Jury Duty

[westcoast362]

I have done jury duty several times. It has been interesting each time. I was getting paid by my job, and I'm sure that that makes a big difference. I have done it once since being retired and that was fine. I'm looking forward to next time.
My brother is a dentist, so when he has to go several people are off of work those days. The only one getting paid is the receptionist sitting in an empty office answering the phone.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I have been called a few times. The last one was a robbery/carjacking of a female UGA student who was in the wrong end of DeKalb county to get her "nails done". The twit was there to buy dope. As we get seated, I notice the poor victim's parents file into the room and motioned to the baliff. I told him I was the parent's mailman, (twit was a stepchild, different last name so I didn't realize who she was) if that made a difference.

It did. I had to explain this to the judge, who acted like it was my fault. I politely told the judge I rarely saw the girl, she was either in college or rehab for the past two years. I never got invited back.

 

[BUFF]

I used to get called every other year or so; telephoned in the night before for a week to see if we had to go in. Only went in twice. Once while in college, once after becoming a law enforcement officer. Didn't get picked for a jury either time. I would call in when notified and tell them I was a deputy sheriff, figuring it was very unlikely I would get placed on a jury, but they always said that didn't matter, plan on being available.

I haven't been called even once for the last fifteen years or more. I can't figure out why, nothing that would matter has changed.

The citizen juror is one of the bulwarks of freedom, they serve as a powerful counterbalance to a state running amok.

 

[Faulkner]

. . . .As stated above by Caj, it is a DUTY to serve and I would gladly serve again if ever notified.

Class III

The problem is, words like duty, honor, and integrity don't seem to mean as much these days as they used to.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

The problem is, words like duty, honor, and integrity don't seem to mean as much these days as they used to.

They do to people who count

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I have a friend who is a naturalized US citizen. She's been called four times in ten years. I'm 41 years old and have never been called. My wife has also never been called, nor has the husband of my friend. I'm starting to wonder just how random this selection system is....

As the programmer that wrote a Jury Selection System, I can explain how I did it.

1. Make a list of juror numbers of jurors that are eligible and have not served in the past 2 years. The numbers were assigned when jurors were added to the database from Driver License data and Voter Registration data.

2. I then use a random number generator that was created as a system function by Microsoft to create a random list of numbers between 1 and the number of juror numbers in the list.

3. Each number is used to pick a juror number from the list of juror numbers.

You will notice that during the selection process, no information about the juror is known or used. Only after the selection process is the juror number used to retrieve the data on the juror.

I have done statistical analysis comparing the racial breakdown of the selections and the racial breakdown from the last census. The breakdowns are very close.

I did the same analysis for sex breakdowns. Same result.

We send groups of 39 jurors from which 12 will be selected.

The ability of attorneys for defense and prosecution to strike jurors can change the random makeup of the jury.

 

[LHS]

I've only been called once in my life (almost 47). It was a girl who walked around the office dressed very provacative (we saw security photos), and then claimed sex discrimination when she did not get a promotion. She was suing for like $200 million. I agreed, the company did not document why she did not get the promo, but she did not document her side very well either.

Trial took 3 days with us deliberating for 2. It ended up I convinced the others that both parties was in the wrong, and that while she was not given a promotion, it was based on her poor work performance and bad attendance policy, not because she wouldn't sleep with the boss.

She was suing for lawyer's fees, years of lost wages. I wanted to give her nothing, but agreed the company was also at fault and they did need to be punished for bad business practices towards her (like putting out a written memo to her to wear a "low cut top when meeting with _ _ _ _ _ (a certain male client). She ended up getting $3000.00 towards her $12,000 lawyer's fees as we all agreed she did not have much proof in her side of the discrimination suit (her topless dancing at an office party did not help her either).

Afterwards, I was walking out and one of the company lawyers called me over and asked to buy my meal. I asked "Why?", and was told that several other jury members told him I was the only reason she did not win everything she wanted, and that I was the only one who seemed to be concerned about the presentation of evidence, or lack of, in the trial. One member told him I did a better job explaining why both parties were in the wrong than the lawyers did. I told him I just listened with an open mind to both sides, took 28 pages of notes, and then cross checked my notes to confirm testimony before coming to a conclusion.

