Jury Duty

[7shooter]

I'm in my 60's and have never been called. I did several dozen trials as an expert witness and have two kids and a son-in law who are attorneys and enjoy watching the legal system work even when I was being grilled by hostile attorneys. I would be more than willing to be a juror. My wife has been a foreperson twice ...once for a domestic abuse case ... big mistake for the defendant.

 

[USAF385]

I've been called three times... twice while I was serving overseas and once while I was home. The time I was home I got a letter or phone call saying it was canceled. I'd go...

 

[USAF385]

My wife has been a foreperson twice ...once for a domestic abuse case ... big mistake for the defendant.

Heeeyyy..... aren't jurors supposed to be impartial?

 

[OLDFED]

Regarding CAJUNLAWYER's comment about serving on jury duty and serving in the military as the most important things a citizen can do...I often wonder why law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs aren't included at the same "level" as military. In today's world, I consider these three comparable to the military, except for pay. Firemen, LEOs and to a degree, EMT's put their lives on the line every day. Sure, some sit at desks out of the line of fire, but that happens in the military also. I went into IHOP recently and saw their 15% Off sign for military and wondered why not LEOs. Is it because of the numbers of servicemen and women, thus the public experience and resulting recognition? There are fewer LEO/FF/EMT numbers for sure. I'd like to hear your thoughtful comments.

 

[bitstream]

I agree with you, it is a PITA. I was once called for jury duty and put in a group to be selected for a capital murder case that was to be sequestered for the trial in a county a couple of hours away. I was an auto mechanic making commission only. No paid vacation and no paid sick leave. You dont work, you dont get paid. I was willing, but not selected. Got called again the next year, got put in a group but never used. Only went 1 day and had to phone in the next 2. Have not been called back since. Did see some warrants issued for folks that just didnt show up. Also saw 1 guy get a contempt charge for making a smart alecky comment about hang em all or something like that.

I dont get it. We fly our flags and beat our chest over how great our country is, but when we need to do something thats a bit inconvenient that makes our system and country great, some of us complain and try to get out of their responsibility. Personally I regret never serving in the military. My generation was one of the first to not have to serve and not be drafted. In retrospect, I think that has been a mistake. I think it would have done me and a bunch of my friends a whole lot of good to serve for 2 or 3 years when we turned 18. The least I can do now is serve my community when needed.

YMMV

Like many things, I complain and gripe, but I served. I think I only got one other summons, but I was on official TDY duty at the time (away for 9 weeks for training), so my wife filled out the post card and returned it; they didn't reply afterwards.

It was a good experience that one time back in college. I just think that the court system itself could do a little bit better job in trying to mitigate the pain to the jurors. The first two days I showed up early and sat there in a hot room all day without being called. They could at least air condition the room and provide a TV. Perhaps they could also figure out things so you could standby at home and come in if needed? I'd have been happy to sit at home by the phone instead. I could have driven down to the courthouse in about 15 minutes, so I don't see why we had to sit there all that time in misery.

 

[wbraswell]

I never served in the military, the least I can do is vote and serve on jury duty. I always wear clothes that are respectful of the court. Same way with going to church. God doesn't ask for much, but he does want your best, so when I go,(and that's not often) I wear a coat and tie. I may be old fashioned, but I look GOOD!

 

[Wyo]

Take a deep breath and notice the smiley face after my original sentence.
Bob

I saw the smiley face and I realize you're not really serious about what you said. Problem is, some people ARE serious about acting like that, like the guy I mentioned. And they think it's funny. It's not funny. I'm the guy who sits on the bench and has to deal with that kind of "stuff" and I just don't find it amusing. Like Caj says, this is serious business that involves serious consequences for a lot of people, and I have no tolerance at all for those who take this duty so lightly. Nothing personal as far as you're concerned - I understand you're joking, but this whole topic of "how to avoid jury duty" always strikes a nerve with me.

 

[cjw3]

They won't pick me in this county for a criminal trial; the badge takes care of that. Don't know about a civil trial in the county, but I did get picked to sit in a medical malpractice civil trial in U.S. District Court a few years back. That was interesting.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I wrote the Jury selection Software for a parish in Louisiana so I see all of the excuses for not serving. I also see what I feel is an abuse of the jury system. Often for criminal trials, the jury is seated and then the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge. The jurors just wasted their time being there and it costs the parish to have them there. I think that there should be a reasonable time limit for accepting a plea so that this could be avoided. It would save a lot of money for the parish.

