Jury duty.

[Strong Atheist]

Poll question: Jury duty.

I have been called 3 times, and actually picked none, though I had to go in once. I would serve if asked. The only exception is for a trial that I thought would be AT&T anti-trust like (13 years), or O.J. like (over a year); in that case I would make sure that I was not selected. I am not going to put my life on hold for who knows how many years for trials like that ...

A week, a month, even two or three months is bearable...

[BlueIris]

1. Here's how I feel: civic duty. Suck it up.

I don't have any exceptions for me personally.

[Strong Atheist]

23. You are better than I. I would not sit for YEARS; which is how

some of the corporate/anti-trust cases go. No case should go that long. I believe on either the AT&T or IBM case, judges died while the trial went on ... it is ridiculous, and I would get myself struck from a jury that I thought was going to be empaneled for YEARS ...

[Book Lover]

25. I knew someone who was in that situation

She was a juror on the Oakland Riders trail, if that had any meaning to you. The jurors were given Fridays off to do their work. Her volunteer efforts sank like a stone, of course, and she came out of the experience hating the system, calling it all bullshit (the maneuvering of both sides, by the way). YMMV.

[Strong Atheist]

29. YMMV? nt.

[Book Lover]

30. So sorry!!

Your mileage may vary. My apologies for being (unintentionally) obtuse.

[Strong Atheist]

31. Nope, I just did not know that acronym. Now I do.

:toast:

[Deep13]

2. I go, tell them I am a prosecutor and get sent away.

I have been called once and it was for a rape trial. I told the court truthfully that I could not be impartial because I work for the DA's office and he agreed.

[Crazy Dave]

3. I've never been called in my lifetime

Some people I know have been called up several times but not myself or anyone in my household.

[Squeech]

4. Once upon a time

I was called, but not seated. This was Cambridge, where the courthouse is a high rise of over a dozen floors, so there are many courtrooms and many trials scheduled. They called a couple hundred potential jurors, and part of the lecture was that we'd served justice simply by showing up, thereby demonstrating that there was no shortage of jurors and that trials would proceed, and thereby convincing many disputants to settle. And they sent half of us, including me, home at lunch.

Part of me was hoping to get some sort of drug war case, and looking forward to arguing with the other eleven angry men that the whole reason we have jury trials is to protest if we think that the defendant is getting railroaded by an overzealous application of a stupid law.

I would sit on an O.J. jury for a year, as long as they'd let me read history while impanelled. It's not like there's anything else particularly thrilling going on in my life at the moment.

[rbnyc]

5. I'd love to go, but the timing is always terrible.

Or I don't see the notice until it's too late. I actually think I may be in trouble.

[Strong Atheist]

16. Oh, you're bad. nt.

[azmouse]

6. I've been called to serve several times

but have never been selected. If I ever am selected, I would do my best to be impartial. It's a karma thing. I would want a jury to do their best if I'm ever unfortunate enough to be on trial for something.

[Strong Atheist]

17. Cool. nt.

[Orsino]

7. I would like to go.

I was called once, but I was serving overseas and didn't get the notice until after the reporting date, anyway. I've lived at my current address for many years, but have not been called.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. I'm with you on the long trials.

I will do and have done my civic duty on normal trials but I would not want to upset my life for months on end because the lawyers aren't ready or are running up their billing hours or are otherwise stretching out the proceedings.

[Strong Atheist]

18. Agreed.

:toast:

[Radio_Guy]

9. Willing, to a point

Likewise I would hate to be on a jury for more than, say, six months. But I wouldn't try to get out of it, especially if it were an Enron-like trial.

[Strong Atheist]

19. I would. Welcome to D.U. !

:toast:

[eyesroll]

10. I've never been called, but I'd go.

I'd probably be exempted from a trial that was expected to take more than a couple of months, as I'm starting law school in the fall, but I'd like to serve on a jury normally.

