Foo - Thank my lucky starts I aint on trial! Jury Duty,SHeeesh!

Wher do they find these people? I know thru the DMV I read the paper. Thank my lucky stars I aint one of the people on trial. I walk into the courthouse this morning as I am called to jury duty. The lady at the reception counter is non stop,"sign your name on the bottom of the paper,sign here,fill out this part of the form, sign her,fill out this section of the form, sign your name here, fill this out,sign your name!" Geez! I walk up and hand her my paper completed. She says with a big smile,"THANK YOU SOOO VERY MUCH!".:D

I have a seat near the counter and just for entetainment observe how many people don't completely fill out the paperwork before they arrive at the counter as instructed on the form received in the mail. C'mon, these people have about 3 months to read and fill it out. Maybe 1 out of every 20 has taken the time to read the form for details!:eek:

Later the receptionist says, "group A and B can take a 1 hour break but must return in an hour. Group C and D may leave but must return at 1:30 pm". So everybody leaves the assembly room. After an hour we return. Some chick next to me asks another chick, "what happened? Did they excuse some of the people cause only half returned?". The chick replies, they were told to return at 1:30 pm". Then she goes on, where are they, did they get to go home?" The brighter chick looks at her in disgust and says,"no, they are on break" with that 'WTF' tone in her voice!:rolleyes:

I just sit back and observe these people. People that may be chosen to serve as a juror on a trial. People that can't pay attention to detail or understand instructions! Sheesh, thank goodness it aint me on trial!:D

Lucky Start?:D Lucky Stars!:p..but I caught it!:D

These are your peers.

No, these are my piers:

http://www.blackpool-holidays.com/images/NorthPier.JPG

Remember people, next time you hear about someone going to jail for something outright stupid....it was those kinds of Jurors in the box.

...I do wish it was illegal to be guilty of habitual inattention. Fine: 150 hours community service at the zoo picking up elephant poo.

I say we just starting killing stupid people.

"The efficiency of our criminal jury system is only barred by the difficulty of finding twelve men every day who don't know anything and can't read."
- Mark Twain

"The efficiency of our criminal jury system is only barred by the difficulty of finding twelve men every day who don't know anything and can't read."
- Mark Twain

Must be a snap getting a jury together in the south!

Wher do they find these people? I know thru the DMV I read the paper. Thank my lucky stars I aint one of the people on trial. I walk into the courthouse this morning as I am called to jury duty. The lady at the reception counter is non stop,"sign your name on the bottom of the paper,sign here,fill out this part of the form, sign her,fill out this section of the form, sign your name here, fill this out,sign your name!" Geez! I walk up and hand her my paper completed. She says with a big smile,"THANK YOU SOOO VERY MUCH!".:D

I have a seat near the counter and just for entetainment observe how many people don't completely fill out the paperwork before they arrive at the counter as instructed on the form received in the mail. C'mon, these people have about 3 months to read and fill it out. Maybe 1 out of every 20 has taken the time to read the form for details!:eek:

Later the receptionist says, "group A and B can take a 1 hour break but must return in an hour. Group C and D may leave but must return at 1:30 pm". So everybody leaves the assembly room. After an hour we return. Some chick next to me asks another chick, "what happened? Did they excuse some of the people cause only half returned?". The chick replies, they were told to return at 1:30 pm". Then she goes on, where are they, did they get to go home?" The brighter chick looks at her in disgust and says,"no, they are on break" with that 'WTF' tone in her voice!:rolleyes:

I just sit back and observe these people. People that may be chosen to serve as a juror on a trial. People that can't pay attention to detail or understand instructions! Sheesh, thank goodness it aint me on trial!:D

That sucks man:( , feel bad for ya.

Better to be carried by six, than judged by twelve.

That sucks man:( , feel bad for ya.
I don't. This is, though, a reminder why everyone - yes, *everyone* - needs to take their fair turn at jury duty when called and not play BS games to get out of it. What if you are falsely accused of a crime? It doesn't happen often (the vast majority of cops really do have better things to do than to invent charges against innocent people) but it does happen. In that case, don't you want at least some of the folk on the jury to have some smarts or, better yet, some common sense? Well, if all of us who fit that description bail on jury duty, you'll be screwed, won't you?

From the experiences of friends and family memebrs who have served on juries (I made into the box once, and the Assistant DA bounced me), and they were uniform in their overall praise for how juries actually work in practice. It turns out that 12 is a pretty good number - virtually nothing goes on in the trial that at least one juror doesn't catch, and the diversity of life experience and outlook helps guide the proceeding to fair results. Efficient it isn't. But then Mussolini's was about the only Italian government that actually made the trains run on time, so efficiency is not necessarily the be-all and end-all.

