Jury Duty

[trackbarroness]

I just got a summons for Jury Duty for next month. And it's the first one for down here. I'm hoping I don't have to serve but if I do, I hope I can get out of it some how. Or maybe not :D
Oh well such is life eh? Lolol

[caryrae]

I had to do Jury Duty for the 1st time a few years ago. Not one person was needed. So we all sat in the room all day except at lunch time they let us out to go eat.

[jcvalenti]

Just have to chime in on this one ... as a litigator who is involved in a heck of lot of jury trials representing primarily businesses and professionals in civil cases, I cannot stress enough the importance of participating in our jury system.

To those participants in a trial, it is usually an enormous event in their life. It could make or break their economic foundation, or crush their ability to realize their bit of the American dream. They count on competant, honest, fair jurors to listen to evidence and apply logic and reach the "right conclusions".

The problem is that the most intelligent, most logical, and thus most "ideal" jurors ALL have better things to do than "waste" their time on jury duty. If they don't make an effort to serve, we end up trying cases before those individuals who literally have nothing else going on in their lives ... and thus who tend to be either too far removed from the workforce or too undereducated to fairly comprehend and evaluate evidence.

Whenever a friend asks me how to "get out" of jury duty, I ask them to put themselves in the place of the defendants in that court room, and whether they would want the best and brightest in that box, or some 95 year old woman who might make a decision based on who looked like her grandson, rather than the evidence.

I still think our system is the best there is, but it requires all of us to fulfill our civic commitment to each other to show up and serve.

/ As it so happens, I've got jury duty myself this Friday. I had to reschedule a whole day of depositions so I could be there.

[RenDuran]

My husband has been called multiple times for jury duty. You couldn't imagine how many people have told him ways to get out of it! Personally, he and I feel that it's our duty to serve when called.

Strangely, the only time I've ever been summoned to serve jury duty was the day after I had a c-section, four-and-a-half years ago! There was no way I could sit on a jury at that point, but I know that in the future when I'm called, I'll make every effort to be there.

[meldan98]

Personally, I wouldn't mind serving on a jury. However, I find in infuriating that I, my husband, my mother and father all get called every single year, almost to the day, all about a week a part from each other. We live in a large county of about 1.2 million people. How is it that 4 people in one family get called every year, when I know of at least 3 dozen people who have not been called a single time. All of these people are registered voters with a driver's license.

[gauvin4]

I have never been called for jury duty. But I have always wanted to do it. I look forward to serving my duty.

[MNNHFLTX]

To me jury duty would never be a waste of time and I would serve gladly when/if the opportunity arises. I'm fortunate, though, in that the financial impact of potentially being on a jury would be relatively minor. I think most people would feel that way too, but let's face it--serving an extended (or even short-term) jury duty would leave a lot of folks between a rock and a hard place. Childcare, lost wages, transportation costs, etc. might not just be an inconvenience to some, but huge obstacles. Not to mention some employers who are less than tolerant of any absences. Our judicial system might be one of the best in the world, but it will only overcome the bias some people have towards jury duty when it addresses these issues.

[Disney Doll]

I have never been called for jury duty. But I have always wanted to do it. I look forward to serving my duty.

Me too! I'd like to just see what it's like. Sounds interesting to me, probably just because I've never done it.

[magicofdisney]

My dad used to get called all the time when I was growing up. My mom has never been called, to my knowledge. I'd love to do it, but right now I'm a SAHM who homeschools 4 kids. It would be a strain for us. I hope I get the opportunity when my children are older.

[BigRedDad]

Jury Duty is a funny thing. I find that prosecutors want the most educated people on the jury and the defense wants the least educated. This is only my observations from my time being called into Jury Selections and may not be how it really works.

There are very simple ways to get out of Jury Duty and Jury Selection. However, you see it from a different perspective if you are one of the two groups in the courtroom.

[Wayne]

To me jury duty would never be a waste of time and I would serve gladly when/if the opportunity arises. I'm fortunate, though, in that the financial impact of potentially being on a jury would be relatively minor. I think most people would feel that way too, but let's face it--serving an extended (or even short-term) jury duty would leave a lot of folks between a rock and a hard place. Childcare, lost wages, transportation costs, etc. might not just be an inconvenience to some, but huge obstacles. Not to mention some employers who are less than tolerant of any absences. Our judicial system might be one of the best in the world, but it will only overcome the bias some people have towards jury duty when it addresses these issues.

Don't know what it's like in Texas, but in Tennessee, it is unlawful to be penalized for serving jury duty. You must be paid your regular wages (you turn over the pittance that you are paid by the court to your employer) and the time spent cannot be counted against your leave time. I have also seen a judge send a less than co-operative employer to jail on a contempt citation.

[thrillme]

IF you get called in for the interview...just tell them:

You'd be GREAT serving on the jury because you can spot a GUILTY person a MILE away.

