Jury duty?
- Thread starter DasBoot
- Start date
Harry Paget Flashman
New member
I have been called to jury duty 4 times in the past 19 years but only was empaneled once. The only time I did serve was very gratifying. I was the only male on the jury for the trial of a local lawyer who had been caught committing sodomy in a public park. His defense was that the sex laws were "antiquated" and he had been singled out because his partner was male.
The ladies wanted to vote "Not Guilty" because "no one had been harmed".
I dug my heels in and explained that the public park where it had taken place was notorious for things like that happening and because of that most straight males avoided the place for fear of stereotyping. The ladies weren't convinced because of my "poor me" argument.
So, I asked them to visualize their daughters and granddaughters on a Girl Scout hike through the same park with someone on his or her knees performing on someone else of the same or opposite sex. Then what?
The foreman called for a vote and we convicted him. I don't feel like my time was wasted.
The ladies wanted to vote "Not Guilty" because "no one had been harmed".
I dug my heels in and explained that the public park where it had taken place was notorious for things like that happening and because of that most straight males avoided the place for fear of stereotyping. The ladies weren't convinced because of my "poor me" argument.
So, I asked them to visualize their daughters and granddaughters on a Girl Scout hike through the same park with someone on his or her knees performing on someone else of the same or opposite sex. Then what?
The foreman called for a vote and we convicted him. I don't feel like my time was wasted.
V4Vendetta
New member
I'm 18. I have never been called for jury duty but I wonder sometimes if it would be anything like "Rain Maker" or "Runaway Jury". If I was summoned to be in a jury, I'd do my best to do what I feel is right. I may be the only person who know's the legal system so I can explain to fellow jurrors about Jury Nullification. Maybe I could convict a evil person or set a man free who was being wrongly crucified by the government.
I think that DasBoot has been flamed too much though. He said he works 3 jobs. That's tough. I don't know if I have the strength to do that. Give him a break.
I think that DasBoot has been flamed too much though. He said he works 3 jobs. That's tough. I don't know if I have the strength to do that. Give him a break.
azredhawk44
Moderator
I suspect that mentioning "Jury Nullification" to another potential juror would get the whole group of you removed from the need to serve. Courts nowadays hate that phrase.
V4Vendetta
New member
I read that you can't bring any pamplets about Jury Nullification or other case law into court. However your brain can't be confiscated
.
If you are asked during voir dure about jury nullification, you aren't supposed to lie. I'm not sure but I think if you do lie, you can be in serious trouble.
However I can safely say that I WILL follow my consience. I won't convict a good man & should the government turn against blacks or Jews like the Nazi's did, I won't rat out the innocent minorities. There are things that naw on a man worse than dying.
.If you are asked during voir dure about jury nullification, you aren't supposed to lie. I'm not sure but I think if you do lie, you can be in serious trouble.
However I can safely say that I WILL follow my consience. I won't convict a good man & should the government turn against blacks or Jews like the Nazi's did, I won't rat out the innocent minorities. There are things that naw on a man worse than dying.
When I was called for JD, I didn't want to go but I went.
There were several groups, over 100 people in all, who were taken down in clumps. When we were called in, we were allowed to give reasons as to why we couldn't serve.
At least two people in my group who were able to claim hardship and were excused. One of whom had simply claimed she had no car, I think the other one had no childcare.
Make your case, respectfully claim your excuse and if it still fails, when they ask questions, answer dishonestly if you truly feel you must.
Me? I did two days for a case, was bored out of my skull but successfully was able to work with the minority voice of the jury to do what I thought was right with the evidence I saw.
I'd do it again, if I had to. I won't mind when they call me down, again, either..
There were several groups, over 100 people in all, who were taken down in clumps. When we were called in, we were allowed to give reasons as to why we couldn't serve.
At least two people in my group who were able to claim hardship and were excused. One of whom had simply claimed she had no car, I think the other one had no childcare.
Make your case, respectfully claim your excuse and if it still fails, when they ask questions, answer dishonestly if you truly feel you must.
