Uggh. Jury duty!

[Bigdog357]

When I lived out West I served on one jury. I kept getting summons and wasting my time sitting and then getting dismissed. I finally got tired of it and started just throwing the summons away. They can't prove that you ever received them in the mail.
Now I have lived in the Midwest for 15 years and have never had a summons - go figure.

 

[Jack Flash]

I served once. I thought it was my duty. As others have said, I would want people like me on the jury if I was on trial.

It was a bad car accident that resulted in one death and one terrible injury. I was impressed with the testimonies of the LE professionals and the technical experts. It was pretty clear alcohol and excessive speed were involved.

There were 12 jurors plus a spare who sat through the trial, so when time for deliberations came, one had to be dismissed. My number came up randomly, so out I went. I was sorry that I went that far then had to go, but at least the driver's fate was out of my hands. Got a call at home that night that the verdict was guilty. Never did learn the sentence.

I would do it again, no doubt.

Related story: My Dad got a jury summons for a federal case. Seems a couple of guys got stopped on the freeway and had their car searched not far from his farm. The car had a large amount of contraband, (cocaine, I think). So they were charged with transporting it from city to city, across state lines.

The trial was going to take place in Detroit, (change of venue maybe? Pretty obvious what the verdict would be in rural America). So Dad had to drive up to Detroit.

Dad said they asked him if he could be impartial. He said yes, he could listen to the evidence and render a fair verdict. Well, the defense booted him. He believed they didn't want an old retired farmer on the jury.

 

[pharmer]

I get summoned every other year. Served 3 days on one jury in all that time, lady suing the city for damages after she T boned the van clearing the light from a side road. Sleazy Tampa ambuchaser wanted $250K on 1st day, went down to "10% city fault" and $25K. Being the foreman, we deliberated exactly 12 seconds and returned a unanimous "Get the heck outta here, now!"
Next time was a similar case except lady was suing for damages from an accident 7 years ago. This time I told 'em: "I served on this same case before and she's going home without bus fare!" Excused.
We'll see if'n they reach out again, I just turned 71 and I'm intolerant. Joe

 

[Bullet Bob]

Ya'll are making me pull up old brain files. A few years after the trial in my first post in this thread, I was called again, this time for a criminal trial. Selected from the upstairs room with others and sent to the courtroom to be questioned by the attorneys; the defendant was also there. The judge and lawyers were talking amongst themselves, and after about 20 minutes they told us a plea deal had been reached and we could boogie.

What got me was how relaxed the mid-20's defendant seemed. She was sitting in the gallery, as relaxed as I would be in my living room. Lounging around, resting her head on her arm, she showed no concern at all. Maybe she was a good actor, or just very experienced with the process. I would have been nervous as a cat in her place. She actually seemed bored.

 

[Patrick L]

Update; I was NOT selected for the jury. But I did my duty, went through the process, didn't try to get myself excused or anything.

I feel good about that.

 

[swsig]

I've been on three juries. I was dismissed from the first. Our town was fairly small back then, and I knew the defendant.

The second was a civil suit filed by homeowners in a housing development against the developer because they were experiencing erosion problems. After an hour or so of testimony, the judge dismissed the case, ruling that the developer was not responsible for the erosion. Just prior, the judge in charge of the jury pool told us to turn off our cell phones. If one rang, it was an automatic $150 fine. He added that if you were expecting a call that was worth more than $150 to you, you could leave it on.

The third was a justice of the peace case in held in a small rural community. A tenant was suing his landlord because he had not been paid for painting the house he was renting. The landlord said he had never asked or authorized his tenant to paint the rent house. The only evidence the plaintiff provided was a receipt for the paint. I don't think either party had a lawyer. The testimony lasted about 30 minutes. With no evidence to support that there had been a contract for the paint job, our six-person jury quickly found for the defendant. After the parties to this sad little case had left the courtroom, the J.P. addressed the jury. He sighed, and said "Welcome to my world." Then he thanked us for serving.

Due to my age and previous service, I am now exempt from further jury duty. I'm glad I served, but I have no desire to do it again.

 

[31FordA]

I've been called for jury duty three times. First time it was for a criminal case I had been involved in when the defendant violated his bail conditions. Needless to say I was excused from that one. The second time I was excused because I had to have my impacted and abscessed wisdom teeth pulled asap. I would have really preferred jury duty to that experience. The third time was another criminal case. I was excused after mentioning I knew the defendant. When asked how I knew him I explained I had arrested the defendant a couple of times on unrelated matters.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Picking a jury is all about picking who you don't want, and putting up with the rest. Quickest ways off the panel: My religion won't let met me judge others, and what? I can't hear you. If you're a low number in the randomized pool and you don't say anything, you're in, because neither side has a reason to strike you. If you want out, speak up. If you don't, piehole . . .

