Jury duty

[jayem]

Anyone here been called for jury service? I got a summons for jury duty last month. I was to appear at the county circuit court at 8:30 am March 24. I have to complete about 8 screens of questions. Being retired, I can't claim any employment related, or other reason to be excused. So yesterday morning I get up 2 hours early, shower, shave, dress appropriately (no jeans or athletic shoes) and drive 7 miles to the county government center. Juror parking is 3 1/2 long blocks away. It's raining, and not having an umbrella, I semi-jog in my preppy tassle loafers to the courts entrance. Wait 10 minutes in the security line to get scanned for weapons and other contraband. Then I walk down a long hallway to the Jury Assembly area. Where the receptionist very politely says, "I'm so sorry. We had a computer glitch. We weren't able to text or e-mail everyone that jury selection was canceled. But I will validate your parking ticket, so you won't have to pay. And I'll give you a note for work, if you need it." It took a supreme effort of will not to use language that would be inappropriate in court. I'm thinking of sending a bill to the county for 14 miles worth of gas and wear and tear on my car.

 

[Hank77]

Anyone here been called for jury service? I got a summons for jury duty last month. I was to appear at the county circuit court at 8:30 am March 24. I have to complete about 8 screens of questions. Being retired, I can't claim any employment related, or other reason to be excused. So yesterday morning I get up 2 hours early, shower, shave, dress appropriately (no jeans or athletic shoes) and drive 7 miles to the county government center. Juror parking is 3 1/2 long blocks away. It's raining, and not having an umbrella, I semi-jog in my preppy tassle loafers to the courts entrance. Wait 10 minutes in the security line to get scanned for weapons and other contraband. Then I walk down a long hallway to the Jury Assembly area. Where the receptionist very politely says, "I'm so sorry. We had a computer glitch. We weren't able to text or e-mail everyone that jury selection was canceled. But I will validate your parking ticket, so you won't have to pay. And I'll give you a note for work, if you need it." It took a supreme effort of will not to use language that would be inappropriate in court. I'm thinking of sending a bill to the county for 14 miles worth of gas and wear and tear on my car.

No paper trail with names and phone numbers? If they could text they could call. Some people don't have text service, I don't.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I've been called up 2 or 3 times. Each time the docket "pled out". My employer lets us bill for this so I don't mind.

 

[jacks]

I've been called, waited around 1/2 a day and then everyone was "excused". Kind of a waste of time, but we got paid (around $10 I think) so that paid for my gas. Actually I was glad I didn't have to actually sit through a trial.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I've been called, waited around 1/2 a day and then everyone was "excused". Kind of a waste of time, but we got paid (around $10 I think) so that paid for my gas. Actually I was glad I didn't have to actually sit through a trial.

Given that my company will pay me for my time (I think more companies should encourage civic duty), I'd like to do it at least once.

 

[MehGuy]

I haven't had the honor.. sir.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I've been in a few pools for a case, but the only time I was empaneled as a juror, there was a mistrial after a week of testimony when a cop said something he shouldna.

 

[RDKirk]

I served jury duty for a federal felony case in Washington DC, then served on a special court-martial panel in the military. Both were eye-opening experiences with interesting cases, and neither took more than a week.

The civilian trial took only the first Monday, including jury selection, but we deliberated until Friday afternoon. The military case took two days total. We acquitted the civilian, convicted the airman, and we were all somewhat miffed in each case. "Sometimes the law is asinine."