Me? I did two days for a case, was bored out of my skull but successfully was able to work with the minority voice of the jury to do what I thought was right with the evidence I saw.
I'd do it again, if I had to. I won't mind when they call me down, again, either..
Citizenship is about making a small sacrifice for the greater good of the community. For some, the sacrifice is a little greater than others. But it is that kind of common sacrifice, that sort of shared experience that makes up the bonds that tie our community together. As you can see from watching the news about Lebanon or Iraq or Afghanistan or even Mexico, community is easily torn asunder and very hard to put back together. The rule of law is the very foundation of our community. Jury duty is the ultimate expression of the rule of law. It is a duty and an honor to accept that responsibility.
In most cases, jury duty involves little more than a day of waiting in a anteroom at the court house. And most companies pay their employees for jury duty anyways. It is but a small sacrifice, but one that is vital to our liberty.
azredhawk44
Moderator
m1911 said:
Community is not built by compulsory service. Gulags are built by compulsory service.
Community is built upon common interest and mutual benefit. Anything else is conscription.
I've never been called for jury duty... and I would serve gladly if called. But I don't believe that the threat of legal action against someone who doesn't want to serve is justified.
To be honest, I think our legal system would work better if we had a volunteer system for jury duty rather than a compulsory system. Certainly a higher class of citizen would be present.
tony pasley
New member
juries would be better if people thought more about thier community than themselves. today most people really believe "me first"
DasBoot, go on down to the courthouse and when the lawyers start asking you questions, answer every single question absolutely truthfully. Be scrupulously honest, regardless of how it makes you look. Chances are that you will be dismissed pretty quickly.
Most lawyers don't want jurors with much of a brain and certainly not with any opinions - they just want people shallow and pliable enough to accept whatever story they are trying to sell. Conscientious citizens who really want to serve on juries are often dismissed because they won't shade their answers to get by the dumb-and-dumber filter that the lawyers throw up.
Most lawyers don't want jurors with much of a brain and certainly not with any opinions - they just want people shallow and pliable enough to accept whatever story they are trying to sell. Conscientious citizens who really want to serve on juries are often dismissed because they won't shade their answers to get by the dumb-and-dumber filter that the lawyers throw up.
DasBoot , Sounds to me like you are doing one of two things, If you are working three jobs to support your Wife and Child, it would seem that you are living way to high on the hog, or you cannot controll the Plastic, if these are possibly the problem, I would only offer the suggestion that keeping up with the jones will only suceed in putting you both in the poor house, if you are simply trying to satisfy yours and your wifes desires to have things you can not afford, your traveling down a slippery slope, that has a pit at the bottom.
To Provide for your Family is a good thing, but I will be perfectly honest with you, as I was where you are at a time in my past, to kill yourself to provide more than you can afford is plain Suicide, your health will be gone and you will leave your wife and child with out a Husband and father, and in the long run you will end up being less of a Husband and father because you won't have the time to spend with them, and when you are with them you really aren't, because you are constantly thinking about the next dollar you could make, or you just simply fall asleep, and then you get up and go to work again, Not to mention the fact that you will become iritable, and short tempered because they don't understand why you cain't go to the Movies, or something for a family outing, simple together time will not be there, and before long you will not be liked because you are no fun to be around, Lifes to short to kill yourself for all the wrong reasons,slow down, accept the fact that the things you want will come in time and enjoy the Wife and Child, especially your child they are only young once don't piss it away, you'll hate yourself if you do.
To Provide for your Family is a good thing, but I will be perfectly honest with you, as I was where you are at a time in my past, to kill yourself to provide more than you can afford is plain Suicide, your health will be gone and you will leave your wife and child with out a Husband and father, and in the long run you will end up being less of a Husband and father because you won't have the time to spend with them, and when you are with them you really aren't, because you are constantly thinking about the next dollar you could make, or you just simply fall asleep, and then you get up and go to work again, Not to mention the fact that you will become iritable, and short tempered because they don't understand why you cain't go to the Movies, or something for a family outing, simple together time will not be there, and before long you will not be liked because you are no fun to be around, Lifes to short to kill yourself for all the wrong reasons,slow down, accept the fact that the things you want will come in time and enjoy the Wife and Child, especially your child they are only young once don't piss it away, you'll hate yourself if you do.
