Poll: Anyone here ever served on a jury?

[LadyNiniane]

Well, I just got done doing my civic duty, so I thought I would see who else has served on a jury.

BTW, I was on a civil case, and it was declared a mistrial in the second day because we lost two jurors and only had one alternate. Weird...

Lady Niniane

 

[Zapster]

A friend told me a way to get out of Jury Duty. Last time I was called, I obviously winked at the defendent and his attorney. I made sure everyone could see. Within a few minutes I was disqualified. Good thing I didn't have to explain what the wink meant!

 

[nateholtrop]

LOL @ Zapster.

Nate

 

[FettsBabe]

To get out of jury duty...

drug case: tell them you believe drugs should be legalized and you don't view drug abuse, selling, etc as a crime

murder: don't believe in the death penalty

rape: tell them you were abused as a child (or a close relative was) and therefore you have a tendency to be biased

there are many other ways too.

 

[ratkil]

Why are people so eager to get out of jury duty?

 

[iamwiz82]

i would serve. I would get paid by my job, and get money from the govt. sounds ok to me. In mi, you serve for 3 days.

 

[thebestMAX]

Been called twice but never got on a jury.

Ever see the "Becker" show about jury duty?

 

[LadyNiniane]

ratkil asked, "Why are people so eager to get out of jury duty? "

After having seen the process, and listening to my husband's descriptions (he's been called two or three times, once for a grand jury), I can offer the following ideas:

- It is difficult to just sit and listen - you can't read, you're not supposed to talk (one of our jurors was apparently "excused" for just that reason - she would not stop whispering to her seat neighbors), you can't even work on handwork (sewing, needlecraft, etc.). After the first day, I came home exhausted - and all I had been doing was sitting quietly and listening carefully to lawyers and witnesses describe the details of the case, in two-hour stretches.

- Particularly for civil cases, it is amazing to me what people will sue over. The particular case that we were hearing involved two companies, one suing over the other's apparent failure to complete a contract; our private opinion was that they should have settled this 3 years ago when the dispute supposedly occurred in the first place...

- I would find it difficult to serve on a criminal trial; I suspect that others feel similarly. It is one thing to hear about a crime and its punishment; it is quite another to realize that your opinion will help decide the details.

- Add the costs of getting to the courts, meal costs, possible dependent care costs (if you are not otherwise using such services) and the time "lost" to other activities while you are serving on a jury, and it becomes easy to see why so many people consider jury duty to be a major inconvenience rather than an important part of citizenship. Yes, most government entities provide some recompense; no, it is not anywhere close to enough to cover it all.

- Your employer is required to let you serve on a jury (they can't fire you as long as you have notified them of the summons), but they are not required to pay you for the time off; they can force you to take vacation or personal time or simply not pay you for the time unless you have a contract that explicitly states otherwise. The best solution is the one where a company pays you for the days and doesn't charge them against your personal time off, but that is more the exception than the rule.

I'm glad I had the chance to do it, but I would not be at all unhappy if I never got called again. (Been there, done that, got the coffee mug...)

Lady Niniane

 

[Shmorq]

I loved Jury duty... I got paid by my company but got to take 2+ hours for lunch!

 

[Total Refected Power]

I have served once. It was a criminal case of statutory rape. "Rape of a child". The offended party changed her story several times about the date it happened, all near her "legal" birthday. The sex was consentual. The guy was 35 but the inconsistencies of the girl's story proved the state's downfall. He was voted not-guilty.

I found it to be interesting but very tiring. I was wiped out after each day. However, I was pissed because I was randonly selected as an "alternate". So I had no say at all!! That really sucked.

Still, I think it is what makes the system work and it is our duty. Plus, it is a good experience as a citizen of this country.

 

[Doggiedog]

Another way out of jury duty in NYC for criminal cases:

Say you are a member of the NRA or tell them you have a relative who is a police officer (don't lie though).

Don't ever lie about stuff because it does go into some record.

 

[JLindo]

I never have done state or local jury duty, I always managed to get out of it as I was a student and work didn't pay for me to go. I did go for Federal Jury duty because I thought that it would be a little more interesting. Sure enough, I got picked for a civil trial against a county, and even though it ended with the plaintiff dropping his case, I still enjoyed the experience.

 

[yakko]

Haven't served yet.

 

[woodie1]

Been called in many times but never got to sit on one.

 

[tim0thy]

i think i rather work than go to jury duty, let's put it that way hehe... and i've went on jury duty... hate it...

 

[gittyup]

Got called, went in, served on a regular jury ( Murder Case )