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Jury Duty

by Ephrils
26 replies
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I just got Excused from serving my latest Jury Duty Summons for this week.

Jury Duty has a way of throwing a monkey wrench in all your plans and disrupting some peace in a routine you've managed to create. Also, the way they do it here, is that they have a random number generating program to select people from the Jury Pool. You go into the Jury Box and are questioned by the Prosecutor and Defense Attorney on if you'd be a good juror for the case. Nerve wracking.

I believe this was my 4th time called for Jury Duty.

Have you been called?
Have you ever served on a jury before?
Do you look forward to serving in a jury?
How do they select jurors where you are(in case where they do it here is standard everywhere)?
Got anything to add?
  • Profile picture of the author ThomM
    Been called once and served once.
    The selection process sounds about the same.
    I actually enjoyed it. It was one of only two times I've been in court as a part of the trial and didn't face jail time
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
    I've been called for jury duty a bunch of times. Never had to be a juror tho.

    The last one I was called for selection on was a federal case at the high court in Columbia.

    I was able to be excused for that one, thank god, cuz they said it could last for weeks.

    The case was something about a chicken fighting ring.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
    I've been called three times, but never had to serve. Two municipal cases and one Federal. The Federal case would have been interesting. Some local high profile businessman was helping a cocaine smuggler and got busted trying to $20,000,000 worth of diamonds to a Federal agent.

    As part of the selection process, the Judge asked me, if it came down to it, whose word would I believe, a law enforcement agent or a defendant? I said, "The law enforcement agent. I was raised to trust and respect them."

    The defendant's attorney promptly excused me from the jury.

    Put that in your back pocket for a later date.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

      I've been called three times, but never had to serve. Two municipal cases and one Federal. The Federal case would have been interesting. Some local high profile businessman was helping a cocaine smuggler and got busted trying to $20,000,000 worth of diamonds to a Federal agent.

      As part of the selection process, the Judge asked me, if it came down to it, whose word would I believe, a law enforcement agent or a defendant? I said, "The law enforcement agent. I was raised to trust and respect them."

      The defendant's attorney promptly excused me from the jury.

      Put that in your back pocket for a later date.
      The out we got from the judge was "Does anyone here feel that they can't be fair and impartial." At first one person meekly raised their hand. The judge excused him and said his duty was fulfilled.
      After that people where just heading for the door saying they couldn't be fair or impartial.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas
    Originally Posted by Ephrils View Post

    Have you been called? Have you ever served on a jury before?
    Been summoned twice, but never served; the first time I was ineligible because I worked for the government in a position that meant I should never have been called (but was anyway ).

    The last time, my name was called and, when I answered, I was told 'you are excused... goodbye'. No reason... no thanks... no 'sorry for wasting half your day.'

    Originally Posted by Ephrils View Post

    How do they select jurors where you are(in case where they do it here is standard everywhere)?
    Name is picked from Register of Electors. I believe a similar method is used in most countries.

    Originally Posted by Ephrils View Post

    Got anything to add?
    Twelve People Who Cannot Get Out of Jury Duty Are Not My Peers
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    Been called once, never had the honor of serving.

    I think it would be fun.

    I'd probably side with the defendant 9/10 times.

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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Called twice ,served once.
    Didn't try to get out of it, Part of my right/duty as an American citizen.
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    • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
      I was called for jury duty twice. The first time there were only me and another lady left, they called her and chose her as a juror so I was never questioned, nor served, obviously.

      The second time, I was called. I was asked what my occupation was and at the time I was a minister and stated so. The guy asking the questions asked me if I needed to be dismissed on the grounds of "Judge not lest thou be judged"?

      I replied no, that I don't judge other people, I only judge other people's actions and didn't have a problem with my actions being judged. I was dismissed anyway, haha!

      Terra
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    • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Didn't try to get out of it, Part of my right/duty as an American citizen.
      It's called Jury Duty for a reason. Another one of the small prices we have to pay for living in a (relatively) free, (relatively) democratic society.