No, we would end up with professional jurors rather than a true jury of our peers.
That would be a great way for the homeless and panhandlers to get out of the weather for the winter, come to think of it. Nice warm courtroom/juryroom, a few bucks a day - I bet they could run a 1-day trial into at least a week of deliberations. Ought to do wonders for the court calendar.
Tony Pasley: I don't think it's necessary for people to care more for their community than they do for themselves; they just need to care some about their community. That'd be enough.
Hey, apart from that, you might have the good fortune to be seated on a Grand Jury and be presented evidence by an idiot anti-gun prosecutor who is trying to railroad someone who used justifiable self-defense in shooting a criminal attacker! Imagine getting to tell that prosecutor to shove it, that he can't use his anti-gun ideology to punish people for exercising their rights! (Of course, I'd wanna move out of the jurisdiction immediately for fear of what he might try to do as retribution!)
I know a woman I work with who has been, I just found out, on a Grand Jury here in Florida for eighteen months! (either that or it's going to be a stint for 18 months...) She has to go in weekly -- if I'm not mistaken, one day a week. They have one Grand Jury do numerous cases, according to her.
I was selected for a state jury pool back in '93 or so, in New York. I was waitering at the time. Jury duty was paid, but very very little, like $10 a day. I took it as a vacation from waitering!
Never got picked for a jury then. We all just sat around for the first day or so, with nothing happening -- it seemed as though they weren't picking any juries, matter of fact. Finally they told us to simply start calling their telephone hotline to see if we had to actually report in, and the two-week period ended without me having to go in again.
We were instructed at the start that there is a period after serving (or even just being called in) for jury duty during which you can claim exemption if called again. State court gets you exemption from state or federal for a period, and the period for state is longer than the exemption you get for federal.
Nonetheless, I was summoned a year later for Federal court. I had to take the LIRR from Smithtown to Brooklyn, NY. They paid more, though. I think it was like $65 a day or something. Not sure. I got seated right away on a jury in a civil trial of a former LIRR worker suing the railroad for an injury. Booooring. We heard opening arguments on that second day, and when we returned from lunch we were informed that the parties had reached a settlement, and we were excused.
Right about this time was Colin Ferguson's "black rage" LIRR massacre. Black talons and all. I did not ride the same line as that happened on, but there were fliers on each of the seats telling people that if they were grief-stricken or stressed, counseling was available for them. No, they could not start carrying guns to defend in case some nut pulled a repeat of the crime; they could go see a shrink, though, to help them deal with their fear of being helplessly slaughtered.
:barf:
I would serve on jury duty again, in a heartbeat. I would relish the opportunity to find the guilty guilty and find the not-guilty not-guilty. What could be more satisfying than determining that yes, indeed, a person accused of a crime is guilty of it by overwhelming evidence, and then sending him to his punishment?
Unfortunately, I have not been called in over a decade.
-azurefly
Hey, apart from that, you might have the good fortune to be seated on a Grand Jury and be presented evidence by an idiot anti-gun prosecutor who is trying to railroad someone who used justifiable self-defense in shooting a criminal attacker! Imagine getting to tell that prosecutor to shove it, that he can't use his anti-gun ideology to punish people for exercising their rights! (Of course, I'd wanna move out of the jurisdiction immediately for fear of what he might try to do as retribution!)
I know a woman I work with who has been, I just found out, on a Grand Jury here in Florida for eighteen months! (either that or it's going to be a stint for 18 months...) She has to go in weekly -- if I'm not mistaken, one day a week. They have one Grand Jury do numerous cases, according to her.
