How come nobody else gets jury duty?

[jomar]

Crap. Seems like I always get called. If i was retired I'd go with great pride, but it costs me money to take off. So, what are good excuses to get out of it? They didn't buy back pain, PTSD, hard of hearing, overly sensitive ears, ticks and worms, or light hurts my eyes. C'mon, help me out here!!

 

[Dar~]

Crap. Seems like I always get called. If i was retired I'd go with great pride, but it costs me money to take off. So, what are good excuses to get out of it? They didn't buy back pain, PTSD, hard of hearing, overly sensitive ears, ticks and worms, or light hurts my eyes. C'mon, help me out here!!

Whatever the trial is about tell them you're a victim...?
I had to go to jury duty for a child molestation case. I knew b/c I was a nanny for an ED child who had been molested by her father that I couldn't be fair. Hell, I couldn't even look at the bitch without wanting to kill her. So I said so to the judge when they asked why I'd want out of the duty.

 

[jomar]

Whatever the trial is about tell them you're a victim...?
I had to go to jury duty for a child molestation case. I knew b/c I was a nanny for an ED child who had been molested by her father that I couldn't be fair. Hell, I couldn't even look at the bitch without wanting to kill her. So I said so to the judge when they asked why I'd want out of the duty.

Not to minimize anybody's experiences, but yeah. It really seems to me that I get called up more often than anybody else I know. Does that happen to anybody else?

 

[JamesSD]

jomar, have you usually been picked to sit on the jury, or just called as part of the pool, and not picked? My friends and coworkers have mostly fallen into the latter (although one was picked specifically because she looked bored and antsy to leave, and the attorneys wanted a quick trial and quick decision.)

There's no real way to get out of being called to be part of the pool. The best ways to be dismissed (ethical or not), are to express racist attitudes, or strong, unchangable points of view. Expressing a strong distaste for authority figures (like police), also can sometimes work.

My personal favorite (although I haven't tried it myself), is to express your belief in "Jury Nulification". This is the moderately controversial idea that a jury can find a defendant not guilty even if they believe he broke the law, if they feel the law in question is unjust. The most common example of this is in drug cases. I don't believe possession of marijuana should be criminal, so if I was on a jury for someone being tried on charges of marijuana possession, I would find them not guilty, even if I believed they had in fact possessed the pot.

The cold hard truth is if you don't want to serve, just don't show up. Courts generally take a pragmatic attitude that they don't want a jury made up of people who absolutely don't want to be there, and would rather have those who feel a sense of duty to show up and do a good job.

 

[Guest]

One of my grad school professors had wonderful stories about this as he was called often to serve.

Once when being questioned (Have you ever been the victim of a crime?) he asked the lawyer to"Operationally define crime."

He wasn't picked.



My hubby just got a summons for a couple of weeks from now.

We'll see what happens.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Oh, I've got that covered. Im Canadian, they don't want Canadians on US Juries...

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Not to minimize anybody's experiences, but yeah. It really seems to me that I get called up more often than anybody else I know. Does that happen to anybody else?

My wife was once called for jury duty on a criminal case that she had heard a few months earlier as a member of a grand jury.

Jury selection procedures vary from place to place, but if you bitch loud and long enough, write letters-to-the-editors or call into local radio talk shows and question the fairness of the system for those being selected and those being tried, mention how seldom certain elected officials and local big shots are called, maybe raise the possibility of profiling to load the jury pool with whatever categories apply to you, and touch on the competency of the Clerk of Court in general, odds are the folks in that office will be fighting each other to be the one who deletes your name.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[scheherazade_79]

They wouldn't trust me enough

 

[Dar~]

Now, this isn't the same state to state, but In New Mexico, it is cyclical. Each quarter a new chunk of the population is called into availability for Jury duty. You are let know at the beginning of the quarter that it's your rotation and they can call you as often during that quarter as they want. Mine was last march and i got called six times. Never had to serve, thank heavens.
In Montana it was a computerized randomizer.

