Jury Duty-wheee!

[Bizarro Amy]

I was put on two panels yesterday, but got skipped over as a juror both times. This morning, I sat for 3 hours and they just assembled a giant panel, which I am part of, before sending us for an extended lunch. This panel is more than twice the size of a normal one. I'm starting to wonder if something big is happening. Well, at least I made some progress on the book I've been trying to read. Still, civic duty aside, I'd rather be home customizing. I would have brought rerooting or sewing projects, but the Courthouse tends to frown on carrying scissors inside:) They'd look if I showed up with a lump of Sculpy tomorrow, wouldn't they?

[Mikey]

Does it still work telling them you're prejudice if you don't want to get picked ?

If they ask prejudice against who --- say EVERYBODY :smiley1:

[Bizarro Amy]

From what I've heard about my panel, I just might try that.

[Mikey]

Don't forget, you don't have to be just prejudice against people.

You can be prejudice against crimes too.

If a certain crime hit's too close to home for you (make something up) :)

[Adam West]

I get called for jury duty every two years. It has almost become a running joke. I don't know anyone who has been called to jury duty more times than me. I was a juror on one trial. A bankruptcy fraud case that lasted two weeks. It was pretty wild to see the courtroom drama break out and the tension occur in deliberations. The accused appeared guilty to me but two jurors refused to budge. One of them would not because they felt a lawyer (who testified should have been prosecuted) and my response was that this lawyer will get his day in court. The other one refused to look at supicious transactions that were entered into evidence but every one of them were not discussed in detail or we would have been there for months. He claimed if it wasn't discussed in court than he wouldn't consider any evidence given. It ended up a hung jury.

[Bizarro Amy]

I wouldn't have had a problem with any of the other cases I was on the panel for, but this one is supposed to last into next week, and missing work will make things rough for me.

[boss]

I got called for jury duty last week... which pretty much killed my Mego Meet plans. I ended up not being called, but by the time I found that out it was too late. :(

[ScottA]

The last time I had jury duty I got picked on a Wednesday and the trial was going to start first thing Thursday morning. When we all arrived the next day the lawyers had worked it out and we were all dismissed for the rest of the week.

[RussG]

I was just stuck on the grand jury, just last month. It sucked not just one case but many cases and all seemed to be about child abuse, and child sex abuse. Haunting details. If it were a murder case about adults I could have handled it ... but I'm still haunted by the stuff I heard.

[starsky]

i just got called 2 weeks ago and it just happened to be on my day off. spent the whole day in the waiting room and finally got dismissed at 4pm. oh boy....

on another note, my friend says that he stopped voting years ago and coincidentally has never been called to jury duty since. wonder if there's a correlation.

[weswood]

I've never been picked as a juror. Every time I've been on a panel, I end up biased in some way and not getting picked.

For example, last time, a guy was test driving a motorcycle and dropped it, wouldn't pay to get it fixed. One of the lawyers asked if anybody on the panel rode m/c, or had worked on m/cs. I raised my hand both times and was kicked off the panel before noon.

[Mikey]

on another note, my friend says that he stopped voting years ago and coincidentally has never been called to jury duty since. wonder if there's a correlation.

I'm pretty sure that is a fact

A fact the gov will NEVER admit, but still true

[argent007]

I'd suggest checking out Fully Informed Jury Association (http://www.fija.org). It discusses the history of the right of jurors to decide whether a law was just (in other words to acquit if the law was not fair or just or too harsh) regardless of the evidence. This right and power is usually called by a prejorative: jury nullification.

I'm actually working on a paper on the historic right (which still exists, you just won't be told about it by the judge).

I know it can be a bummer, but it isn't something that I would try to get out of. It is a means of citizens to check the power of government and an important right.

[Hector]

I have a medical excuse from ever serving jury duty forever.

[johnmiic]

I last served here in NY 8 years ago. The Jury Pool waiting area is made to be more comfortable so you don't mind waiting. They have regular daytime TV on and in the back areas cable sports-channels. They show a movie in the main room in the afternoon. There are also internet stations and you get 5-10 minutes online before it kicks you off so you don't hog it up. Also the behind these scenes to the Jury waiting around is like The Love Boat. Many people are exchanging phone numbers and arranging first dates.

After a few tries I got selected for a medical mistake case. Some guy had his intestine fixed and the Dr. was supposed to use a laproscopic proceedure. As the trial started it turned out the Dr. didn't do the proceedure-his student did under his supervision. They couldn't do it laproscopy-like, which is less invasive, because the student messed up. So they opened the guy up. Then after surgery the patient went home but had to go back to ER because he turned a nice jaundiced bright yellow. They discovered the student also left a clamp in that was missed and it cut off blood flow or started bile-build-up. As these details came to light the Dr. decided to settle out of court. Which shows you when you're under anesthesia you really don't know what they can do to you.

[Duncan]

They're cool about jury duty in central Ohio. The last time I had it, I was on the hook for 1 day per month for 4 months. I just had to call in or hit their website the night before to see whether I was needed. Each time, the cases had been resolved by COB the day before, and I never had to go. I like to moan & complain about politics, but I'll give them credit for running an efficient jury system around here, and not wasting peoples' time.

[Adam West]

I do consider it a civic duty to serve on a jury if asked....just my opinion. It is a pain and takes up time but I do think everyone is entitled to a trial of their peers. I do think exceptions should be made for those who would suffer severe economic hardship but otherwise, it should be done. Fortunately, the company I worked for at the time when I served paid my salary while I served and I did come into work after trial or on weekends to try to keep up....it was a pain but glad that I went through the process.

[Adam West]

I was just stuck on the grand jury, just last month. It sucked not just one case but many cases and all seemed to be about child abuse, and child sex abuse. Haunting details. If it were a murder case about adults I could have handled it ... but I'm still haunted by the stuff I heard.

I guess if there is one positive; you were on the grand jury and not the jury itself. I presume your only involvement was deciding whether or not there was enough evidence there to satisfy you that a trial should be held...not that you were passing judgment?

[Tyme2tyme]

on another note, my friend says that he stopped voting years ago and coincidentally has never been called to jury duty since. wonder if there's a correlation.

In Florida, they added the people listed at the DMV. Now you can't get away from being called for jury duty unless you give up your car too.

[Bizarro Amy]

I'd suggest checking out
I know it can be a bummer, but it isn't something that I would try to get out of. It is a means of citizens to check the power of government and an important right.


I do consider it a civic duty to serve on a jury if asked....just my opinion. It is a pain and takes up time but I do think everyone is entitled to a trial of their peers. I do think exceptions should be made for those who would suffer severe economic hardship but otherwise, it should be done. Fortunately, the company I worked for at the time when I served paid my salary while I served and I did come into work after trial or on weekends to try to keep up....it was a pain but glad that I went through the process.

I never had any intention of trying to get out of jury duty, I was just hoping not to be on the one jury, because of the length and the way it would affect the program I work for in the summer.
I was actually dismissed today without being chosen. For at least one on Monday, being married to an employee of an insurance company helped disqualify me. Yesterday, I was put on that large panel I had mentioned, but we didn't have jury selection until this morning. I knew someone associated with the defense, so it was pretty obvious I wasn't going to be picked.