Jury Duty, Ugh!

[Francis]

I guess my good Karma didn't last long, I just got a summons for 2 weeks of on call jury duty, Federal, apparently. But, I will say I got lucky with my last summons, which was 2 months ago. I ended up not having to go in and do anything. This time, probably not so lucky.

However, I do have a gripe. I personally think they should be making those that are unemployed and collecting benefits be the pool from which to pull jurors from.

Now I know some of you might say its my duty to serve, blah, blah, but I did my duty to this country by serving for 5 years in the Marines during a time of war, mind you. I should be exempt, as should all past and present military members. I'm not going to be happy if any of the cases I get assigned to go for longer than 3 days, I won't get paid and if I have to dip into my vacation days, I'm really gonna hate life. You don't mess with two things in a man's life.... His woman or his money.

What are some of your thoughts on having to serve on jury duty?

I got called a few years back to serve at the Federal Judy level.. I did not get picked either, but in the process they told us we would not get called back for a minimum 5 years if not picked.

That time is up now so I could get the call anytime and being I am self employed it would cost me out of my own pocket..

I must say they have odd ways to pick the Jury..

The last group that I was in was for 3 mid 20 guys that had apparently beat up some guy till he died.. They looked at every Jury Member like they would come after them if convicted.. When it was my turn I avoided eye contact and was dismissed..

It's the same here where you get minimum pay and some companies pay your salary but you must pay it back. It all depends but they cannot dismiss you for going as you have no choice..

 

[porterjack]

Well gee Porter, some of them are innocent too

oh playing the teacher role now are we you minx

 

[Tim]

I guess my good Karma didn't last long, I just got a summons for 2 weeks of on call jury duty, Federal, apparently. But, I will say I got lucky with my last summons, which was 2 months ago. I ended up not having to go in and do anything. This time, probably not so lucky.

I thought there was a waiting period before they can call you again...

Maybe it only applies if you were picked the first time. But you might want to ask the question if you didn't already.

 

[Kyle B]

I had to show up for jury duty on the local village level. About two hours in, the judge tells us that their was a plea bargain and we're allowed to go home. I got my $60 too, which was SWEET because I wasn't working during the break at the time.

 

[BadBoy]

I thought there was a waiting period before they can call you again...

Maybe it only applies if you were picked the first time. But you might want to ask the question if you didn't already.

You can get out of it if you served previously (can't remember the time period, maybe a year, can't remember what it said), but I guess it doesn't take you out of the getting a letter part, especially since the first was county court and this is apparently federal. At least this pays three times as much, county court was only 12 a day or something.

 

[AUDRAA]

I was only called once in my life and didnt get picked out of the 3 cases that were up for jurors, I was kind of bummed I wanted to do it. At the time my employer paid me my full days pay for being there though so I didnt lose out on anything. There are ways to get out of it I saw one guy say he had an issue of bias everytime we were asked and they dismissed him everytime, not sure if that would work for you but if you really feel that bad about doing it Im sure you could probably try the same thing. I say suck it up and quityerbitchin look at it as a mini vacation you can afford it ya wimp

 

[CaptainTurtles]

I'm totally shocked that you don't get payed...

I got called up last year and I never wanted it to end! The government covered all my wages that I'd lost, the company I worked for had no choice but to let me go and it doesn't count as missed days or anything like that. And they payed for my transportation costs to and from the courts.

Every day we were given a card which had (I think) five GBP on each day to spend at the jurors room caffeteria, and what we didn't spend that went into our bank account and it would reset back to 5GBP the next day. Actually one day we were told they wouldn't need us for a good couple of hours, so some 6 of us women who were on the same jury all went across the road to a pub and had a meal together! We actually walked into one pub and the accused and his friends on our case were in there so we decided to go to the one next door.

Sadly my case only lasted three days, there were people there the same time that got called up on some really big case that was going to last weeks, I wanted to be on that one so bad!

 

[KLD1019]

i never actually went. i just faxed in my reasons why i couldnt

 

[Natasha]

I haven't read the whole thread, so I apologize if I repeat anything that's already been said.

I am just about the ONLY person I know that actually WANTS to get jury duty. However, until I change jobs, I don't see that I have a snowball's chance in hell of actually ever getting PICKED for a jury around here. My mom has been tagged twice in the past few years...the last time being this Monday, LOL

 

[AUDRAA]

No Tasha youre not the only one, and there were a few others including me that said they wouldnt mind being picked to serve either for the first time or again because they had already done it once before

 

[NuckingFuts]

I was summonded twice and got out of the first one because it was a child abuse case and I told the judge that being a new father ( which I was at that time) I could not understand how anyone one could hurt thier children. ( which I still believe ). The second one was for a grand jury which they picked all the jurors before they could even ask me anything.

 

[porterjack]

I was summonded twice and got out of the first one because it was a child abuse case and I told the judge that being a new father ( which I was at that time) I could not understand how anyone one could hurt thier children. ( which I still believe ). The second one was for a grand jury which they picked all the jurors before they could even ask me anything.

just a thought

can you be excused if you are a cop or work in corrections? you work (or worked) in corrections if i am not mistaken ?

i can see issues if you are on a jury that convicts them you run into the guy later due to work

 

[NuckingFuts]

just a thought

can you be excused if you are a cop or work in corrections? you work (or worked) in corrections if i am not mistaken ?

i can see issues if you are on a jury that convicts them you run into the guy later due to work

I worked corrections when I was summonded for both of those. But I never even thought of that. So maybe.

 

[rback33]

Most likely would be kicked during Voir Dire.... That's what happened with my when I almost ended up on the jury. I had NO problems being impartial during the trial, but the prosecution chose to strike me with their option because I knew the defense attny on a somewhat personal level. We had once worked in the same office building and almost put a softball team together... Voir Dire is so cool because it's what can really set the tone for the trial... it can be all about getting the perfect jury seated. Quite a chess match.

 

[BadBoy]

The perfect jury, the right judge, the right lawyer, it all just sounds, well, wrong. As good as our legal system is on paper, in practice, its a laughable joke. With enough money you can buy yourself out of a murder conviction.

 

[rback33]

The perfect jury, the right judge, the right lawyer, it all just sounds, well, wrong. As good as our legal system is on paper, in practice, its a laughable joke. With enough money you can buy yourself out of a murder conviction.

In some cases this could be true, but until you have been the person on the stand accused of being responsible for the death of someone else you are on the outside looking in.

 

[BadBoy]

In some cases this could be true, but until you have been the person on the stand accused of being responsible for the death of someone else you are on the outside looking in.

Another good point. Any legal system that convicts/accuses an innocent person is well, flawed.

 

[Natasha]

can you be excused if you are a cop or work in corrections?

It's not automatic, but it's a high probability you won't get picked. For instance, my mom was dismissed the other day b/c they go through all the officers involved and ask if anybody knows them. Once she told them that her daughter was the calltaker's boss and was friends w/ the 2 other officers they excused her.