 

[Damn Yankee]

I got selected for the Grand Jury which meets once a week for three months and then another Jury is picked. I wanted to do that because I thought it would be interesting. On the way to the jury box I approached the Judge and mentioned that I was a Deputy Sheriff and she said it would be a conflict of interest and to return to my seat.

For those of you who think that they shouldn't have to serve, do your civic duty and use some of your education let me offer this suggestion.

Let the county go to the welfare office and pick the first hundred people and put them to work on the jury's. There not doing anything,have no jobs so the public ought to get something for their Tax's. I have observed and listen to some of the answers given to the lawyer's during questioning on pre trials and glad I wasn't on trial. Maybe that is why they ask for 100 people every week so they can get a couple of jury's.

Another thing I have noticed it is usually 3-1 women picked.

If you really don't want to get on a jury, just tell the court that you can tell if the person is guilty just by looking at them.

 

[427mach1]

I served on the county Grand Jury; 1 day per week (looonnng hours) for two months. It was an eye-opening experience that I enjoyed. We processed over 350 cases, probably 75% of which were cocaine related. There was a high-profile murder that had just occurred and the DA would greet us every morning and give us an update on the case. Very early on, he told us "There's something not right about the victim's husband. I don't know what it is, but we WILL find out." They found out. He had hired two hit men to kill his wife since she had discovered his money-laundering operation.

 

[therevjay]

I've been called 3 times. Never got picked to serve. Never even got to the part where the lawyers ask questions. Just sat around a hr. or so, then some clerk came in and said Jones, Smith, Green, White, etc. stay everyone else can go home.

Wouldn't mind doing it once, just to see what it's like.

 

[Capt Steve]

My hearing is so poor that I cannot serve, too much of a chance I might miss or misinterpret something with someones life hanging in the balance. The last time I was called (many years ago), the case was a gang banger for felony assault. I was asked if any friends or relatives had been the victim of a violent crime. I answered truthfully yes, my daughters boyfriend, who was good friend of mine before meeting her, had been murdered, beaten to death with a baseball bat my multiple assailants. The next question, "What was the outcome of that crime?" I explained that after 10 years the case was still open as no one had been apprehended. The defense attorney immediately excused me.

Would this experience have colored my ability to be impartial, perhaps. Would like to think I could be impartial but to be honest I'll never know. I have performed many a civic duty, Army to volunteer work in the community not to mention voting in every election since my 18th birthday. I urge folks to serve with an open mind, if possible, but understand the economic hardships imposed by this service on many. Taking care of your family has got to come first.

 

[GJH77]

Jury duty is perhaps the most important thing a citizen can do outside of serving in the armed services. It is a duty. Duties are sometimes unpleasant, and take out of both out time and pocket, but it's part of the price you pay to be an American. I am constantly amazed at people who shirk this duty.
Everyone rails at government-but when given the chance to participate-they whine because it's not convenient for them.

Thank you. The same goes for voting.

 

[sheriffoconee]

I served on the county Grand Jury; 1 day per week (looonnng hours) for two months. It was an eye-opening experience that I enjoyed. We processed over 350 cases, probably 75% of which were cocaine related. There was a high-profile murder that had just occurred and the DA would greet us every morning and give us an update on the case. Very early on, he told us "There's something not right about the victim's husband. I don't know what it is, but we WILL find out." They found out. He had hired two hit men to kill his wife since she had discovered his money-laundering operation.

sounds like Fred Tokars....

 

[kcode]

I just finished my jury duty for September, its my third time in 25 years of living in Kentucky, wife complains that she has never been called. The cost of living needs to be added to the jury pay, its been $12.50 per day for 25 years.

 

[pilgrim6a]

Up date

I am still at liberty.
Went in at 08:30.
Sat in the jury lounge till 14:30,when they marched us in to the court room. DUI case.
No one paid any attention to the shirt.
Judge, ADA, and Defense Attorney asked me questions.
The Judge liked me.
The ADA liked me.
The Defense, not so much.
14 people were bounced before they got to me. 10 by the Defense.
One went to the same church as the DA. One is a Fed. Attorney.4 were related to LEOs. 3 had served on juries before.And one had been in an accident involving a drunk driver.
Me? I hang out with riff-raff. Judges, DAs, lawyers, Cops, retired Cops. And, I paid attention to the ADA when he explained the rules of evidence. The Defense decided I was unsuitable.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I am still at liberty.
Went in at 08:30.
Sat in the jury lounge till 14:30,when they marched us in to the court room. DUI case.
No one paid any attention to the shirt.
Judge, ADA, and Defense Attorney asked me questions.
The Judge liked me.
The ADA liked me.
The Defense, not so much.
14 people were bounced before they got to me. 10 by the Defense.
One went to the same church as the DA. One is a Fed. Attorney.4 were related to LEOs. 3 had served on juries before.And one had been in an accident involving a drunk driver.
Me? I hang out with riff-raff. Judges, DAs, lawyers, Cops, retired Cops. And, I paid attention to the ADA when he explained the rules of evidence. The Defense decided I was unsuitable.

