Jury Duty

[LadyCook61]

Would you really want to sit before a jury of pissed off old farts that are hard of hearing??

for your information, I am deaf and I get excused from jury duty.

 

[Jeekinz]

I got a letter once two days before I moved out of an old apartment. I chucked it and figured I would blame it on the move if they ever asked.

 

[Barbara L]

Authorities: Man skipped jury duty to drink - Criminal weirdness - MSNBC.com. Sheesh! The defendant probably wants this guy on the jury!

Barbara

 

[jennyema]

The first time I was on a jury an older woman who was part of the jury stood up and told the judge she wouldn't be there the next day because she was going to Foxwoods (casino). "I go to Foxwoods every Tuesday."

The judge told her she would be in contempt and could go to jail if she didn't show, after all the trial was only midway through.

Sure enough, she didn't show and an alternate took her place.

 

[VeraBlue]

Vera, - since you were excused the first time can they summons you again so quickly? I know there are laws covering the frequency you can be served a jury summons. I just don't know what the laws are.

You can only get out of being summoned if you actually served within the past two years. Reporting without getting a trial, or getting excused puts you right back in the pool.

 

[VeraBlue]

And then, in jury selection, the lawyers pick only those who represent the segments of society they think will render the verdict they want. As a student of English constitutional history and the development of our law, it is my considered opinion that we should revert to the tried and true method, i.e.: throw them in a well, and if they float to the top they are GUILTY!

You are absolutely right. Lawyers paint a perfect jury before they go into the court room. While they have nothing to do (unless you saw the movie Jury Duty) with the initial random picks, it's during the voire dire (means to speak the truth) when the judge asks them pertinent questions that they decide if they want to dump that person or not. Lawyers have a certain number of prospective jurors they can ditch in favour of possibly getting something better from the jury pool. It's nice to say a jury of peers, but for the most part, the jury is eventually made up of precisely the type of people both sides believe will deliver the verdice they desire.

 

[VeraBlue]

Lawyers don't pick juries. They can only exclude people.

While they don't actually pick them, they do have ideas and concrete thoughts about the type of people they want. They will ditch perfectly good jurors who simply don't fit the profile they have in mind. The initial jury picked today was 80 percent white females. By the time the defense attorney was satisfied it was 75% male of various international backgrounds. The defendant was a 40ish black man.

 

[VeraBlue]

i am always excused because i don't drive, so transportation is tough.
even if i got as far as jury selection they will not take me, cause husband was a policeman. i have always wanted to be on a jury. course i watch court tv all day. lol

suck it up people , it is a right we must not lose. it is a right that we may all need one day, a jury of our peers.

easy for me to say, i guess since i never can do it.

Here in NJ, they don't excuse you for having a relative/spouse in law enforcement. They'll ask you if you believe you can be fair and impartial, and if the answer is yes, then off to the jury box you go. They also won't excuse you simply because you don't drive. Most court houses are reachable by public transportation. When you think of it, they have to be accessible so the entire public, not just drivers, can make use of the legal system for whatever reason might come up in private lives.
So, if you move to NJ, chances are you could get your wish.

 

[jennyema]

While they don't actually pick them, they do have ideas and concrete thoughts about the type of people they want. They will ditch perfectly good jurors who simply don't fit the profile they have in mind. The initial jury picked today was 80 percent white females. By the time the defense attorney was satisfied it was 75% male of various international backgrounds. The defendant was a 40ish black man.

Yes they do and they will get rid of people that they don't think will be understanding of their side.

But they have only a limited number of peremptory challenges.

 

[VeraBlue]

Yes they do and they will get rid of people that they don't think will be understanding of their side.

But they have only a limited number of peremptory challenges.

Yes, true. I was just on the phone with Lou discussing it. He said they usually only have 6 challenges. But, that's half the original jury if all are used.

 

[jennyema]

Yes, true. I was just on the phone with Lou discussing it. He said they usually only have 6 challenges. But, that's half the original jury if all are used.

But most jury pools are made up of a lot of people. The last one I was on had 200. You can only challenge a few of them without cause.