I wouldn't have liked being on a jury for months on a white-collar criminal case.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I've had to serve in both county and federal jury pools. The county service was for 1 week in the pool here you got free parking at the county courthouse and went to the basement where they had a lot of chairs, a card table and ping pong and tv setup. Many people brought books and back then there was no cell phone internet nor wifi either. It was a boring week I had to take off work and I handed them my check from it and they gave me a full weeks pay. I only got called up to court once that week and I was one of 24 that were in the pool but didn't get chosen, I probably would not have been picked either because it was a case about a car striking a kid in a crosswalk at a school, and I went to that school when I was a kid and I doubt the defense lawyer would want someone who knew the neighborhood very well on the jury.
I also got called for federal jury service and it was a lot different. You are put in the "pool" for up to 6 months and they would call you up to come in for a day and we hanged out on I think the 4th floor of the federal courthouse building it was a rather small group instead of I think about 80 in the county pool it was about 20-30 in the federal pool. I got called in once and didn't get picked and the second time they called me I was picked for a federal trial.
I served as an alternate juror on the trial as at that time they chose 14 jurors of which 12 deliberate and 2 "spares" I was the second "spare" and during the trial one got sick and the other excused so I was made a full juror.
They gave us all notepads and we were to take notes on everything we thought was useful. The trial was about drugs a couple were wholesaling them to local dealers and they got several of these dealers to testify against them.
The ironic (and good) thing was I was told that we had to serve at least 10 days on a trial to be moved to the bottom of the list and they said usually when you were moved there you rarely had to serve on another trial. The trial and deliberation took 11 days. We spend about 1/3 or so of the time hanging out in the jury room waiting to be called as (I'm guessing) the lawyers and judge argued about witnesses and valid testimony to be presented.

To be honest I am glad I served on that jury, but I never want to do that again it was over 2 weeks of grueling, boring almost torture in ways. I never was called to serve again. I think those who have never served as a juror have little appreciation for our justice system, the jurors I was with were all very serious about it all one even was scared that if we convicted these people they would want to kill us. I had to tell her that it very unlikely as they would likely go after the lawyers and judge than us and that these people weren't that smart to begin with.
That is why when people try to judge and sentence people for things that go on, I step back and ask them to wait for a jury to convict these people as the majority of people who proclaim others guilt have never served on a jury and had to listen to all the evidence for weeks at a times then decide the fate of the persons involved. When you are 1/12 "responsible" for sending someone to prison for years or worse then you don't just blurt out that someone is guilty when in a jury a wrong decision could cost someone their life.

 

[Arcangl86]

I served jury duty for a federal felony case in Washington DC, then served on a special court-martial panel in the military. Both were eye-opening experiences with interesting cases, and neither took more than a week.

The civilian trial took only the first Monday, including jury selection, but we deliberated until Friday afternoon. The military case took two days total. We acquitted the civilian, convicted the airman, and we were all somewhat miffed in each case. "Sometimes the law is asinine."

I wouldn't have liked being on a jury for months on a white-collar criminal case.

Ok, I have a question. How was a civilian court martialed?

 

[Tinker Grey]

Ok, I have a question. How was a civilian court martialed?

I think he's enumerating 2 separate events.

 

[Arcangl86]

I think he's enumerating 2 separate events.

That would make more sense.

 

[Speedwell]

Anyone here been called for jury service? I got a summons for jury duty last month. I was to appear at the county circuit court at 8:30 am March 24. I have to complete about 8 screens of questions. Being retired, I can't claim any employment related, or other reason to be excused. So yesterday morning I get up 2 hours early, shower, shave, dress appropriately (no jeans or athletic shoes) and drive 7 miles to the county government center. Juror parking is 3 1/2 long blocks away. It's raining, and not having an umbrella, I semi-jog in my preppy tassle loafers to the courts entrance. Wait 10 minutes in the security line to get scanned for weapons and other contraband. Then I walk down a long hallway to the Jury Assembly area. Where the receptionist very politely says, "I'm so sorry. We had a computer glitch. We weren't able to text or e-mail everyone that jury selection was canceled. But I will validate your parking ticket, so you won't have to pay. And I'll give you a note for work, if you need it." It took a supreme effort of will not to use language that would be inappropriate in court. I'm thinking of sending a bill to the county for 14 miles worth of gas and wear and tear on my car.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. I had a better one; I was called for the day I was scheduled for my 2nd Covid shot that day. I told the Court Clerk in the morning and she said something could be worked out and would let me know and I went onto the courtroom and sat while the jury began to be empaneled. As I was thinking about leaving the Judge suddenly said, "Mr. Speedwell, if you are going to be on time for that shot you had better get going! But please try and come back afterward."