I was selected for a state jury pool back in '93 or so, in New York. I was waitering at the time. Jury duty was paid, but very very little, like $10 a day. I took it as a vacation from waitering!
Never got picked for a jury then. We all just sat around for the first day or so, with nothing happening -- it seemed as though they weren't picking any juries, matter of fact. Finally they told us to simply start calling their telephone hotline to see if we had to actually report in, and the two-week period ended without me having to go in again.
We were instructed at the start that there is a period after serving (or even just being called in) for jury duty during which you can claim exemption if called again. State court gets you exemption from state or federal for a period, and the period for state is longer than the exemption you get for federal.
Nonetheless, I was summoned a year later for Federal court. I had to take the LIRR from Smithtown to Brooklyn, NY. They paid more, though. I think it was like $65 a day or something. Not sure. I got seated right away on a jury in a civil trial of a former LIRR worker suing the railroad for an injury. Booooring. We heard opening arguments on that second day, and when we returned from lunch we were informed that the parties had reached a settlement, and we were excused.
Right about this time was Colin Ferguson's "black rage" LIRR massacre. Black talons and all. I did not ride the same line as that happened on, but there were fliers on each of the seats telling people that if they were grief-stricken or stressed, counseling was available for them. No, they could not start carrying guns to defend in case some nut pulled a repeat of the crime; they could go see a shrink, though, to help them deal with their fear of being helplessly slaughtered.
:barf:I would serve on jury duty again, in a heartbeat. I would relish the opportunity to find the guilty guilty and find the not-guilty not-guilty. What could be more satisfying than determining that yes, indeed, a person accused of a crime is guilty of it by overwhelming evidence, and then sending him to his punishment?
Unfortunately, I have not been called in over a decade.
-azurefly
Another part is holding my own opinions of others. He is free to do his thing. So he posted on a board, mercy is not part of the deal.
More evasion. I am not the one called for jury duty. When I have I went. Nor do I have to mow your lawn.
If an accident or unfortunate event happens to you and nobody stops to help, remember that it is not their responsibility, you are not part of their family - they don't have to help or protect you. Nobody ever has to extend a helping hand to you or be friendly.
But please don't ever, even on your own time, bitch about the results of any jury trial.
It has already been said several times that many states require your employer(s) to compensate you for the time on jury duty, so this isn't a factor.
MeekAndMild
New member
Not only is it the law and a citizen's duty, if you don't do it that means that somebody with a room temperature IQ may take your place. It is one of the little known consequences of the deinstitutionalization movement that "mentally retarded citizens" are often registered as voters and can be allowed to sit on juries. I'm not talking about people with borderline IQ I'm talking about people with moderate or even severe retardation and the mind of an eight year old or five year old. No kidding. 
gc70 said:
As a lawyer I really appreciate you clearing things up for the other board members about my occupation. Given what you've said I'm sure you are an attorney or have extensive experience with the judicial system or at least have cut your own jury before. Wait... why do I hear crickets?
All that aside the jury system does have its problems. When I was in college in California, there was no exemption for students and they wanted me to serve the week I had finals. Needless to say I explained to the lady at the office that if she wanted me there she would need to do nothing short of sending the marshals to my classroom. As a result she put me under a "financial hardship" exemption.
Jury duty is a civic duty and everyone should go. That said however, it shouldn't be operated as to piss on the people participating. People shouldn't have to pay for parking, they should be given enough money to fairly compensate them for the day (not necessarily what your actual wages would be) and maybe some extra for lunch.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I'm not sure, but I don't think you have to pay for parking if you're a jury member in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Stimulating reading here, no?
I've enjoyed everyones opinions and flames and understand where each of you is coming from.
However, it makes me wonder,if it was considered such a great priviledge by the citizens of this country, why are there penalties for NOT serving?
If so many Americans see it as a great "civic duty", why are we penalized if we choose NOT to participate?
It would seem that the majority of people DO NOT want to participate, hence, the fines, penalties,etc.