That happens But and I mean this-thank you for your time and effort. To be honest you have no idea what a valuable service you do just by showing up. Many defendants do not plead guilty until they see the whites of the jury's eyes. One day we had 12 trials set up-all bad and all hardcore. For that reason the DA's were offering very harsh plea bargans and nobody was budging. One by one as they sat at the table to pick a jury, they changed their mind and we went to another Courtroom to take the plea. The jury pool was getting absolutely bersrk with the waiting around and doing nothing.. After all 12 had plead-around 3 in the afternoon, the judge made the lawyers sit in the Coourtfroom with the jury and he explained what had just happened. The ONLY reason those 12 individuals plead, and I mean the ONLY reason was that there wat 100 jury membes sitting there waiting to be chosen to stand in judgement. That panel did more good for the state than had they just done one trial. And those were not fire sale pleads, the pleas were either open ended plea to guilty as charged with the only promise being not to file a habitual offender bill, or a harsh (over 15 years) determinant sentence. Y'all think there is a lot of wasted time-well there's not-you just sitting in the Courtroom does more than you can ever possibly imagine. As they say showing up is 90% of the job. So even though you think you are doing nothing and your time is being wasted, let me assure you that it is most decidedly not. As I told one of my clients charged with selling crack-"You see all those old white guys out there? Do you think they are going to buy your story? Your call, I'll give it my best but there's the people who are going to decide your fate. If you think they'll buy it-let's tee it up".
That's why I am so passionate about jury duty.

To Louisiana Joe
I hear you. When they plead them out to lesser charges-it's because either something has happened that just made the state's case go south, or more likely it plead out to what is should have plead out months prior but you have a hard headed DA. My usual experience in the 16th is that the Judges really are serious about not wasting Juror's time and they get really angry when the guy decides to accept the plea tendered a month earlier on the morning of trial. In the 16th 7 out of the 8 judges will not accept a plea bargain bargan the morning or trial, it's an open plea or tee it up.

To Damn Yankee
I would kill to be on a grand jury. For those who don't know, it is the investigative body that decides whether or not to indict. In Louisiana the grand juries are usually spoon fed by the DA's office, but my research indicates that once a grand jury is sworn their power to investigate and indict is damn near unlimited-no matter what the DA wants them to do. this is one reason why they try not to let lawyers on a grand jury . I can tell you this-if I am ever selected to be on a grand jury, first thing I am going to do is issue subpoenas to several people (they vcan do that) kick the ADA out of the room and get to indicting some people that need indicting
I will tell you this, if eve I am chosen for the grand jury pool and the Judge bumps me for a comflict because I am a lawyer-we WILL be in Federal Court. As far as there being a conflict with serving because you are an LEO-thqat's bravo sierra. As long as you are not the one actively investigating the crime-you can serve-I've litigated this-I had an LEO on a grand jury that indicted two of my clients.

 

[P&R Fan]

I've never been selected to serve but about a dozen years ago my Wife was in the pool for a murder case. Guy went to an adult movie house, stabbed and killed the clerk and stole money and videos. Was apprehended a short time later with the money, videos and blood on his clothes. (He said it was BBQ sauce). This was all reported in the media. My Wife obviously had some pre-conceived notions about the suspects guilt. I know in jury selection the attorneys ask potential jurors if they have any knowledge of the case. They are then asked if they would be able to set aside what they know and make their judgments based ONLY on the evidence presented in court. I understand that, but in a case like that, I don't really see how most people could just put aside all of that damning evidence. I know I couldn't. How would the judge deal with someone who said they couldn't do that?
By the way, Caj, who are you sending the bill for all this excellent legal advice?

 

[Capt Steve]

Great post Caj, you have shown a side of the legal system that most of us never were aware of. Plea bargains have always reeked of how much can the miscreants get away with, obviously that is not always the case. I've been involved in criminal cases as a witness and/or victim and even spent an hour on the hot seat testifying before the Grand Jury in San Diego (representing the title company I worked for), in a forgery case. I would never want to be guilty of anything and sitting in front of a grand jury as it is a very intimidating experience. Thanks again for sharing.