[momophile]

11. I've been called twice and served once for two days...

but why is it that my husband lives in this county for 8 years and never gets called and I live in it for two and get called? I know - random picks. But I would like for my husband to serve. It was cool.

[LeftyMom]

12. I can't at the moment

I have a small child to care for and an employer who can't spare me because it's a small company and my job is vital. When he's older and I'm at a different job I'd have no problem with serving on a jury (I doubt they'd want me though.)

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. I think I've been blackballed, anyway.

Last time I was called and served the batshit crazy judge didn't like our verdict, started screaming at us and threw us all out.

[Strong Atheist]

20. That sounds .... illegal, if not unprofessional and unethical.... nt.

[miss_american_pie]

14. Never been called

But after the baby weans, I'd go willingly.

[realisticphish]

15. I got called

the other day; I'm pissed, because I wanted to go, but I can't. I'm at college, and can't serve in my home county without missing a lot of class

[satireV]

21. The last true power an individual has is jury nullification

Despite what the judge says you have the power to nullify, on a case by case basis, the law.

I have been called numerous times, and have been chosen as foreperson 3 times. I only try and sit on criminal cases.

On the last criminal case I sat on, I hung the jury. It was a drug dealing/possession trial. Everyone but me voted guilty. I voted not guilty. I did not tell them I was against drug laws, but rather said I did not believe the LEOs on the stand.

After the trial, the prosecutor asked my why I voted not guilty. I told her, it isn't about winning but about justice, and there is zero justice in the drug laws. She got really angry and threatened me with arrest. I told her to piss off and take her best shot. I never heard from her.


If more people nullified drug laws in the jury box, the drug laws would disappear.

[Strong Atheist]

22. I don't think it is legal to arrest someone for how they vote on a jury.

nt.

[kick-ass-bob]

24. Did the lawyers question you in the box about your beliefs on drug laws?

And if they did, did you lie? If so, they can arrest you, because you lied under oath.

Keep pulling that shit and they will get you.

[satireV]

26. No the lawyers didn't

The judge however did say we could not judge the law. Since that is patently false, I ignore him.

[kick-ass-bob]

28. Well, that's good. And (if they even looked at it at all)

is why they didn't bother doing anything.

If people can legally say someone is not guilty because they are cute (or some such crap), I don't see how a judge can even say anything like that - except to try to keep control.

[satireV]

27. I hope someday they do arrest me for nullifying or lying under oath.

Imagine my trial and the prosecutor trying to explain to a new jury why I am on trial.

I don't think the jury would be sympathetic to the prosecutor.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

32. I CAN'T be called.

Underage!

:P :P :P :P :P

[Strong Atheist]

34. WRONG!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=4859096

Edited to add: This post was what made me think of the poll ...

[WritingIsMyReligion]

40. What. The. Fuck.

:scared:

[Strong Atheist]

41. Lol! See you later!

:hi:

[Heidi]

33. I've tried.

But I was a journalist/editor for 20 years and no prosecutor seemed to want me on a jury. That may have something to do with the fact that my SO for many years (prior to my marriage to Call Me Wesley) was a criminal defense attorney, and roughly 75 percent of my closest friends are attorneys in private practice. :shrug:

[Strong Atheist]

35. Hey, good for you; at least you tried. I would go as long as I did

not think it would drag on for years...x( to that nonsense...

[Heidi]

36. Oh, I'd _love_ jury duty.

That's why I always tried when I was called, and then walked away feeling unwanted. x(

[Strong Atheist]

37. Sorry about that... they don't want teachers either... strange, maybe

teachers and journalists are considered too educated...

[Heidi]

38. I know it.

My mom, aunt, uncle, grandfather and grandmother were teachers: called often, never chosen. My dad, who has more advanced degrees than anyone else in the family, left a teaching career to work as an advocate for veterans: called often, chosen a couple of times. Go figure. :shrug:

[Strong Atheist]

39. Ah well. Going home in a few. Waiting a bit to see if one of my other

posts is answered...

see you tomorrow!:hi:

[AllegroRondo]

42. I've been called several times

but couldnt go, as I was active duty military at the time, stationed away from my home state.