 

[Bigjim68]

I am self employed, and testify a couple of times a year as an expert witness. I have been excused, but lawyers don't want anyone on the jury that knows their way around the court system. As a witness, I have pretty much the same problems with never knowing whether or not I am to testify. Lawyers always send a summons, most do not bother to tell you if they have settled out of court. Once I spent 15 hours in the witness room, only to be told that they had settled. Then they got angry when I billed them for my time.

 

[jennyema]

(L)awyers don't want anyone on the jury that knows their way around the court system. .

If that were true, then I'd never have been on a jury.

 

[thymeless]

I've been on a jury once and called for the jury pool twice. At this point in my life, I'll get a medical waiver on my record next time they call. I've got plenty of ailments to choose from. Strangely, my wife has never been called.

 

[babetoo]

Here in NJ, they don't excuse you for having a relative/spouse in law enforcement. They'll ask you if you believe you can be fair and impartial, and if the answer is yes, then off to the jury box you go. They also won't excuse you simply because you don't drive. Most court houses are reachable by public transportation. When you think of it, they have to be accessible so the entire public, not just drivers, can make use of the legal system for whatever reason might come up in private lives.
So, if you move to NJ, chances are you could get your wish.

i live in sunny california, so why in the world would i move to NJ?

 

[LadyCook61]

i live in sunny california, so why in the world would i move to NJ?

I used to live in NJ and would not move back . Been in Pa. since 1989.

 

[VeraBlue]

But most jury pools are made up of a lot of people. The last one I was on had 200. You can only challenge a few of them without cause.

You don't challenge the jury pool, you challenge jurors that have already been voire dired. That's only 12 plus 2-3 alternates.

 

[VeraBlue]

i live in sunny california, so why in the world would i move to NJ?

I mentioned that because you said you would have liked to serve on a jury. As for where you live, I am so happy you are pleased with your geographical location. I, as are many many people who live in the beautiful Garden State, also very happy with where we live. I don't believe you were actually expecting me to name reasons why someone would want to live here. However, the list of reasons is very long, and it might surprise you to discover that we also enjoy many sunny days as well and beautiful autumns with trees and foliage that turn a myriad of firey colours; winters with crisp cold air that invites snuggling and warm evenings by a fire; and springtimes that present the entire landscape in rebirth and blooms.
But, like I said, your question, while curt, was probably rhetorical.

 

[love2"Q"]

funny .. got held for contempt of court the first time .. as i said earlier .. i spent an evening in the finest goverment faucilty ... forgot to call .. remembered ..
showed up .. sat in front of the jury person .. (can not remember officials title .)
the lovely lady told me my attitude was not needed .. stood there for 20 minutes ..
was told i was called for duty .. and i needed to wait here to speak with a judge ..
i explained to his honor .. i simply forgot .. we were in the middle of moving .. i owned my own business .. and that the 26 bucks a day was not going to feed my family ..
his honor leaves .. i am standing with a baliff .. talking about a football game ..
judge re-enters .. find out i forgot to pay a fishing ticket .. from when i was 16 ..
spent the evening in jail in norfolk .. and today .. get a notice in the mail ..
jury duty again .. think i will show up this time .. and it was a honest mistake ..
and i was 22 when it happend .. probaly did a smidgen of tude .....
and to top it off .. my dad is a lawyer ..LOL .. i will never learn ..

 

[babetoo]

I mentioned that because you said you would have liked to serve on a jury. As for where you live, I am so happy you are pleased with your geographical location. I, as are many many people who live in the beautiful Garden State, also very happy with where we live. I don't believe you were actually expecting me to name reasons why someone would want to live here. However, the list of reasons is very long, and it might surprise you to discover that we also enjoy many sunny days as well and beautiful autumns with trees and foliage that turn a myriad of firey colours; winters with crisp cold air that invites snuggling and warm evenings by a fire; and springtimes that present the entire landscape in rebirth and blooms.
But, like I said, your question, while curt, was probably rhetorical.

sorry, it was a joke , dear. babe