Juries

[renard_ruse]

Was on a jury recently. I have started to rethink my belief in the trial by jury system. Some of these people were complete space brains.

 

[Sean]

The fact that you're allowed to serve on a jury would make most people rethink the system.

 

[oggbashan]

I've been Foreman of a jury twice for a series of minor trials - minor theft, burglarly, going equipped for burglary, possession of an offensive weapon. All could have been dealt with at a lower court but the defendants were trying their luck with a jury.

All the defendants were found unanimously guilty on all charges despite a few doubts from some jurors.

Before the sentencing, the defence asked for other outstanding accusations to be taken into consideration. The defendant with the fewest TICs had only 25 outstanding.

The full criminal record of each defendant was also read out. The individual with the fewest previous convictions had 8. The most? Over 60.

Those jurors who had expressed doubts were embarrassed.

I wasn't asked to serve on a jury again and I'm now ineligible because of my age.

 

[Busybody]

Those jurors who had expressed doubts were embarrassed.

I wasn't asked to serve on a jury again and I'm now ineligible because of my age.

no one wants to be JUDGED by OGGISM

 

[Christobal]

I have been on several juries including civil, criminal and traffic court. (This will teach me not to register to vote. Just kidding someone has to do it.) I can think of one person that didn't seem to get it but all others were just citizens trying to do a job.

 

[Pairaclities]

I have never been called to sit on a jury, however quite a number of employees who report to me have been requested.
About 1/2 all of them wish to defer, and for a variety of reasons.
Some of the people that have jumped in with both feet to be a juror are absolutely fucking air heads that have no business being involved in that type of decision making.

I would always request a trial by judge only, never leave my fate in the so called "peers".

 

[Jennifer]

I was on the jury for a murder trial. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. I'll never do it again. Ever.

It sucks that my number has been called for next week. I will get out of it.

 

[Mike_Yates]

Jurors are randomly selected and are not vetted for their competency.

Literally anyone could be on a jury, even in cases where the death penalty is at hand.

 

[Christobal]

I was on the jury for a murder trial. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. I'll never do it again. Ever.

It sucks that my number has been called for next week. I will get out of it.

Sad for you. My last was a child molester. The first thing I did everyday was come home and shower. Some things no detergent gets it off.

 

[FGB]

Jury selection is the procedure whereby persons from the community are called to court, questioned by the litigants as to their qualifications to serve as a juror and then either selected to or rejected to serve as a juror.

In Texas, following are the qualifications to serve as a petit juror:

S/he must be at least 18 years of age;
S/he must be a citizen of the state and of the county in which the person is to serve as a juror;
S/he must be qualified under the constitution and laws to vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror;
S/he must be of sound mind and good moral character;
S/he must be able to read and write;
S/he must not have served as a petit juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court or during the preceding six months in the district court;
S/he must not be convicted of misdemeanor theft or a felony; and
S/he is not under indictment or other legal accusation for misdemeanor theft or a felony.

The county clerk and the sheriff of the county draws the names of the prospective jurors for a county court from the jury wheel in the presence and under the direction of the county judge. They draws the names of the prospective jurors.

The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System develops and maintains a questionnaire to accompany a written jury summons. It must include a copy of the questionnaire that requires a person to provide his/her biographical and demographic information that is relevant to service as a jury member. A person who has received a written jury summons and a written jury summons questionnaire must complete and submit the same when the person reports for jury duty[ii].

When the jurors appear for jury service, the judge selects from the names on the jury lists a sufficient number of qualified jurors to serve on the jury panel. If the court finds that the number of prospective jurors present is insufficient, the judge orders to summon additional prospective jurors. They are discharged when their services are no longer required[iii]. The judge may direct to add alternate jurors to be called and impaneled with the regular jurors. They are drawn and selected in the same manner as regular jurors. An alternate juror must meet the same qualifications, same examination and challenges, take the same oath, same functions, powers, and privileges, and shall be provided the same facilities and security as a regular juror.

Each side is entitled to one peremptory challenge in addition if one or two alternate jurors are to be impaneled. Each side is entitled to two peremptory challenges in addition if three or four alternate jurors are to be impaneled. The additional peremptory challenges may be used against an alternate juror only, and the other peremptory challenges may not be used against an alternate juror[iv].

Tex. Gov’t Code § 62.102
[ii] Tex. Gov’t Code § 62.0132

[iii] Tex. Gov’t Code § 62.015

[iv] Tex. Gov’t Code § 62.020
- See more at: http://civilprocedure.uslegal.com/trial/jury-selection/texas-jury-selection/#sthash.Ey8MvxAP.dpuf

- See more at: http://civilprocedure.uslegal.com/trial/jury-selection/texas-jury-selection/#sthash.Ey8MvxAP.dpuf

 

[jomar]

Was on a jury recently. I have started to rethink my belief in the trial by jury system. Some of these people were complete space brains.

The smart people know how to get out of it...which brings up a different conversation.