[LisaLynne]

43. I've been called once, went in, found out it was a murder trial ...

but didn't even get to get questioned by the lawyer! They just didn't get that far down on the list. I read in the paper later that they ended up convicting the guy. It was a drug thing -- this guy and reportedly two accomplices (who testified during the trial, although one got on the stand and refused to say anything) went to a known crack house, killed three people, and stole the money and drugs they found.

I have to say the bleeding heart in me was a little taken aback by the way that it was so obviously "just a job" for the defense attorney and the judge was sort of joking around with both lawyers and the potential jurors. I mean, this guy, guilty or not, was on trial for murder and everybody was treating it like it was no big deal. Just seemed wrong. Maybe I watch too much tv.

[tjwmason]

44. Only been called on once.

and I had a genuine excuse (I was summoned from my home address, I was at university 500 miles away) and so applied and received a waiver.

If I am called again, and don't have a similar genuine excuse, I'll happily go and carry out my public duty.

[Strong Atheist]

45. Cool. nt.

[Alleycat]

46. I have never been called

[Strong Atheist]

47. Registered to vote? Then it will happen, sooner or later ... nt.

[Alleycat]

51. I am since 18 now 41

I've lived in about 5 different areas and have never been called in any one.

[Solon]

48. I got a Jury Duty notice in the mail a few months ago...

Told me to call this number to see if the meeting for my group has been cancelled or not, the night before the meeting. I called, it had a message saying, yep, its cancelled, your relieved. I would have done it, no biggy, but I really hate being strung along though.

[Jokerman]

49. Called 3 times, served on one jury.

It was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. A young man charged in a drive-by shooting. Two jurors were determined to convict on all charges and two were determined to acquit, regardless of the facts.

We even had the soccer mom who was willing to vote either way just so she could get home in time for dinner.

Ended up hung on all three charges.

[Strong Atheist]

50. Does sound frustrating, and grossly unfair decisions made by some ...

nt.

[supernova]

52. Served for two weeks this past January

I got a summons in the mail and went. I couldn't get out of it, tried to plead economic hardship since there's just me. But I got selected to serve. That was a big day in the court system here. They were choosing criminal court, civil court, and a grand jury all from the same pool as me!

Turned out to be a two-week personal injury trial in civil court. It was interesting but very draining for me. While I was in court, I worked part-time at my job in the evenings. I got along very well with my co-jurors. We tried all the local restaurants and coffee shops. That was our big non-court entertainment. :-)

I'm just now starting to feel like I'm getting back on top of things at work, though.

edit: My stint in January means I'm off the hook for 24 months.

[Katherine Brengle]

53. I was called a couple of months ago--I couldn't go for the day they had

listed, so I sent back the card with a new date chosen (I don't know if you can do this everywhere, but here you can request a specific date in the future, within a certain time frame). My husband (who is overseas) received a notice at the same time, so I sent his card back with the same future date requested.

They sent my hubby back a confirmation and never sent one to me.

WHat garbage. Anyway, I couldn't go, so I didn't, but they never called or sent me another letter... I guess we'll see.

I have nothing against jury duty, but I think I might have a problem with the postal service, lol.

[Nikia]

54. Never called, but would rather serve than go to work

My workplace will pay an employee for the days they miss due to jury duty. Jury duty would be more interesting than my current job.

[YankeyMCC]

55. We seem to be a very responsible

group of citizens...i'd be very curious to see the results of the same poll put to that other site that starts with "F"

:)

[mvd]

56. I've been called a few times

I served pretty apathetically.

I've never been on a trial. It might be fun to be on one. But it got annoying when I was called repeatedly - I think I got called so much because I was a new voter.