      BTW, called once, never served.
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      • Profile picture of the author KimW
        Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

        It's called Jury Duty for a reason. Another one of the small prices we have to pay for living in a (relatively) free, (relatively) democratic society.

        BTW, called once, never served.
        Yeah, that is basically what I was trying to say/get across.

        So many people act like it is such a burden to actually do it.:rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    Who here would let Jodi Arias off?



    //thread highjack
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    • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
      Originally Posted by Sarevok View Post

      Who here would let Jodi Arias off?



      //thread highjack
      Yeah right. I'd let her off the side of a boat in the Atlantic ocean.. that's about it.

      Sorry, but you don't get to stab someone 29 times, slit their throat from ear to ear so deep that it almost beheads them, AND shoot someone in the face and try to claim self defense.

      Give me a break.

      PS, I've been following that trial since the beginning. I'm soooooo ready for it to be over. We all know she is going to be found guilty and (hopefully) receive the death penalty.

      Get it over with already.
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      • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
        Originally Posted by Whos That Guru View Post

        Yeah right. I'd let her off the side of a boat in the Atlantic ocean.. that's about it.

        Sorry, but you don't get to stab someone 29 times, slit their throat from ear to ear so deep that it almost beheads them, AND shoot someone in the face and try to claim self defense.

        Give me a break.

        PS, I've been following that trial since the beginning. I'm soooooo ready for it to be over. We all know she is going to be found guilty and (hopefully) receive the death penalty.

        Get it over with already.
        Come on man, she's a good artist!

        Jodi Arias Art

        -trollface-
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        • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
          Originally Posted by Sarevok View Post

          Come on man, she's a good artist!

          Jodi Arias Art

          -trollface-
          Apparently, that isn't uncommon at all.

          Criminal Art

          Check out the slideshow at the end of the article.

          Terra
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          • Profile picture of the author HeySal
            Originally Posted by MissTerraK View Post

            Apparently, that isn't uncommon at all.

            Criminal Art

            Check out the slideshow at the end of the article.

            Terra
            So I guess my absolute artistic inability will be enough to prove my non-criminal nature? Kewl.

            I'd love to get on a pot trial and use jury nullification. Think of how fast we could trash pot laws if we just kept nullifying those cases. Maybe that's why nobody ever wants me for jury duty.
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            • Profile picture of the author Kay King
              There's a bill in California right now to allow non-citizens to serve on jury duty. HUH??? Yep, you heard it right.

              The first step to allowing non-citizens to vote in elections? Sounds like it. A bit odd when you consider the stance that no ID can be required to vote - ID is required to serve on juries, isn't it?
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              • Profile picture of the author BFriendly
                Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

                There's a bill in California right now to allow non-citizens to serve on jury duty.
                I have a particularly odd form of Tourette's Syndrome, which forces me to uncontrollably yell out the words "ILLEGAL ALIENS" at the most inopportune moments. Please forgive me. It's a disorder, and a handicap, and I'm in a protected class. You wouldn't pick on a cripple, would you?
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              • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
                Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

                There's a bill in California right now to allow non-citizens to serve on jury duty. HUH??? Yep, you heard it right.

                The first step to allowing non-citizens to vote in elections? Sounds like it. A bit odd when you consider the stance that no ID can be required to vote - ID is required to serve on juries, isn't it?
                Yep.

                I forgot my ID in my car (in the parking garage, 5 floors up, 6 blocks away from the courthouse) for the federal case I posted about before.

                Got to the door & they refused to let me in. I had 9 minutes before we had to be in there.

                I hauled ass down the road, up the parking garage stairs, to my car, got my ID, down the stairs, back up the street & had to wait in line all over again.

                To make it worse I had a long-sleeve shirt on to cover my tattoos & it was 88 degrees outside that morning.

                I thought I was gonna die.

                Bottom line.. yes, you must have an ID to even get in for jury selection.
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                • Profile picture of the author Newbieee
                  I've lived in Asia for most part of my life.

                  Jury are not practice here.
                  It is the judge that makes the call.

                  I would like to experience that though, so if i was asked to go, i would at least go once for duty and experience.

