Jury Duty!

[brad1]

I am so freakin' Happy! I had jury duty this week.  I have not had to go anywhere so far. And I just found out my duty time is over! No having to drive anywhere for me!!!! Had to tell somebody!

So, so happy, I didn't have to do anymore than call or check the website. I have a very hard time sitting around waiting.

I  have had some very un-fun experiences in the past with jury duty. 

How about you guys?  Any interesting past experiences with jury time?  

[RBSinTo]

Was called to duty (for the very first time) about one year ago, but because of Covid, it was put off by the court.

However, I expect when we return to some semblance of normalcy that I will be recalled for Jury selection. 

RBSinTo

 

[kidblast]

I've had to go two or three times,  it was always a wasted day.  never even got called in, just waited to be released.

 

 

[Notes_Norton]

I've been called a couple of times.

I was only picked once, it was an armed robbery trial. Fortunately, there was a lot of evidence against the accused, and he changed his story every time evidence was presented.

I questioned to myself, "Just what does a reasonable shadow of a doubt mean?"

In the end, I think we made a fair decision, and I hope it was the correct one.

There is a lot of responsibility of putting another person's future in your hands.

Insights and incites by Notes

[NighthawkChris]

Last time I was called in for jury duty I was selected to be a juror. I went into court for a couple days and case was over after that. Was sort of interesting and didn’t mind the time off work. I actually wanted to be a juror though to experience the court process. Wasn’t a big deal really… went in at 8 left before 5 - normal work day for me and didn’t lose my normal pay from my real day job. I had several chances to answer opinion type questions when the lawyers were picking the jurors and I answered good enough to make it to preside over the trial. In the end before the jury was to decide a verdict, they pulled a couple numbers out of a hat to pick the reserve jurors and I was picked. So I never had anything to do with the final verdict. Interesting experience to say the least. 

[Mr. Gibson]

Been called 3 times, never had to serve, glare at everyone when you get there, they’ll turn you loose.

[MissouriPicker]

Had to serve on a jury three times.  Two of them were pretty boring, but ended after a couple days.  The 3rd was a Murder trial and that was pretty damn intense and interesting.  We were locked-down for six days.  Actually, it was a learning experience.

[RBSinTo]

30 minutes ago, MissouriPicker said:

Had to serve on a jury three times.  Two of them were pretty boring, but ended after a couple days.  The 3rd was a Murder trial and that was pretty damn intense and interesting.  We were locked-down for six days.  Actually, it was a learning experience.

And a Civic Duty that should be respected, embraced and celebrated in a democratic society.

RBSinTo

[tx-ogre]

I’ve been called for jury duty in state courts (LA and TX) on three occasions.  The first two times were criminal cases and either my number was high where I was released without fanfare or my being a law enforcement officer (retired) prompted the defense attorneys to “strike” me from the jury pool in world-record time.  
 

However, the most recent occasion was rather amusing.  It was a drug case and I figured after the usual questioning, I figured I’d be released.  Not so fast.  The defense attorney, who was apparently in a coma, didn’t summarily “strike” me.  Then the judge questions me more about my background.  When I reiterated that I was a HIDTA drug task force commander for more than three years at the time of my retirement, he decided that my services wouldn’t be needed.  I had no qualms about serving on a jury.  I spent plenty of time in court proceedings as a case agent witness over the years so being in the jury box instead sometime didn’t bother me.  However, I always make sure I make full disclosure of my background to avoid providing the defense with grounds for an appeal, i.e., they didn’t know one of the jurors was a former drug task force commander in a drug case…LOL.

 

[rct]

Been to quite a few, the more you go the more they call you up it seems.  I've never understood why nobody wants to go to jury duty.  Always interesting, and you learn lots about how stuff works.

rct

[fortyearspickn]

Been called a half dozen times. Picked 3, but one of those, the accused pled out as we were being brought to the courtroom.  Other 2 - one was a DUI and the other a railroad employee suing the railroad for a hairline fracture of his heel which he allegedly suffered in a fall 10 years earlier.  We found the RR was half guilty and he was half guilty as well.  Many on the jury wanted to give him a half million - sort of justified because 'insurance will pay for it'.   It took a few hours to get those fine folks to realize  that 'fairness'   didn't mean creating lottery winners.  They realized that, without any evidence of the plaintiff ever being inconvenienced or in pain - a more just award would be  $5K.     RCT - you are a scholar and a gentleman.     The jury system is key to our justice system.   If I were wrongly accused, I would want 12 honest men deciding my fate.  Hopefully of at least 'average intelligence' ! 

[SteveFord]

I was called 2 years ago, spent 4 days at the Courthouse and sent packing.

However, the generous check I received in the mail from the county made me feel almost guilty for accepting it.

[CNJ]

Hi Brad, I had JD a couple times:  A criminal case where a guy stabbed his girlfriend (well, former GF),  a civil case where a lady slipped on a sidewalk, and a medical malpractice case.  There was so much detailed information in the malpractice case, I swear I can perform a carotid endarterectomy on you with a pen-knife.  Hopefully no more JD, ever!