I don't. This is, though, a reminder why everyone - yes, *everyone* - needs to take their fair turn at jury duty when called and not play BS games to get out of it. What if you are falsely accused of a crime? It doesn't happen often (the vast majority of cops really do have better things to do than to invent charges against innocent people) but it does happen. In that case, don't you want at least some of the folk on the jury to have some smarts or, better yet, some common sense? Well, if all of us who fit that description bail on jury duty, you'll be screwed, won't you?

From the experiences of friends and family memebrs who have served on juries (I made into the box once, and the Assistant DA bounced me), and they were uniform in their overall praise for how juries actually work in practice. It turns out that 12 is a pretty good number - virtually nothing goes on in the trial that at least one juror doesn't catch, and the diversity of life experience and outlook helps guide the proceeding to fair results. Efficient it isn't. But then Mussolini's was about the only Italian government that actually made the trains run on time, so efficiency is not necessarily the be-all and end-all.
My 3 jury duty experiences would back up what you say. My wife's experience would not.

The trial she served on was a DUI case. The defendant had rear-ended a stopped police car that had its blue & red lights going because the officer was dealing with another stopped vehicle. The prosecution had multiple videotapes of the defendant failing multiple sobriety tests. They had experts testifying as to the effects of taking Ambien with alcohol. The case ended in a hung jury because half of the jurors didn't trust the police were telling the truth. They could have witnessed the police officers' actions themselves, and they still would have discredited the officers' testimony because "they are police, and the police lie."

My cases have all been quick and easy. And my fellow jurors have all been fairly reasonable people.

Mine was about a drunk driver. I was the first interviewed. First Q was,"do you drink alcoholic beverages?"....Nope!.....See Ya!


Last time of 2 times I've been tipsy was over 20 years ago! I don't understand the need for booze! Guess the defense dude didn't like my shoes!:D

The two cases I were on were nightmares. One was a malpractice suit about an infant who died in a doctor's care. That one was a long story, and pretty tough....even though I felt I done the right thing, I just couldn't look anyone in the eye because doing hte right thing was so hurtful to the parents of that child.

The other was a DUI manslaughter.....a teenage kid was dragged over two blocks in the wheelwell of this pickup truck. The guy was not only under the effect of alcohol, but also cocaine. This was an absolutely disgusting case....I never want to do another one of those again...it was just too much to see. Oddly I did feel for the guy who did it....it was obviously tearing at his soul something fierce as well. Maybe that was enough of an eye oppener to get him to stop drinking and doing drugs....hopefully.

Could be worse, mine came in the mail with less than a month's notice, to report April 2.

They're gonna have to come find my ass, cause April 2, I'll be in Hawaii. I have a phone call in to the jury clerk.

I won't go into detail again, but I had jury duty on a DUI case and we acquitted the defendant after the police and prosecuter provided evidence that contradicted themselves. Just watch out if you acquit someone, the cops will get you back.

My wife just got another notice this past Saturday to report on March 12. There was a note included that stated that they'd sent her initial notice to the incorrect address (we've lived here for over 2 years, and her first notice arrived here just fine). She's rescheduled it for later in the month.

I don't. This is, though, a reminder why everyone - yes, *everyone* - needs to take their fair turn at jury duty when called and not play BS games to get out of it. What if you are falsely accused of a crime? It doesn't happen often (the vast majority of cops really do have better things to do than to invent charges against innocent people) but it does happen. In that case, don't you want at least some of the folk on the jury to have some smarts or, better yet, some common sense? Well, if all of us who fit that description bail on jury duty, you'll be screwed, won't you?

From the experiences of friends and family memebrs who have served on juries (I made into the box once, and the Assistant DA bounced me), and they were uniform in their overall praise for how juries actually work in practice. It turns out that 12 is a pretty good number - virtually nothing goes on in the trial that at least one juror doesn't catch, and the diversity of life experience and outlook helps guide the proceeding to fair results. Efficient it isn't. But then Mussolini's was about the only Italian government that actually made the trains run on time, so efficiency is not necessarily the be-all and end-all.
My only time serving was like that. Took two days. Two felony assault-on-female charges on a guy. Though we wanted to find on the most heinous one, we admitted that we couldn't. But we were all able to agree on the lesser charge, which still landed him max time from the judge. After the trial, the judge met with us in the jury room, and told us the man's history to which we had not been privy. We were shocked. :eek: Then glad that we were able to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on at least one of the two charges, sad that we could not do the same on the second. We felt he was guilty, but the evidence just wasn't there on the second charge. And we were one of the most diverse groups of 12 people I've ever seen. Left me feeling pretty good about the system. But that's just my own experience and perception.

I don't understand the need for booze!


You have my deepest sympathy.

Just watch out if you acquit someone, the cops will get you back.


How?