He told me thanks and that he knew when he questioned me before selection that I was one person his team of lawyers just knew would help get a fair trial. I told him I was just doing my civic duty, shook his hand, and paid for my sandwich and Diet Coke, and took it to go instead of eating it there.

 

[LHS]

The problem is, words like duty, honor, and integrity don't seem to mean as much these days as they used to.

They mean as much to me now as ever.

 

[DOEBOY1]

I have been called a few time but only sat for one day to be dismissed that afternoon. I made a lot of contacts for my electrical work and got to know a few more people I had only seen around. I would be glad to serve on a jury just because life is stranger than fiction. I was supeanaded (sp) for a trail to testify that I drew blood for a DUI case. The lawyer said I probably wouldn't have to testify but just hang out. Being that the lab was paying my hourly wage to be there it was great. The defense attorney walked up to me while I was sitting in the court and asked me a few questions like did you draw his blood from the right or left arm, did I know he was legally drunk when I stuck him? I told him being 4-5 monthes before the court date I couldn't remember but what I did remember was the defendent falling out of his chair and laughing and was unable to stand up. He never called me. The funny thing was after the trail, which took no time, I could see the judge was ready drop the hammer on this guy, the defense attorney told the judge even thought this guy had previous DUI's he was eligable to have gotten his license back after 12 am the night he got his last next DUi at 2 am. Talk about getting by by the skin of your teeth! seems this guy was supposed to get his license back that day. I was amased. I also learned that lawyers don't sugar coat their word to the judges. The next case this barbie doll lawyer came in just before lunch with the next case with her client. The judge said something about lunch and that barbie doll put her bad mouth on and told the judge he was denying her client his right to a speedy trail and somemore legal latin because the courts had delayed him so many times. Judge said thank you case dismissed. I couldn't believe what I saw. The guy didn't even carry her box of papers or bag out for her. Man I should have been a lawyer. Doeboy

 

[mtgianni]

I have served twice once for Drunken Driving the other for wrongful discharge. I have the been named an expert witness in CO poisoning due to a death I worked and been deposed a couple of times for explosions. All part of the gas business. I have also been dismissed from a local trial and been up again this year without a call. It's all work ARAIC.

 

[moosedog]

The reason people duck jury duty is because they generally loose a lot of money by going.
After seeing some of the dealings of crooked judges, defense lawyer adjornments, and local politics for 32 years I don't blame them for dodging it.

 

[617fan]

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.

Lots of occupations are statiscally more likely to result in death or disability than military service. Firefighters, emt's, and policeman aren't subject to immediate deployment to anywhere in the world for years at a time; and none that I am aware of endure the same hardships and deprivations as our troops. Last time I was at IHOP I picked up the tab for a soldier in uniform I didn't know.....

 

[lonejacklarry]

I went into IHOP recently and saw their 15% Off sign for military and wondered why not LEOs.

Most progressive law enforcement agencies strictly prohibit taking anything from anyone. The reason is that some of the "givers" will end up expecting something out of that officer or deputy one of these days.

I have been called for jury duty 4 or 5 times. I make it as far as the voir dire and then the defense, usually a public defender, makes a very big deal out of the fact that a law enforcement officer could not be fair and impartial and I get booted.

My older son was on a civil jury trial involving a wrongful death suit. The short version of the facts were that she was morbidly obese and ended up dying of diabetes complications. Her family sued a chocolate company for her death. The jury panel realized that she caused her own death but some of them figured that the big company had a lot of money so what difference would it make to the company which had insurance.

Sanity prevailed and her relatives were awarded no money but the lottery mentality has bothered me.

 

[Stevens]

I've been called up 5 times, 3 times the case was been settled the day before, twice one Fed and one local the jury was filled before they got to me. I don't have any special desire to be on a jury but would not duck it feeling like several before that I wouldn't want to be tried by a bunch who were there for the measley money or by left overs after the "smart" folks were excused.
Steve