For some reason I got called every year and one year got called twice in 4 months. They excused me for the second one because you are only obligated once a year. I'm not thrilled about being old but one benefit is I'm now past the age when they can call me. I found it very boring, even when on a jury. Most of the time you are just waiting around for one thing or another.
I've never been called, thankfully. I hear it's a real pain with laughable pay. Mud, just tell them that you're a witch that sacrifices blueberry muffins to the pagan god Aphrodite. They'll proabably cut you loose for that one!
A co-worker of mine had grand jury duty in NJ once. I'm not sure if it's the same everywhere but she had to go for a full day once a week for about six months.
I've been called a few times and even selected for the jury once, but when we came back from lunch, the accused had decided to plead guilty - so we were all sent home.
where's lutzz when you need him? (hey, i hear an ambulance. i guess he's busy... )
i think everyone's getting confused (by our judicial system? no way!!! ) between grand jury and petit jury. grand jury meets, at the discretion of the county attorney and judge (usually once a week) to determine if there is sufficient evidence for a person accused of a crime to be brought to trial.
petit jury is when the case then moves on to trial, and a jury is requested in either a civil or criminal court. the jury acts as the judge, or fact finder to determine guilt or innocence. this is the kind of jury we see on tv and in movies all the time.
i have been on both kinds. grand jury is just listening to lots of evidence, mostly from the arresting cop, and explanations of the laws that were broken from the county attorney. then you vote to "bill" or "no bill" the case, to either send it on to trial, or dismiss the case, respectively.
I have not been on either types. I have been called for jury duty, but have always either found a way to get out of it or was told I was not needed within half an hour of arriving at the court.
The first time I was able to get out of it I said I could not be their on the date they said. I believe they allow you to do this once. They ask for another date that you would be available. I picked Dec 25 (I am Jewish so I would just be going to the movies and Chinese food that day anyway). Well they accepted that and of course canceled court on that day so I was able to get out of it.
yeah, it's the GRAND jury I'm being called for. AND, it's for the U.S. District Court, which means it's federal cases. Zacarias Moussaoui was tried in this same court.
I think it will be pretty interesting and I hope I get called.