Jury Duty

[f5rd2hy]

The first several summons I received were all taken care of with a phone call - you call Sunday evening and they tell you if you even have to report. Last one I did report, and made it upstairs to a courtroom, went through the voir dire and wasn't picked. That took 2 days. Last one, this past Sunday, I called and had to report Monday. They announced that one of the cases settled and that a few would be excused. They called a spread of numbers, 380 - 398, and my number was 398. Felt like I won the lottery and I was smiling as I walked out.

At least I know where to go, where to park, what to expect.

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title

 

[tbradsim1]

I was on a jury in the 80s , construction driver was stumbling and claiming asbestos damage hauling products. Being in the industry I informed myself, he never installed it, just a driver, talked to other members and gave them info of those products were encased in heavy plastic in containers and couldn’t see how he would have been exposed. It was a 2 day trail, he didn’t win. He stumbled out of the courthouse on the last day, I had parked my truck several blocks away, As I rounded the corner by my truck he appeared on the opposite sidewalk, looking left and right he slowly stopped stumbling and started walking strong and straight. I drove home happy that I hadn’t denied a man cpmpsation who really needed it.

 

[winton]

The only time I was on a jury, we decided that the dude had "pushed" the girl. She was screaming in his face, so he increased the distance between them. BUT, we did not agree that this constituted a crime. So we said not guilty.

The legal term for this process is Jury Nullification.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Both times I was on jury duty, they told us at the beginning, "If you are on today's jury, you will all go home and get paid for duty, because we don't have anything on the docket. " Then they asked, "If anyone has a reason that they think will exclude them for duty, come down to the front." After just being told that there was no trial, we would get to go home with pay... plus, we would not have to serve again for two years... people still lined up to give their reasons. It blew my mind how stupid people are.

 

[prndl]

The last time I got called, the bailiff got up and asked me if I knew anyone in the courtroom. I not only knew both plaintiff and defendant, I also knew both their attorneys and the trial judge.

I haven't been asked back in 20 years.

 

[ashdigger]

I'll never get seated on a jury, because of what I currently do, but if I ever have to put my fate in the hands of jurors I'm screwed.

I interview people all the time and the amount of idiots I deal with is startling. Shocking how we've dumbed down society. It seems like everyday is a new low and every interview is weirder and weirder.

I think I'm just going to start carrying c.r.a.y.o.n.s and coloring books.

Heaven help me if i interview a Marine. ?

Btw, that's ons, not crazy

 

[dcon]

I served on a 1st degree murder trial about 25 years ago. Some kid is doing life for that one. It was a really unpleasant but, enlightening, experience. My fellow jurors were more interested in getting back to work or going home than justice. A few years later I was again picked for a murder trial. When the defendant ( a young minority male) saw that an all white suburban jury had cleared, he began a discussion with his lawyer and approached the bench. The judge then informed us a plea deal had been made. I have the same fear as ashdigger about a jury trial.

Anything else that I would add would be too political and not belonging in this forum.

 

[ormazd]

My wife and daughter have both been called, but I've not had the "honor."

 

[sablebrush52]

Been called many times, seated twice. I'd been a witness in a case and that appears to work against my being seated.
I don't know how it is in other places, but in LA it's a freak show. The last thing in the world I'd want is having 12 of those slobbering cretins decide anything.

 

[mso489]

Was called but not selected. On a second round, explaining my household care taking obligations, was permanently excused.

 

[danimalia]

Shit, I never minded going to Jury Duty. I always got paid time off from my job to do it, so it was never a financial issue. I actually think I'd make a very good juror, but the only time I got close to getting on a trial, I was starting a new job the following week and didn't want to lay an absence down right away. The judge excused me.

My mom actually had to serve as an alternate on a child murder case a few years ago. She said it was pretty rough to sit through that trial, and I can understand that.

 

[alaskanpiper]

The only time I ever had jury duty I ended up on the jury and it was not only a great experience, but was downright hilarious. A man had been caught by the cops red handed with a bunch of frozen ribs, corn dogs, and salmon fillets that he had stolen out of a residential home in Mountain View. (The freezer was in an arctic entry, so it was easy to access). He still had the frozen food on him when the cops caught him, but decided he would deny it to the fullest and take it to trial.

Needless to say, both the public defender and prosecutor were both young rookie lawyers who thought they were on Law & Order. We heard passionate arguments about the horrifying terror the victims had felt while their freezer was raided, and also the heart wrenching plight of the "wrongly accused." These guys literally had cops testifying, and pulling old corn dog boxes out of evidence bags to present to us. At one point, the defendant was standing up in the courtroom screaming at the police video of him being caught yelling "THAT IS NOT ME!!!!!" (It was him). The judge struggling to keep order.

I have never seen such a hilarious and downright shameful waste of money than the two days spent on the most ridiculous trial I have ever seen, but it was a very good experience to go through and one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life. My fellow jurors and I had some good laughs in deliberation after making great efforts to hold it in in the courtroom. The verdict? SUPER GUILTY.

Very thankful I didn't have to sit on a jury for something significantly more unpleasant. Missed two days of work for a measly $25 a day, but hey, a valuable experience and my duty served.

 

[danimalia]

There are certainly many inequities in our judicial system, and I am all for exercising your rights to force the state to make its case against you. But sometimes, you just gotta know when they've got you nailed.

 

[kcghost]

When you call people cretins and other insults you must remember that you are a part of the same group of humanity as they are. Other than being a pipe smoker what sets us apart from our brothers.

 

[ron123]

When you call people cretins and other insults you must remember that you are a part of the same group of humanity as they are. Other than being a pipe smoker what sets us apart from our brothers.

Been to the DMV lately?

 

[alaskanpiper]

Been to the DMV lately?

I have! This was filmed at the DMV recently in Los Anchorage....

 

[brian64]

The last thing in the world I'd want is having 12 of those slobbering cretins decide anything.

Might have something to do with why around 97% of incumbent politicians are returned to office every election.

This was filmed at the DMV recently in Los Anchorage....

You gotta admit though...the DMV could potentially drive anyone to such a meltdown.

 

[alaskanpiper]

You gotta admit though...the DMV could potentially drive anyone to such a meltdown

I do have to admit, I have thought what this man chose to verbally and physically express many times, especially at that particular location. I was once forced to write a letter to myself, from myself (The CEO) authorizing myself to renew the registration for a company vehicle, signed by myself. It had to be on company letterhead, and they did not have a printer I could use, nor would they accept it digitally, so I had to go back to the office after a two hour wait, and then come back and wait again.

 

[tbradsim1]

When I moved to Baton Rouge in the late 60s and started working forvExxon I had to go get my car reg papers .Back then there was only one place, by the State Troopers, waiting in line the clerk was eating Oreo cookies while serving the public, she was as big as a whale, we heard munching and crunching while in line. When it was my turn, she reached to pull a shutter down, I quickly grabbed her wrist and asked , Where are you going, It’s my lunch hr she said. Nowadays I would have been in jail for what I did, my Cajun temper flashed, I almost pulled her thru the bars, Lady I said you’ve been eating all morning, now you’re gonna do my papers or it will be bad for you and me. She did my papers, I was expecting law enforcement but I was lucky they never did. Thank God you can do a lot of DMV business online.

 

[scloyd]

waiting in line the clerk was eating Oreo cookies while serving the public, she was as big as a whale, we heard munching and crunching while in line.

She was probably washing them down with a Diet Coke to save calories.