Uggh. Jury duty!

[LVSteve]

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.

Three months? What happens if you have travel booked for the holidays?

 

[F4phantom]

I got a subpoena for a Federal Grand Jury and only one person in the first 22 was let go. I served for 18 months. It was the first four days of every month. It was interesting to say the least. We got to ask questions when the US Attorney was finished. We got to see some of the dumbest people on earth. My employer allowed us to keep the $30 stipend.
After I retired, I got called for a local trial once. The defense attorney asked me if the person was innocent until proven guilty. My response was, it depends. I was let go.
I am now exempt ( aged out) from jury duty.

 

[rustythread]

The imminent prospect of a trial by jury is a major factor in the parties' decision to settle a civil case and the defendant's decision to plead guilty. If you are called for jury duty and never actually get to sit on a case, your time was not wasted--your being there ready to serve probably caused half a dozen cases to settle or plead out. (How do I know? 4 years as a prosecutor, 21 years as an injury trial lawyer, and 13 years as a judge.)

 

[ladder13]

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.

Must be different for every state or were you on call for a grand jury? I was called to Foley Square aka Thurgood Marshall Federal Courthouse a year before my move.
I took a commuter train and subway down for two days. Then the remaining folks, including me in the jury pool, were dismissed with a thank you.

 

[Smoke]

I've been notified for jury duty a bunch of times I've only ever had to show up twice.

At the Municipal Court the clerk gave each Juror a $5 bill when they signed in. I'm sure I spent mine in a used bookstore on the way home.

They had free donuts and free water in the jury room.

We sat there for about 2 hours before one of the DA's came in and told us that every case had been settled and we were free to go.

At the county court it took most of the day.

The judge decided to make it educational and he explained every step of the process to us.

He dismissed two cops immediately because they were cops. He said they might have had a professional encounter with the defendant before that would prejudice them.

Then he went into great detail about how even though they knew they were going to be dismissed immediately they still had to show up and go through the process.

Then he told us how he got called for jury duty one time and he was sure he was going to be dismissed because he was a judge at the time but he had to sit on the jury.

Then the Lawyers started questioning people and dismissing people and they got all the way to the end and they had seated the jury when some lady told the judge that she didn't have transportation to him from the courthouse everyday. So they dismissed her after the judge told her that she should have told them that immediately rather than wasting all that time.

The last person that they picked to sit on the jury was the person who was right next to me and then they dismissed all the rest of us.

 

[farmer20]

The last few times I had to submit a report, I discovered that one way to get turned down was to just ask simple questions when allowed. Nevertheless, in my county, it makes no difference if you are a law enforcement officer or not.

 

[375hh1973]

I'm about to jinx myself...

I've never been.

Closest was once while I was in the Persian Gulf, a jury summons was sent to my mom and dads house. Dad filled it out and wrote that I was halfway around the world, it wasn't gonna happen.

That was 30 years ago.

Nothing since. Every time I move and change addresses and register to vote, I keep thinking that its gonna catch up to me.

 

[Kinman]

I worked for a city transit system, they paid us a full day's pay to serve on jury duty as if we were out sick. At least in this area they start with a pool of a hundred or so, narrow it down to another pool, then voir dear or whatever they call it where your asked questions by attorneys. You can get out early if you just answer their questions with "Hang em." As I said earlier we got paid even if sent home for the rest of the day, we just had to give the company the stipend the city paid. I actually ended up have a pretty good time on one jury I sat on, I've been called at least three times. I told them the first time I was called that I wouldn't be able to make it because I had a fishing trip planned that week, they told me that they could subpoena me, I told them go ahead I will not be here. They rescheduled me but called me again three more times or so. It ain't bad, I served as head jurist once on an interesting case, they brought us pizza of our choice. Its one of those civic duty things we are all supposed to be involved with. I had a jaundiced view of the judicial system until I actually sat in a jury with a good prosecutor who explained the shadow of doubt thing, when I ran the jury it was tough to sell one old girl that was tying up our decision based on her Christian beliefs and love they neighbor jazz.