 

[R. Richard]

I got called for jury duty when I first moved into the area where I now live. I was selected for a panel and then called in for final jury selection. The defense attorney asked me if I believed in capital punishment. I said, "Of course, but only after the guy is convicted after a fair trial. I don't hold with just taking a guy out and stringing him up, even if the evidence is all against him." I was challenged for cause and dismissed. Despite the fact that I stood foursquare for law and justice I have never been called since.

 

[SeaCat]

I have been called to Jury Duty once a year since I turned 18.

Every time I have shown up for my duty with the expectation and willingness to sit on a jury.

Every time I have been disqualified.

Usually because I have always clearly stated that I believe in the idea of if you do the crime you should do the time.

Cat

 

[cloudy]

Been called once, never bothered to show up for jury selection, and no ramifications.

*shrug*

 

[Guest]

Been called once, never bothered to show up for jury selection, and no ramifications.

*shrug*

You rebel.

It's a good thing you're gorgeous.

 

[cloudy]

You rebel.

It's a good thing you're gorgeous.

LOL...

I just couldn't be bothered, to be honest. At the time, like jomar, jury duty would have cost me a ton of money.

 

[Guest]

LOL...

I just couldn't be bothered, to be honest. At the time, like jomar, jury duty would have cost me a ton of money.

Well, we're hoping hubby doesn't have to serve.

He's supposed to teach summer school.

 

[cloudy]

Well, we're hoping hubby doesn't have to serve.

He's supposed to teach summer school.

Last day of school was this past friday. No more privacy for me until August.

 

[Guest]

Last day of school was this past friday. No more privacy for me until August.

I hear that.

 

[starrkers]

Last time I was called I was pregnant. That was 10 years ago, and I haven't been called since - maybe they think it was an extra long pregnancy
Although looking after young children is an accepted excuse here too.

 

[TE999]

Hah! I got called for jury duty today.

Spent 3 frickin' hours in the Assembly Room and then were told to go home.

The lawyers had settled the case before the judge--so no jury needed.

At least I got coffee and donuts out of the deal.

 

[glynndah]

I got a letter last year stating I was in the jury pool. then another letter staing I was in next month's, then another. The final one said that since there had been no jury trials during that time, my obligation was finished. Too bad, I would have served.

 

[snake0067]

Say something racist and they boot you immediately.

 

[elsol]

I got called for jury duty when I first moved into the area where I now live. I was selected for a panel and then called in for final jury selection. The defense attorney asked me if I believed in capital punishment. I said, "Of course, but only after the guy is convicted after a fair trial. I don't hold with just taking a guy out and stringing him up, even if the evidence is all against him." I was challenged for cause and dismissed. Despite the fact that I stood foursquare for law and justice I have never been called since.

I notice that too.

It's like "I actually believe what is written in the law, so I'm going to study the law in question, pay attention to the jury instruction, pay attention during trial, and give everyone here the benefit that I wish someone would give me if I were the victim, victim's parent, or the defendant."

It's like a guarantee that someone on one side or the other isn't going to want you on that jury.

But having been through a jury trial, I understand; too much of the system is based on perception so nobody in their right mind is going to want someone on the jury who might call BULLSHIT on them.

 

[glynndah]

I notice that too.

It's like "I actually believe what is written in the law, so I'm going to study the law in question, pay attention to the jury instruction, pay attention during trial, and give everyone here the benefit that I wish someone would give me if I were the victim, victim's parent, or the defendant."

It's like a guarantee that someone on one side or the other isn't going to want you on that jury.

But having been through a jury trial, I understand; too much of the system is based on perception so nobody in their right mind is going to want someone on the jury who might call BULLSHIT on them.

I have a friend who is a defense attorney and he was selected to be on a jury recently.

 

[snake0067]

I have a friend who is a defense attorney and he was selected to be on a jury recently.

Defense must think their guy is innocent or else they wouldn't want him their to reveal the magic trick so to speak.

 

[kinkikittyn]

hmmm, I got paid by my employer...signed a paper either giving the jury duty "payment" back or to the company (I forget which) and then my employer paid me my regular salary...
so I sat there for a couple of days but didn't get called on a case