[Scar]

I have the best method for avoiding jury duty. I physically live in Somerset County, NJ, but for some bizzare reason, my mailing address is the next town over, Princeton, which is in Mercer County. So I'm always getting notices from Mercer County to appear for Jury Duty and I always send them back saying I don't reside in Mercer County. I can't believe Somerset hasn't picked up on it yet. To make things more confusing, my telephone exchange is from yet another town which has a different area code (908) than both the township I live in (732) and Princeton (609). :crazy:

[Ed]

Scar, I would think by now you'd have a serious identity crisis. :confused:

I get called for jury duty on a regular basis, and I show up each and every time. But for some strange reason, I never get picked for an actual jury panel. I suspect it might be those 36 years of law enforcement in my background.... :cop:

[trackbarroness]

I'll post here if I get on or don't get on a case.
Who knows if I do get called or not. Oh well

[MNNHFLTX]

Don't know what it's like in Texas, but in Tennessee, it is unlawful to be penalized for serving jury duty. You must be paid your regular wages (you turn over the pittance that you are paid by the court to your employer) and the time spent cannot be counted against your leave time. I have also seen a judge send a less than co-operative employer to jail on a contempt citation.That's the thing--it varies from state-to-state. In Texas, employers are not required to pay employees when they serve on a jury. And while you can get an exemption if you are the primary caretaker of a young child, I know many states that do not allow for this. Same for employers--most states prohibit employers from firing employees due to jury duty, but providing proof that that is the reason you were fired could be difficult.

Many years ago I got a summons for jury duty from the federal court in Orlando. Given that I lived 1-1/2 hours drive away and was the primary caretaker for my (then) 2-year-old son it was not a good situation at all. Ironically, I was not exempt for any of those reasons by law, but did get an exemption because I was a nurse, which was considered an "essential job". It really just depends on where you live and what court you are being asked to serve.

[alphamommy]

I got called several years ago for federal grand jury duty. They send out notices to a zillion people, then weed it down to 24 or so, plus a few alternates. I ended up being the first alternate, which meant that I got called about a month later to come back.

For grand jury, you serve once a month for at least a year. I was NOT looking forward to this, but only had to go one time. It seems that someone had appealed a conviction, saying that the method of selecting grand juries was not impartial (based on socioeconomic issues), and the ruling on the appeal meant that ALL grand juries that had been seated prior to the ruling had to be thrown out. The federal prosecutor who told us that we were being dismissed was somewhat concerned about what would happen with the several years worth of cases that had been decided using the old, disputed jury selection system.

It was an interesting experience, and I've always wondered what happened with all those cases. I never saw anything in the paper about this ruling, but I also never ahd to go back!

Good luck!

[Skippy]

I've been called twice (once in college where the judge excused me) and once about a year ago.

It was a DUI case, and I enjoyed it. I work at a police department, and it was interesting seeing the other side of law in action.

I actually hope I get called again.:thumbsup:

[caryrae]

If I remember right when I was called for Jury Duty, 2 years ago, (in Minnesota) they said you wouldn't have a chance to serve again for at least 5 years, so after 5 years you would have a chance to serve again if you are called. My wife has never been called yet.

[pink]

I was called for jury duty about a year ago and it was not fun. We had to sit in a big room and watch a movie and wait for our names to be called then put in another room and given name tags then driven in a bus to another building and then taken upstairs in that building to a court room where we had to sit and wait for each of our names to be called about 7 at a time. It lasted for three days and I was literally one of the last ones called. The judge was very nice and went through each of us asking if we would be able to serve, I was in college so I couldn't and he let me off. You wouldn't believe the excuses people came up with like: I'm going to china, I broke my foot, my job requires me to stay at home, I'm a piano teacher and my kids will miss me if I'm not able to do lessons, I don't feel comfortable with a case that deals with robbery, etc.

[dmosher]

I have to say I am a little disturbed by people telling ways to "get out" of jury duty. Im just saying...
:pipes:
D1

[jillluvsdisney]

I agree. It's a duty as American citizens if they are called. We have a lot of freedoms and benefits living in this country. A trial by jury is one of them. Think of countries that don't have that option and realize how fortunate we are.

[thrillme]

Actually I've been called for Jury Duty 5 times. Each time I've spent simply waiting in the main jury room. My name just doesn't seem to come up.

One time it DID come up. I was so excited. I was ACTUALLY going to see a trial (I didn't care what it was or how long it took)...Alas...just before we were supposed to to to the "second stage" where we were going to be "interviewed" they came back and said..."go to lunch...line up here when you get back". I was THRILLED. Of course by the time we got back...the clients settled out of court. The Finks!

[Bethis26fan]

I can't serve on local jury duty. I work for the clerk of court. I did get to sit in on a case once and it was intreasting.

[Mousefever]

I hope that by mentioning that I've never gotten called for jury duty I will jinx myself and receive a letter this year. I would certainly bring a good book with me, however.

Amy

[Marilyn Michetti]

I get called about every 18 months, and go every time. The system can't survive without people serving. Folks, it's not a DUTY, it's a PRIVILEGE. I could "get out" of it because of my health, and because I am my mother's full time care-giver, but I think that attitude is inexcusable. Without jury's, criminals are warehoused, (at our expense), and some innocent are not given due process.

Sorry about my rant, but jury duty, (boring as it can be), is terribly important. Take a book, knit, if you know how, or watch the dumb movie, but show up, and be glad we have a system that allows our participation. O.K., done.

Oh, one more thing. On my way to J.D. last June, I got a speeding ticket. OUCH !:shake:

[Mousefever]

I get called about every 18 months, and go every time. The system can't survive without people serving. Folks, it's not a DUTY, it's a PRIVILEGE. I could "get out" of it because of my health, and because I am my mother's full time care-giver, but I think that attitude is inexcusable. Without jury's, criminals are warehoused, (at our expense), and some innocent are not given due process.

Sorry about my rant, but jury duty, (boring as it can be), is terribly important. Take a book, knit, if you know how, or watch the dumb movie, but show up, and be glad we have a system that allows our participation. O.K., done.

Oh, one more thing. On my way to J.D. last June, I got a speeding ticket. OUCH !:shake:

Did you mention your criminal activity during jury questioning? ;)