 

[LVSteve]

I had a jaundiced view of the judicial system until I actually sat in a jury with a good prosecutor who explained the shadow of doubt thing, when I ran the jury it was tough to sell one old girl that was tying up our decision based on her Christian beliefs and love they neighbor jazz.

That's the kind of stuff that would send me postal in a jury room. After the G-Sting trial (county commissioners on the take), three of jurors said they were upset that they had no choice to convict one woman because 'she's a grandmother'. What difference does that make? She took the money, go directly to Club Fed and be quiet about it.

I don't care who the accused is, who their friends are, how they dress, or what church they go to, we are there to decide if the prosecutor proved they committed the crime. Nothing. Else. Matters.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

IN SC if you are over 65 you can be exempt.

 

[usmcsgt]

I've only been called 3 times in 30 years or so and never get selected to serve. Always get excluded during questioning. The best was do you have any family or friends in law enforcement? The case was a felony DUI and the highway patrol arresting officer was a Harley ridding buddy " Hi Eric" LOL - you can go now said the judge.


Are you ready to serve question - "yep bring on the next guilt defendant". You can go now- ex cop's don't seem to get to serve on juries. Jeff

 

[usmcsgt]

Saw that happen once in downtown LA - the bailiffs were grabbing folks off the bus stop LOL as they didn't have enough folks to form a jury that morning. Wow talk about being judged by your peers.

 

[cballman]

I will jinx my self when I type this. I am almost 62 years old and have never been called for Jury duty. I have been subpoenaed twice to testify about a accident. I was in a other court room for a seeding ticket quite a few years ago. Other that that I would love to get called. My wife has been called and had to serve once.

 

[NYlakesider]

I will jinx my self when I type this. I am almost 62 years old and have never been called for Jury duty. I have been subpoenaed twice to testify about a accident. I was in a other court room for a seeding ticket quite a few years ago. Other that that I would love to get called. My wife has been called and had to serve once.

My wife loved being on jury duty. Her employer, state government paid her and she was allowed to keep her per diem from the trail.

As for me as a union construction worker you only get paid for days you work. Add to that court pay in that county was a pittance compared to job pay, then you had to pay serious money to park in downtown which also included a 3 block walk.

I got lucky both times I was summoned, no phone calls in that era. Sat there for a while and was released.

After I changed counties I got notified 3 times I was on the list, called in each night but never got summoned to the court house. Now at my age 79 unless they goof up somehow they will not be notifying me.

 

[Greyman50]

Years ago got the letter to appear for jury duty. Once the court discovered my profession I was told to leave. My boss and the attorney laughed as we had been in court for several trials for the firm..

 

[jcs266]

If they suspect you know about Jury Nullification you will be Persona None Grata real fast.

Yep, it should be used by a lot more juries. Stupid / unconstitutional laws should be shot down by the jury on the spot.

 

[jcs266]

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.

ABSOLUTELY! If the law itself is idiotic or unconstitutional NO WAY am I finding someone guilty. An out-of-control judicial system should get smacked down by We the People. The jury can do it and not a darn thing "they" can do about it.

 

[SmithNut]

I love the statement "a jury of your peers".....

Have been called several times and served on 2 juries (one in Seattle and one in Anchorage)...

It's a bit crazy when some of the jury members did it for the $5 a day they received..... not really a jury of one's peers....IMO

 

[mckenney99]

Well my Jury service for next week was cancelled when I checked the Jury call line Friday, but they extended the Jury summons for an additional week. So that means I had to put everything on hold for next week which was a waste and now I have to put everything on hold for the following week also and won 't find out if I have to report until next Friday. I realize it is my duty but it still kind of sucks.

 

[LVSteve]

ABSOLUTELY! If the law itself is idiotic or unconstitutional NO WAY am I finding someone guilty. An out-of-control judicial system should get smacked down by We the People. The jury can do it and not a darn thing "they" can do about it.

It says much about the holes in our election and legislative procedures that people even consider jury nullification. I'd never heard of the concept before I came to the US, although I do recall one infamous case where it clearly happened in the UK.