a 90° turn into a pig pen. I could tell that I was going to be kicked off the jury. Then my buddy Mike, who was on the same jury, said that he also had ridden past the accident site with me. It was true, but I don't think the lawyers and judge believed him. The case was settled out of court anyway.

[JerrySTL ★]

8 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Lawyers don't like the fact my mom was hurt in a car wreck and we did not sue.

Chasing ambulances takes time and effort.

[MickinMD ★]

12 hours ago, Airehead said:

Have to call again at 11:45 tomorrow and be prepared to report at 12:30

My last jury duty I got ushered into a courtroom only once in a jury pool.

It turned out that the judge was one year ahead of me in high school, was a member of a Jaycees chapter with me, played 2nd base and me 1st base on a men's softball team, and we had spent some time drinking and chasing women together.

The fellow potential jurors around me said, "You're probably going to get out of this one."

So the judge went through the "Does anyone know the prosecutor, defendant, etc.," and finally he looked at me and said, "Does anyone know me?"

So I got called up to the bench with the attorneys and we went over how we knew each other - omitting the drinking and women.

When I sat down, a woman juror stood up and said she knew me because I taught her chemistry at Old Mill High School.  Another woman juror then stood up and said I taught her chemistry at Brooklyn Park High School - where I had begun teaching and the judge and I had gone to high school and where his twin brother had taught French.

The judge looked at the attorneys who silently nodded "Yes," then looked at me and said, "Mick, you can go back to the jury pool room."

I was soon sent home and didn't have to report again during my two-week service period.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, JerrySTL said:

I've told this one before. Bicycling got me out of jury duty once. It was an automotive product liability case. During the voir dire phase of selecting the jury, the plaintiff's lawyer asked the prospective jurors if we would avoid looking up facts about the case on the internet and googling where the accident happened. I had seen where the accident happened while on a group ride. Basically, the Jeep went straight where there was a 90° turn into a pig pen. I could tell that I was going to be kicked off the jury. Then my buddy Mike, who was on the same jury, said that he also had ridden past the accident site with me. It was true, but I don't think the lawyers and judge believed him. The case was settled out of court anyway.

 

[jsharr ★]

13 hours ago, Airehead said:

Have to call again at 11:45 tomorrow and be prepared to report at 12:30

Don't  you have the Covids still? 

[2Far ★]

I got excused from a civil jury (divorce) in the ATL the first time we lived here. I served on a Petit Jury trial (DUI) in Mississippi, convicted the fool.

[Tizeye]

At my age, I can opt out. Previously, I would have to report and hope I was one of the earlier selected groups rather than waiting around all day. I knew as soon as they heard my background they wouldn't want me sitting on any jury.

[Kirby]

I know a woman at work who served on a federal grand jury two days a week for two years.   That's insane.  And the week after she finished that, she got another jury notice for federal jury duty  (which was excused after she explained she had just finished serving for 2 years the prior week).

[Scrapr ★]

14 hours ago, Kirby said:

I would think you'd be pretty quickly excused with your job.  The main thing I hate about Jury Duty is that I always get called to the federal courthouse which is a 70 minute commuter  train ride, then walk to the local train, and take the local train to the southern part of Manhattan.   Allowing time for driving to the station, parking, train delays, security at the gate, I have to leave my house at least 3 hours before they expect you to be there. And then it's likely another 2.5 hours on the way home.

But the SDNY would have the most interesting cases! Mob guys, politicians...political mob guys even!  We walked by the courthouse when we were in NYC. There were 3 (!) couple taking marriage pictures on the courthousesteps. It was very cute

WoScrapr got called to Federal jury once. She didn't love getting up early but the pay was a lot better than county work.She was SAHM so I never saw any of it. I think it was about $50/day plus parking

[Bikeguy]

14 hours ago, Airehead said:

The problem is that in the four times I have been called, I have never been selected.

I've been called several times.  We get divided into numbered groups.  If your group is number 12 or lower you are almost certain to get to be told to report.  About 1/2 the time I was lucky enough to have to report.  No electronic devices are allowed in the jury rooms.  I learned to bring something to read.  (or I get to read old magazines)  You get to sit there for most of the day.  

I was selected for 2 juries.   

The first jury, we got to wait in the jury room.  Then we entered the court room.   The defendant's lawyer, then approached the judge.  We were removed from the courtroom and had to wait in the jury room for a while.  Then we returned to the court room.  The judge explained the defendant took a plea deal and pleaded guilty.  We were done and dismissed.

The second jury was for a civil trial.  We heard all the evidence.  I ended up being the jury foreman.   We ruled against the plaintive. 

It was all VERY interesting and I though it was a good experience.  

Now...  I'm retired... and I don't get a jury summons.  

[Wilbur ★]

I have never been called.  Life is good!   

[Airehead]

I did not have to report yesterday. Need to call again today at 11:45. 

[Airehead]

I am here. 

 

[MickinMD ★]

On 5/16/2022 at 8:42 PM, Further said:

That sucks. We call in after 6 or so to find out if we have to report in the morning. Ours is better.

Us, too, for Circuit Court in the County where I've had jury duty a few times.  I once had jury duty in the Federal District Court in Baltimore - which paid much better.  I was foreman of a 1-week trial and we deliberated another 3 days before finding a guy guilty of a robbery.  It was his 3rd Federal offense and the "three strike rule" meant he got life in prison without chance of parole.

Finding someone guilty, especially when you're putting him away for life, does not come with the feeling that you are "Striking a blow for justice!"

It's more like the feeling when you have to put a pet to sleep: you know it's the right thing to do but you hate having to do it.

I was the one who had to say "Guilty!" when the court officer read off each of the three charges (conspiracy, gun used, robbery).  I thought the defendant - whose name happened to be "Mickey" - deserved that I look him in the eyes when I spoke.  After the 2nd "Guilty," he looked away from me and I could see his mother and sister, out of the corner of my eye, collapse into their seats.  The defense attorney did not request that the jury be polled so no one else had to speak.

As we filed back into the jury room, one of the other jurors said, "I can't believe you were looking right at him!"  We were all a little shaken by the event.

[shootingstar]

On 5/17/2022 at 5:07 AM, Airehead said:

I believe strongly in the responsibility to serve. The problem is that in the four times I have been called, I have never been selected. One time they asked whether I believed in corporal punishment for children and poof I was gone. One time they asked me what I did for a living and poof I was gone. The last time, they asked if I read the news, subscribed to the paper or something like that. Poof I was gone. 

Interesting about the screening.  It is unfortunate  alot of people don't want to serve jury duty when contacted and then those who end up serving reluctantly.