My only time serving was like that. Took two days. Two felony assault-on-female charges on a guy. Though we wanted to find on the most heinous one, we admitted that we couldn't. But we were all able to agree on the lesser charge, which still landed him max time from the judge. After the trial, the judge met with us in the jury room, and told us the man's history to which we had not been privy. We were shocked. :eek: Then glad that we were able to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on at least one of the two charges, sad that we could not do the same on the second. We felt he was guilty, but the evidence just wasn't there on the second charge. And we were one of the most diverse groups of 12 people I've ever seen. Left me feeling pretty good about the system. But that's just my own experience and perception.

I had jury duty with a felony case as well, a while back. The jury which I was part of convicted, and to this day, I feel that the verdict handed down (as well as the sentence) was just.

I personally don't mind jury duty -- defendants or DAs could get far worse than myself sitting in their courtroom.

Maybe its just me, but between taxes, voting [1], activism [2], and jury duty, I am really getting off light on citizen obligations compared to the benefits. I think of Rome where to become a voting citizen, one must have served for 20 years in their legions. I also think of the people who immigrate to the US, who have to deal with so much paperwork, scrutiny, and other stuff to get the status which so many people take for granted here.

[1]: I always vote, and I do not care about the party, just if its the best person for the job regardless of the (R), (D), (L), or (I) after the name. Even if I turn in a blank ballot because I don't know the candidates well enough to decide, I always hit the polls. Flawed as it may, I'm grateful that we have a solid voting system.

[2]: Main thing I try to advocate is getting people to use reliable cryptography, even if its simple things like sending mail using S/MIME, gpg, or PGP.

I've been on two jurys. And I hope never again.

1) Armed robbery. Guy convinced us that he was in the car but knew nothing about the robbery. Just getting a ride to work. The other guys in the car testified that this was the case. We had reservations but found him not guilty. When the officers still cuffed him and took him away we asked the DA what was going on. Then he told us everything he couldn't tell us in court. The guy is a career criminal 30+ years in jail and was being held for numerous other crimes. If we had known that we'd have added to his total.

2) Groom suing a high-dollar country club for negligence. Guy sweared he was stone cold sober after the reception when he slipped on ice in the parking lot and suffered a compound leg fracture. Even though they had an open bar. Funny thing, his attorney swore that there were many people that could testify that the groom was sober. But they couldn't get even one of them to the courtroom for some reason. He was asking for a half million, we gave him the boot.

I got called once for Jury Duty. I showed up in my stage costume from when I played guitar in a punk band. Didn't have to stay.http://home.arcor.de/cirith-ungol/sonstiges/icon_headbang.gifhttp://www.chrlen.ch/gl/images/smilies/band.gif

I got called for a murder trial during the time my divorce was going on. It was a very rough time for me, and it turned out that I had met one of the defendants several times and a local and state police officer involved with the case were both friends of mine. I was of course excused.

I wouldn't mind serving...but a lot of companies don't fully compensate you when you are on jury duty. That would be my biggest problem with being on a jury. Paying my bills etc...

I got letters twice last year, but both cases were dropped the week before the trial. I wouldn't mind doing it, I think it would be interesting. That and the whole civic duty thing is important to me.

I always get the impression that the attorneys tend to avoid the real bright lights in the pool in favor of those they believe they can lead to a particular conclusion.

Got to send a six time felon up for twenty six years. We didn't know he was a repeat offender but he broke into a house and trashed the place, drug about two tons of stuff into a nearby grove, kept a gun he found (felon) threatend a cop, ran, then was in jail wearing the shoes of the man of the house that had numbered, custom insoles with the mans name written on them . Made for an easy decision.
After we found him guilty we were then told we had to find on some other evidence in order to convict him of being a repeat felon. The jury foreman made the statement later that if he knew the man would get 26 years in jail he would not have let us find the idiot guilty. Who was the idiot?
Steven

I always get the impression that the attorneys tend to avoid the real bright lights in the pool in favor of those they believe they can lead to a particular conclusion.

+1 And how! I have been called 5 times and was excused 3 times because I could show that my employers would not pay me while on the jury. It helped that my pay rates were low. The 2 times I showed up I had an employer that would continue to pay me however long it took (Fed. Gov.). Both times I was in the first group sent home after I told them I was a Registered Professional Engineer. A lawyer friend said that was because Doctors, Engineers, and a few other occupations that require analytic thinking hang more juries then any other group. Look at the facts. Make up your mind and stick with it even when 11 others who just want to go home are screaming at you. I am not a really bright light but the wife and I both dropped out of Mensa because we found it boring.

I wish I'd get called for jury duty. I haven't been called in over four years. I doubt that I'd be kept for any jury though. My degree is in criminal justice and I've been in a head on accident with a drunk. Plus most of my family is in law enforcement in one way or another. The defense would send me packing in a heart beat.

Ibigetsummonsedtomorrow.