Nothing personal though, I'm sure you had your reasons for serving.

 

[Jennifer]

The smart people know how to get out of it...which brings up a different conversation.

Nothing personal though, I'm sure you had your reasons for serving.

Very true! Now that I have been through it once, (I was 25 the first time), I know exactly what to say to get out of it.

It's a shame that our justice system is so fucked. I learned in a high school civics course to never, ever have a trial by jury.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Got Jury duty in the morning LOL

If I didn't live in such a small town I'd just say some really racist shit and be out of there by 9am.

But this isn't a metro megaplex where I'll just vanish and never see any of those people again, the whole fuckin town will know before I make it to the house.

#smalltownproblems

 

[Aquagal]

Got Jury duty in the morning LOL

If I didn't live in such a small town I'd just say some really racist shit and be out of there by 9am.

But this isn't a metro megaplex where I'll just vanish and never see any of those people again, the whole fuckin town will know before I make it to the house.

#smalltownproblems

I've served twice in this small town and jury selection was quite amusing. The questions that the lawyers would ask were at times like hearing all the town gossip in two hours.

 

[hashtag45]

Never been called for jury duty.
But I'm sure that I'll develop a sudden case of stomach flu, should that happen.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Was on a jury recently. I have started to rethink my belief in the trial by jury system. Some of these people were complete space brains.

That's what they said!

 

[oggbashan]

My experience with the local jury panels and on the juries themselves was that everyone wanted to do their best to decide innocence or guilt but found the legal processes boring, frustrating and sometime unintelligible.

Almost all of them would not want to be on a jury again.

 

[Christobal]

The smart people know how to get out of it...which brings up a different conversation.

Nothing personal though, I'm sure you had your reasons for serving.

I do have a reason for serving. It what makes the whole thing work. People seem to think only dumb people get jury duty because they are not clever enough to get out of it. However if you ever need the judicial system you want the jury to be there and be thoughtful about what they do. Most juries I have sat on think the same thing.

 

[MrRandyWatson]

Why not have professional jurors? People who work part-time, kind of like the military reserves, and go do jury stuff when they're needed. These people would be better versed in the law, understand what "reasonable doubt" is, and won't be as desperate to get out of it. Is it a perfect system? Sure beats the hell out of hat we have now.

 

[Not Normal]

Why not have professional jurors? People who work part-time, kind of like the military reserves, and go do jury stuff when they're needed. These people would be better versed in the law, understand what "reasonable doubt" is, and won't be as desperate to get out of it. Is it a perfect system? Sure beats the hell out of hat we have now.

That's actually kind of interesting. I'd consider doing that as apart time thing. Though frustrating, I do find the process interesting. I didn't mind the one time I sat on a jury.

 

[oggbashan]

Why not have professional jurors? People who work part-time, kind of like the military reserves, and go do jury stuff when they're needed. These people would be better versed in the law, understand what "reasonable doubt" is, and won't be as desperate to get out of it. Is it a perfect system? Sure beats the hell out of hat we have now.

The point of a jury system is that you are judged by your equals, not by an elite.

In the UK it is more difficult to get out of serving on a jury, and there aren't as many possible challenges. A juror is a registered elector over 18, under 70, and without a criminal record - that's it.

The easiest way to avoid jury service is not to be on the electoral roll, but that can have consequences for credit rating and employment.

 

[BotanyBoy]

I've served twice in this small town and jury selection was quite amusing. The questions that the lawyers would ask were at times like hearing all the town gossip in two hours.

I now know exactly what you mean and got to hear all about shit today.

Doodie averted though.

 

[MrRandyWatson]

The point of a jury system is that you are judged by your equals, not by an elite.

In the UK it is more difficult to get out of serving on a jury, and there aren't as many possible challenges. A juror is a registered elector over 18, under 70, and without a criminal record - that's it.

The easiest way to avoid jury service is not to be on the electoral roll, but that can have consequences for credit rating and employment.

That's a nice idea and all, but the Constitution was written when only property-owning males were going to be on juries, so the only people judged by equals in the eyes of the law were property-owning males. Property-owning males were essentially the elite of the day.

Nowadays any dipshit can serve on a jury, so it's a greater possibility of being judged by dipshits, or as we would call it, "the other extreme." When I offer up a suggestion like professional juries, I'm saying it in order to weed out the dipshits who don't know the Constitution from Garfield while making the requirements inclusive enough that anyone can theoretically learn to be a juror if he or she just takes the time.

In other words, people would still be judged by equals, just the more conscientious of them.

 

[Christobal]

Got Jury duty in the morning LOL

If I didn't live in such a small town I'd just say some really racist shit and be out of there by 9am.

But this isn't a metro megaplex where I'll just vanish and never see any of those people again, the whole fuckin town will know before I make it to the house.

#smalltownproblems

You do know that saying some racist shit might make you the perfect juror by one side or the other.

 

[thør]

I've never voted for acquittal when on a jury.