Jury Duty is Mandatory- Correct?

[Zorba]

It was pretty easy to go and make sure I didn't get selected when they were narrowing down people. When they ask if you have kids and need to watch them, raise your hand and go talk to the judge. I wasn't lying though about it so I also didn't feel bad about it lol.

But they ask so many questions that pretty much anyone could find a reason to make the judge dismiss them.

"I'm a skeptic, so unless you have real proof, like a video, then 'not quilty.'"

"I'm a big believer in the American justice system, and I don't see how there is any way someone could get this far into the process and be innocent."

 

[Zorba]

Maybe its because I've moved many times between states, I have yet to get called for jury-duty.

Yeah, no one in my immediate family has been, including my parents. But I know others that have been multiple times.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

The too often result of the process is that you end up with people that have little else to do in life and are generally bored and not a decent cross section of society.

Trying to force that cross section and require people to serve regardless of how it may inconvenience them would tend to lead to having a bunch of pissed off jurors itching to get it over with one way or another..

 

[Torn Mind]

The too often result of the process is that you end up with people that have little else to do in life and are generally bored and not a decent cross section of society.

Trying to force that cross section and require people to serve regardless of how it may inconvenience them would tend to lead to having a bunch of pissed off jurors itching to get it over with one way or another..

It actually doesn't matter much because lay people are always going to be unqualified fact-finders with little legal understanding.

But, where juries are very useful in not have the usual State-Court buddy-buddy bias that can manifest in prosecuting those who don't deserve it. That's probably part of the reason my mom got acquitted for elder abuse when the County had a vested interested in getting that conviction.

Now, if you are guilty and get convicted by a jury, that means the courts are far more free to unleash the heavy hand. Namely, because a bunch of legally "guileless" ignoramuses found the defendant committed the act and worthy of being subjected to punishment.

 

[Fenixgoon]

I got a notice the other week but I'm literally out of the country on the assigned court date so I asked to please be rescheduled, hah

 

[Captante]

I have shown up for a dozen times and didn't even get called. Just sat there and waited multiple days.

Buddy of mine ended up on the jury of a murder trial that lasted 6 monthes and ended in a "hung" jury.... they were "sequestered" for approx 4.5 of those 6 months!

 

[Captante]

I got a notice the other week but I'm literally out of the country on the assigned court date so I asked to please be rescheduled, hah

Hope you remembered to request black friday!

 

[pcgeek11]

OP you should not go for Jury Duty and then when you get out of jail post to let us know what happens.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Hope you remembered to request black friday!

I saw this thread too late 😛

 

[Captante]

I saw this thread too late 😛

You can always go with plan "B" .... in the interview say you can tell if a person is guilty just by looking at them!

 

[Artorias]

Buddy of mine ended up on the jury of a murder trial that lasted 6 monthes and ended in a "hung" jury.... they were "sequestered" for approx 4.5 of those 6 months!

How is that even legal. Not to mention you are at risk of your employer sacking you.

 

[Muadib]

I also live in NJ, and was chosen last year to go. Due to Covid, it was done by Zoom, and was only for 1 case. You had to answer a questionnaire, and then you go over it with the judge. We got about halfway thru the questions, and then he excused me.

 

[Captante]

How is that even legal. Not to mention you are at risk of your employer sacking you.

They're not allowed to fire you legally in most (if not all) states for jury-duty from what I understand and can be sued for doing so.

Having said that they do normally do substantial "screening" to make sure anyone put in the position will be okay. (plus they pay a small "stipend" along with meals)

It's not like they abducted him from the courthouse and locked him in a hotel!

 

[Mai72]

You MUST respond to the notice. HOW you respond may get you excused. I will not discuss options.

If you are not excused in advance and get called, there are ways to be excused before being selected for the pool. I will not discuss those options.

But even if you are selected for the pool, that often means a hundred or more people in the pool and only 12 - 24 are actually seated.

Being in the pool means you MUST attend a certain number of days, whether you ever get seated or not. In general, you are paid for those days which is likely less they your regular job. Some jobs make up the difference, not all.

You may also be paid travel time and expenses like tolls and parking.

I got selected.

But, its only one day a week for about 3 hours. Until the end of June. Its a grand jury. We also get 3 excused absences. Also, its only 15 minutes from my home.

The truth is, its not a big deal. I'll do it without any complaining. Its my first time. Maybe I'll like it. Who knows...

 

[Captante]

I got selected.

But, its only one day a week for about 3 hours. Until the end of June. Its a grand jury. We also get 3 excused absences. Also, its only 15 minutes from my home.

The truth is, its not a big deal. I'll do it without any complaining. Its my first time. Maybe I'll like it. Who knows...

Oh well.... you can lead a horse to water......

 

[Brainonska511]

I got selected.

But, its only one day a week for about 3 hours. Until the end of June. Its a grand jury. We also get 3 excused absences. Also, its only 15 minutes from my home.

The truth is, its not a big deal. I'll do it without any complaining. Its my first time. Maybe I'll like it. Who knows...

Grand juries are also important because it can control who would and wouldn't get charged. Just remember the old adage though: prosecutors can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. Prosecutors are allowed to present highly biased cases to grand juries to get the outcomes they want when it comes to indictments.

 

[Mai72]

Grand juries are also important because it can control who would and wouldn't get charged. Just remember the old adage though: prosecutors can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. Prosecutors are allowed to present highly biased cases to grand juries to get the outcomes they want when it comes to indictments.

Yea. I'm aware of that.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's mandatory but there are certain things you can do to get out. Tbh I wouldn't really mind actually going through it, could be interesting as long as it does not end up taking up too much of my time since I only get so many floaters and wouldn't want to have to use them all up for that. With my shift work I could ask to rearrange days to get the time off though without using vacation/floaters. I actually got a letter in the mail years back that I was selected to be part of the list of potential jurors, so it could very well happen at some point that I get summoned.