                  But anyway, been to court once, labour court that is, back then i was working a day job and when i resigned, the HR didnt want to pay my last pay check.
                  Asked me to pay compensation for training etc. [$1800] + $1500 [basic pay check]

                  They literally pushed me to one corner, so i took them to labour court and won my case.
                  I represented myself. [cos i had the conviction that this was wrong and even if i presented my case in the lousiest way, i would still win.] Glad i did stand up for what i believe.
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              • Profile picture of the author seasoned
                Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

                There's a bill in California right now to allow non-citizens to serve on jury duty. HUH??? Yep, you heard it right.

                The first step to allowing non-citizens to vote in elections? Sounds like it. A bit odd when you consider the stance that no ID can be required to vote - ID is required to serve on juries, isn't it?
                WHY NOT! One guy came here, with his brother, apparently 100% ILLEGALLY! He apparently decided to kill, and did kill, some people on 9/11/2011! He went to russia for 6 months. Russia said that the US should be wary of these guys, but nobody listened. On 9/11/2012, they tried to "become american citizens". One was rejected, the other was accepted. But HEY, BOTH would earlier have been just accepted for being here if some got their way. 7 months later, they decided to spread havok. killed a few people, injured maybe a couple hundred. One was killed. The "citizen" is still in the hospital. He COULD get off on a technicality paid for by US, and vote in the next election! BTW we paid them WELFARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                I COULD talk about a B****rd that went all the way, etc.... BUT....

                Frankly, if I were mexican, adept to the culture, and fluent in spanish, I might decide to just give up citizenship. I mean if you can vote, travel, get so much free, etc.... what is the point? Citizens today aren't even expected to have any sort of allegiance, and the reason for such an expectation to b desired seems to be LOST to SO MANY!

                I guess being a citizen only means you are a slave to the government and those that aren't citizens. As that becomes more obvious and more true, and the shi breaks down and starts to rot, the crew will all JUMP SHIP! Those that remain will expect comfort and solice and find that the sinking ship is more a hindrance than anything else.

                Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
    I would have minded doing the federal one I posted about earlier.

    They said it was expected to last for weeks, if not a couple of months.

    The courthouse it was taking place at was 60 miles away from where I live.

    When I went in for selection, they said they were going to start the trial that same day.

    I was BROKE as shit at the time. I literally didn't even have 1 dollar for parking in the garage.

    They wanted the jurors to stay in a hotel (on their own dime) and they would be reimbursed.

    Ha.. I told the judge straight up, I literally didn't have 2 pennies to rub together right now and I didn't even bring any spare clothes, food, anything - I wasn't about to go thru that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
    So was Hitler.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    If we were living in constitutionally run America it would be, Kay. People keep forgetting, though - what we are is not Constitutional US -- it's US, Inc.
    Government is an illusion. The US is a corporation.
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  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    I've seen too many cases of (proven) prosecutorial misconduct to serve on a jury.
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by RobinInTexas View Post

      I've seen too many cases of (proven) prosecutorial misconduct to serve on a jury.
      There is this aria trial!

      The main witness is one trying to say all is DEFINITE and SCIENTIFIC and she was a LICENSED EXPERT and KNOWS all about ARIA! NONE of that is true! Not ONE thing! It is SUBJECTIVE GUESS WORK, she was mostly NOT licensed, and is NOT an expert. She certainly doesn't know all about aria. HECK, for much of the time, she wasn't even licensed!

      The Defense attorney SOUNDS stupid and argumentative, but is that because she is stupid? Is it because it is the defense? NOPE and NO WAY! THAT is how MOST attorneys are!

      Yet this person running this show saying she was an attorney tries to discredit the attorney! Now I don't know the whole story here, but I DO know that everyone on BOTH sides has been dishonest.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Ephrils
    I totally forgot about the Aria trial. My number just came up again for Jury Duty and figured people would have some experiences to share.

    I've never served. Last time I got out of it because my uncle was then, an EMT for the community, and I guess the Prosecutor thought my opinion would not be impartial. I didn't get called to the jury box at all this past time.

    Hearing how people get out of jury duty is always interesting, especially some replies here
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