All you folks out there that rail against gov't intrusion in our lives...isn't this a prime example of FORCING a U.S. citizen to do something that just may be against his/her wishes?
And I DO NOT equate this with military service.
That being said, I fully understand that serving could give me the opportunity to get some human garbage incarcerated and put away, never to hurt anyone again.
I understand that each person HAS the right to a jury made up of peers.
If and when I serve, I will surrender to it and do what I think is right.
I do not put it in the same catagory as joining the military when drafted or needed.
There we are joining forces to battle enemies of our country.
Yes, I know, the courts battle the enemies of our society.
Interestingly, I would accept being drafted easier.
I also don't see it on a par with voting, which has a direct effect on the quality of life and the laws in our country.
Then again, jury duty could have the same effect.
I could'nt.
We live comfortably but modestly.
No new cars and night life in our family, at this time anyway.
I'm working over 80 hrs a week for only ONE reason, I want to make sure my family has everything it will need along with a few pleasurable perks.
I want to make sure my son, who is now 20 months old, has enough money to attend the right schools and college.
A few nice vacations to show him and my wife how magnificent the United States is.
I'd like to buy my wife something REALLY special sometime just to show how much I love and respect her for all the hard work she does raising our son and taking care of the house.
Etc, etc, etc!
The bottom line here is that you are ALL right!
But there is STILL a side of me that feels, if we are a nation of freedom, ANY citizen that does NOT wish to serve, for whatever reason, should be afforded that right.
Answer this HONESTLY....if, when you received you notice to serve, IF you could have easily avoided it, would you have?
Human nature being what it is, I think a good portion of you would have, hence the laws FORCING us to do it.
Anyway, if I go, I'll let you know how it went.
Who knows!
I might be a juror in YOUR trial!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!
I've enjoyed everyones opinions and flames and understand where each of you is coming from.
However, it makes me wonder,if it was considered such a great priviledge by the citizens of this country, why are there penalties for NOT serving?
If so many Americans see it as a great "civic duty", why are we penalized if we choose NOT to participate?
It would seem that the majority of people DO NOT want to participate, hence, the fines, penalties,etc.
All you folks out there that rail against gov't intrusion in our lives...isn't this a prime example of FORCING a U.S. citizen to do something that just may be against his/her wishes?
And I DO NOT equate this with military service.
That being said, I fully understand that serving could give me the opportunity to get some human garbage incarcerated and put away, never to hurt anyone again.
I understand that each person HAS the right to a jury made up of peers.
If and when I serve, I will surrender to it and do what I think is right.
I do not put it in the same catagory as joining the military when drafted or needed.
There we are joining forces to battle enemies of our country.
Yes, I know, the courts battle the enemies of our society.
Interestingly, I would accept being drafted easier.
I also don't see it on a par with voting, which has a direct effect on the quality of life and the laws in our country.
Then again, jury duty could have the same effect.
Could any of you here REALLY accept this disruption to your life?
I could'nt.
That's not the case at all.
We live comfortably but modestly.
No new cars and night life in our family, at this time anyway.
I'm working over 80 hrs a week for only ONE reason, I want to make sure my family has everything it will need along with a few pleasurable perks.
I want to make sure my son, who is now 20 months old, has enough money to attend the right schools and college.
A few nice vacations to show him and my wife how magnificent the United States is.
I'd like to buy my wife something REALLY special sometime just to show how much I love and respect her for all the hard work she does raising our son and taking care of the house.
Etc, etc, etc!
The bottom line here is that you are ALL right!
But there is STILL a side of me that feels, if we are a nation of freedom, ANY citizen that does NOT wish to serve, for whatever reason, should be afforded that right.
Answer this HONESTLY....if, when you received you notice to serve, IF you could have easily avoided it, would you have?
Human nature being what it is, I think a good portion of you would have, hence the laws FORCING us to do it.
Anyway, if I go, I'll let you know how it went.
Who knows!
I might be a juror in YOUR trial!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!