[brad1]

1 hour ago, CNJ said:

Hi Brad, I had JD a couple times:  A criminal case where a guy stabbed his girlfriend (well, former GF),  a civil case where a lady slipped on a sidewalk, and a medical malpractice case.  There was so much detailed information in the malpractice case, I swear I can perform a carotid endarterectomy on you with a pen-knife.  Hopefully no more JD, ever!

carotid endarterectomy?  What the hell is that?

On second thought, never mind. Just make sure to carry a pen knife with you if we ever hangout. 

[merciful-evans]

Yes. I was in my 40s I think. Originally it was to be a murder trial, but my company complained it was too long duration , so I was given a shorter drugs one.

It was interesting. I was genuinely engaged by all of it. I think all us jurors felt the accused was guilty, but the evidence was not strong enough to convict. A couple of year later I saw the 'accused' hanging out of a moving car shouting threats and obscenities to someone. I wasn't surprised at the behaviour. 

I was never called to service again. I suspect it might be because I may have appeared to be 'awkward' customer. I wouldn't travel up in the lift with everyone else, so had to be escorted up & down the stairs every day. I also wouldn't swear on the Bible. Y'know silly stuff like that. In truth I wasn't trying to be awkward at all. 

[Notes_Norton]

I wasn't eager to serve, but didn't try to get out of it either.

It's not that I didn't want to be on a jury, I know how important that is. The responsibility for something I am not an expert at that can profoundly affect another person's life is something I take seriously. The first time I was called, and not selected, I decided that if it was close, and I need to err, I should err on the side of innocence.  Of course, that could mean a guilty person goes free. Fortunately I didn't have to make that decision.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[Retired]

I was only called once. I served a case where a guy was trying to sue Swanson for damages at a junk yard. He didn't prove his case. Deb has been called twice but served a murder case once. I doubt I will ever have to serve again because of my bad hearing. Even with my aides in I miss much of the conversations going on and would have to keep saying, Huh? What? can you repeat that again? I would literally have to get up to place my ear next to the lawyers  mouth. And if one went out, Haha, like  Sgt Shultz says.  "I Hear Nothing." 

[fortyearspickn]

After being on my first jury - I hammered into my kids:   "The jury of 12 people will have 6 of below average intelligence.  Do you want to put yourself in a position where a group like that will decide your fate?"   Especially if it's a complicated case?    On top of which - it is likely  that 3 or 4 of them will have come in resenting the imposition on their time, and will only pay attention to things they want to hear.  And one juror is likely extremely biased and views it as his/her mission to inflate his/her ego by doing everything possible to 'win' in the jury room.    So, if you put yourself in a position where as many as 3/4 of the jurors aren't 'top shelf'.

[Whitefang]

Been called, but never chosen( and never been through Voir Dire).  Once spent an entire afternoon sitting in a room at the Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit only to be told, "Ok.  You can all go home."   That was SIX HOURS I'll never get back!  

Whitefang

[sparquelito]

I look forward to the opportunity to serve, but used to find myself dismissed all the time (when I was Active Duty military anyway).

I did get selected one time about 14 years ago, and it was interesting.
I ended up being jury foreman.

A frivolous lawsuit it was, and one that ended up being dismissed after we found ourselves a hung jury, four days in a row.
11 of us obeyed the Rule Of Law and the court instructions, and one lady insisted on voting with her heart.

A regular stalemate it was!

Most vexing. 

😐

[Pinch]

Good for you. 

I stay on the right side of the law to a tee. Want nothing to do with any of that. Of course, we don't even have juries here. But still. 

Plus, the older I get I like calling just about every young person a criminal hippie, so there's that perk, too. 

[merciful-evans]

21 hours ago, Retired said:

 Even with my aides in 

You employ advisors? Impressive! 

[fortyearspickn]

3 hours ago, Pinch said:

Good for you. 

I stay on the right side of the law to a tee. Want nothing to do with any of that. Of course, we don't even have juries here. But still. 

Plus, the older I get I like calling just about every young person a criminal hippie, so there's that perk, too. 

Back in the 60s  use to say  "Never trust anyone over 30."    Now it's  "Never trust anyone under 30."      Churchill said  "If you're under 30 and not a Liberal, you have no heart. If you're over 30 and not a Conservative, you have no brain."    Hope we don't extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds.  We'll wind up with  Sponge Bob as President.  

[Whitefang]

2 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

   Hope we don't extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds.  We'll wind up with  Sponge Bob as President.  

Worse yet.   Probably ALEXA!  

Whitefang

[Pinch]

3 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

Back in the 60s  use to say  "Never trust anyone over 30."    Now it's  "Never trust anyone under 30."      Churchill said  "If you're under 30 and not a Liberal, you have no heart. If you're over 30 and not a Conservative, you have no brain."    Hope we don't extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds.  We'll wind up with  Sponge Bob as President.  

Under 40, I say.