 

[Muss Muggins]

Here's how it works. You get 70 potential jurors called for a trial (not exact but close, number for discussion purposes only). The names get randomized on a list. The attorneys ask questions. Jurors answer questions. The attorneys get unlimited strikes for cause. Only God can judge, I can't be impartial, where's that guilty *** at, the defendant should have to testify despite the well settled law to the contrary, etc.

Them people get struck. Now you have a list. You need 12 jurors and at least one alternate, so let's say 13. Each side gets six strikes. That's 12 so you need 24 to pick from. You need an alternate, who starts at 25, and each side gets a strike from 25-27. So the original pool is whittled down, and if you're a low number and didn't say anything at all, you're in . . .

 

[Alk8944]

If you want to serve good for you. If you are a current or former LEO you will be passed on a peremptory challenge by the defense! If you don't want to take the chance of serving when you are asked to describe yourself tell them you are pro 2nd Amendment, Member of NRA etc. and you will probably be cut on a peremptory challenge too! Be sure whatever you say is the truth!!!

When I was still on the job for the first several times I received a jury summons all I had to do was call the prosecutor and remind him I was a LEO. after a few years the courts wouldn't allow that and I had to appear and go through the BS. When I said I was a LEO I was dismissed every time on a peremptory challenge! At least I got one days jury pay though.

 

[Wyo]

I presided at many, many jury trials during the 21 years I spent on the bench, and I always met with the jurors at the conclusion of a trial. Most of them had not wanted to be there but most also felt it was a useful learning experience and time well spent. A few even said they would do it again! Coming from a time when the government would take you for two years without regard for your "problems", and maybe you wouldn't come back, I had very little sympathy for the whiners with their excuses or the smart alecks who tried to avoid their responsibility for a couple of days of their precious time. I made that clear at the beginning of jury selection and rarely had any problems thereafter. And I had a great deal of respect for those who served. It can be very hard for some folks but they were thoughtful and very conscientious, and they worked hard. The system only works because of people like that.

 

[Doug M.]

I have been summoned but never selected. Most of those were in the County where I was a reserve deputy and I had to answer very carefully to keep from contaminating the rest of the pool. I was also a deputy prosecutor in another county and had to give the bailiff my business card to help explain to the judge why my answers were so ... careful.

Now I am back in the office were I live. I used to be in the criminal division, and still help cover some stuff when needed. Most of the Bar here knows me, especially the criminal practitioners, and among other duties I am counsel to the courts, probation departments (which are under the courts) and the SO. I would do my duty, but no one will select me in the foreseeable future. My wife has a very bad back and gets excused.

Remember that other than the draft, this is the only time you can be forced to serve your community. When summoned, the question you have to ask yourself is how you would want to be treated if you were the defendant. My experience is that most summoned do their duty as well as they can. I have seen people give flippant answers to get out and I am surprised they are not held in contempt. I am also aware of a case elsewhere in the state where two state employees who knew the defendant from the work lives had to pay to replace a whole panel because they contaminated the panel. I did have a trial once where a juror apparently lied to get on the panel, and would not vote to convict a child molester because she knew someone who she believed had been railroaded in a similar case.

 

[A10]

Been called many times, always rejected for my LE background except this last one. They said LE background was OK if I could be impartial. It was a DWI with a pursuit and an assault on an officer. I told the judge there was no way I could be impartial given the charges. I was dismissed.

 

[mtgianni]

I am in the pool for a year. If you serve on a jury during that time you get an exemption for the rest of the year. We may have 3 or 4 jury trials a year. The north ends and south ends each have about 40 miles to drive to get to the county seat. You may get an age exemption at 80. That's life in Montana's smaller counties.

 

[kaaskop49]

Never served on a jury, excused from every case. I could teach a course on being legitimately excused. Never used the same reason 2x. Annoying to receive a jury summons forwarded to my new out-of-NYS address a month after moving. Photo of new DL NOT sufficient, had to photo a page from the deed to be excused.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[sjmjax]

Was called up once.

During the screening questions asked it was revealed to the judge that I believed that it is the duty of the jury to judge not only the evidence, but the law and appropriateness of the punishments.

Have never been asked to serve since.

 

[LVSteve]

It is interesting to read how the process varies from state to state.

 

[pmanton]

In my county once you hit 75 you're exempted from jury duty.

 

[Rotorhead1026]

In my county once you hit 75 you're exempted from jury duty.

Hell, I can hit 75 coming out of the Court parking lot!

Wait …
Oh, okay.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I am currently "on call" for jury duty at the local Federal District Courts. I've done county and state district before, but this is the first time for Federal. Apparently the way this works is that you're "on call" for 3 months - mine is Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. You have to call in for reporting instructions when they tell you to. If they need you, you go. If not they tell you when to call again. So far they haven't needed me. Hope it stays that way, but I will go if I'm needed. My next call-in is Friday.

People over 70 are exempt and not permitted to serve on a jury for this Fed district. The state courts say you can get an exemption at 75, but you may choose to serve if you wish.