Jury Duty Question

[aeroguy]

If I have to appear in court on a specific day for jury selection and I get picked, does the trial start right away after that, or is there some time in between?

The problem is that I have to appear for selection Monday, August 18, and classes begin Monday, August 25. I'm an aerospace engineering major and this is my last semester, so I can't really afford to miss any time. They say the average trial length is 1-3 days, and they tell you how long they think it will take before the trial starts.

Do you think I'll be okay assuming the trial is not too long?

 

[Encryptic]

Didn't you get an excuse form when you were called? I've been called twice and they sent me a form that I filled out to state why I couldn't serve jury duty (financial hardship, etc.). If that doesn't work, I'd do my best to get disqualified. :evil:

If you don't get picked, you only have to serve one day (this is the law in CA, but may be different elsewhere).

 

You are about to get a few responses on how to get out of jury duty. Myself I'd go in and bring a copy of "Mercenary for Hire" magazine while touting the virtues of capital punishment to the other possible jurors.

 

[DnetMHZ]

<Carlin> I'd make an excellent juror, because I can spot guilty people.. *snap* .. just like that! </Carlin>

 

[ggavinmoss]

Have you asked for it to be postponed? Even if so, give them a date you know you'll be available (like when your semester is over) and beg.

-geoff

 

[rpc64]

I think you should be able to request to be excused because you are a student. Maybe?

 

[NogginBoink]

Call the phone number on the summons and ask if there is an exemption for full time students.

That will get you a far more accurate answer far more quickly than asking a bunch if misinformed geeks on ATOT.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: aeroguy
If I have to appear in court on a specific day for jury selection and I get picked, does the trial start right away after that, or is there some time in between?

The problem is that I have to appear for selection Monday, August 18, and classes begin Monday, August 25. I'm an aerospace engineering major and this is my last semester, so I can't really afford to miss any time. They say the average trial length is 1-3 days, and they tell you how long they think it will take before the trial starts.

Do you think I'll be okay assuming the trial is not too long?

Assuming you even end up sitting on a jury. Each time I've been called I end up sitting there for 3-4 hours and am then dismissed as a settlement was reached (they'll explain to you that the presence of potential jurors will speed this process).

 

[aeroguy]

I go to Iowa State University. We have about 27,000 students and that makes up a little under half of the county, so they won't excuse students in this county just because they are students. I can get it deferred, but I don't know if I can get it deferred until next January.

 

[aeroguy]

Okay, so back to the original question...

If I get picked as a juror, does the trial start right away or is there time in between the date for jury selection and the start of the trial.

 

[Armitage]

You will likely be dismissed. IME, engineers & scientist very rarely get picked to sit on a jury ... of all my engineer friends & coworkers who've gotten called, only one has actually sat on a jury (out of probably 12 occurences). Our theory is that neither side really wants a person on the jury who is likely to apply a dispassionate, scientific approach the proceedings ... the proscecution because engineers & scientists are typically very skeptical, and will likely find reasonable doubt with anything not completly air-tight, and defense, because they may be aiming for a more emotional then factual argument.

Not to say that engineers hold a monopoly on these characteristics, but we're easy to spot

Personally, I'd like to sit on a jury at leastonce.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: aeroguy
Okay, so back to the original question...

If I get picked as a juror, does the trial start right away or is there time in between the date for jury selection and the start of the trial.

Again, this is something that the court would be able to answer for you better than we would.

For the case I was chosen to serve on, the trial started immediately. If it's a high-profile or complex case, or jury selection doesn't finish till 5PM, you'd likely have a delay. But call the courthouse to find out for sure.

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: aeroguy
Okay, so back to the original question...

If I get picked as a juror, does the trial start right away or is there time in between the date for jury selection and the start of the trial.

There's no way to know for sure.

 

[Saltin]

The trick is to say you're prejudice against all races..............