Timewaster's Guide Archive
General => Rants and Stuff => Topic started by: Kaldric on January 04, 2008, 06:21:11 PM
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Not a rant. This falls under the "Stuff" part of the forum title.
I received a summons for jury duty, and yesterday morning I arrived a little early by bus. The courthouse was not open, so I stood in the -2 degree (Fahrenheit) weather for 20 minutes until the doors were opened. The sheriff's deputies at the security checkpoint confiscated my cell phone, since I apparently can't take it into the courthouse, and I didn't have a car in which to leave it, and I didn't feel like burying it in the snow until I got back.
About 80 people, potential jury members all, gathered in a room, and waited. Luckily I had a book to read (Mistborn 1). About 15 minutes after the "do not be late" time, a woman came in and called roll. After roll was called, we watched a video about serving on a jury. I think it was supposed to make us feel good about being there, even when one person on the video told us that, after going through the entire selection process, just before the trial was to begin, they were told to go home. His mere presence was enough to convince the accused to change his plea to guilty, or so we are told.
After the video, we waited some more. While waiting, I decided it would be a good idea to use the restroom, since I would unlikely be excused during the actual selection process, and I had drunk quite a bit of water that morning. I wasn't in the restroom for long, but when I returned, the room was empty. Unsure of what to do, I waited for a while, since waiting seemed to be a common theme that day.
Waiting did not seem to produce the desired effect. I considered just leaving, since I had already been declared present at the roll call, so I figured I'd be okay. After more consideration, however, I decided that would be a bad idea. I was there, after all, to perform my civic duty. So I proceeded back down to the security checkpoint and informed them that I was a lost juror. One of the deputies escorted me to the courtroom where the other potential jurors were receiving instructions from the judge.
We were informed that 19 of those present would be called at random, and those people would sit at the jury box for further questioning, and only nine would serve on the jury. Everyone else had to remain in the courtroom in case anyone at the jury box was released. I was the twelfth person called. Actually, my name was not the twelfth selected, but there were many who were not there, and are now held in contempt of court. I'm glad I didn't leave earlier.
We were asked a few basic qualifying questions, such as whether we were US citizens and residents of this particular county, whether we could speak, read, and understand English, etc. The judge also asked each of us to stand and state our name, city of residence, marital status, number of children, profession, and level of education completed. We were then informed of the charges. The defendant allegedly got drunk (one count of public intoxication), destroyed some property (I don't remember the specific charge), and beat up his father (one count of felony assault).
Over the course of the selection process, several jurors were released for various reasons, one because she was a close acquaintance of the defendant, others due to unknown reasons relating to the charges (they spoke with the judge privately), and one because she was once married to an alcoholic who beat her regularly, and she wasn't sure she would be able to be fair to someone who would get drunk and hit someone else.
Two hours of questioning later, we sat quietly while the attorneys passed back and forth a paper with all our names on them, eliminating the names one by one. This part took about 20 minutes. I read my book. The judge then read the names of those nine who would be staying (I was not on the list), and told the rest of us that we could leave. One of the selected requested to speak with the judge one last time before they proceeded, presumably to make a final attempt to not be on the jury. The judge granted the request, asking everyone to remain seated until he came back. I read my book. Ten minutes later, the judge came back and, apparently rejecting the man's attempt, told everyone not selected to leave.
And that was my experience with jury duty. I had received a summons a few months back, but it was canceled before the selection process began. I missed a half day of work, but I do get paid (a whole $18.50). Quite an interesting process. Now, I'm not opposed to serving on a jury. I actually think it would be a good experience.
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I've been summoned to jury duty 2 or 3 times, always after I've moved from the area. I'd really like to do it, actually--I like being involved in the process of our country, and feel it's my civic duty. But I've never had the chance to.
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I was summoned to Jury duty one time and since I was unemployed at the time I had no problem going collect my chump change. We sat around all day the first day and had to go back a second day because apparently some of the cases on the docket hadn't finished pleading yet. About halfway through the second day we were all told we could leave because none of the cases were going to trial.
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I've always been interested in serving on a jury, but the process seems to be wasteful. Unfortunately, I can't think of any effective way of improving the process, and I'm sure many people who know more about the subject have tried.
I wonder if the court recuperates the expenses of paying out about $1500 to the potential jurors using the funds collected from those who don't show up and are in contempt of court.
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I've had various experiences with Jury Duty.
1st time: cancelled before I had to go
2nd time: sat around all day in the waiting room and was never called
3rd time: forgot about it (it was on a monday) they told me to show up on tuesday. I got called first with every group but never picked
4th time: got called for a case (DUI, assault on a policy officer, etc) that was for a co-worker. I was dismissed
5th time: waiting almost all day before I was finally picked at the end of the day. Got picked for the jury, trail started the next day. Had to report at 10am. Trail started at 11am. Prosecution rested at 11:45am so we broke for lunch until 1pm. After lunch we sat in the jury room at the courtroom until 2pm before the bailiff came in to say there was a mistrail and we could go home.
Everytime I changed my car resgistration, driver's license or voter registration it seemed I would get a jury summons within 2 months.
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I got into the selection process once. Didn't get picked... maybe that's cause they asked if anyone in the room didn't drink alchohol at all and I rose my hand (kinda felt out of place right then as everyone kind of stared at me). It was a hit and run case.
Never been back since. It was a lot more boring than I had imagined, almost worse than waiting in an airport. Cause when you're in an airport you at least know when you're going to move on, Jury pools are a bit like The Twilight Zone IMO
My mom works with a lady who got called for Jury Duty. When they asked if anyone knew someone in the trial she raised her hand and informed them that the defendants lawyer was her husband... she got sent home.
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I've had various experiences with Jury Duty. <snip>
That's quite the experience. There was a man there whose wife was summonsed at least once each year, but he had never been. He was only there at the time because his wife was very ill and he was there to either get her released or take her place.
Everytime I changed my car resgistration, driver's license or voter registration it seemed I would get a jury summons within 2 months.
My wife is worried about registering to vote again because she doesn't want to be summonsed. (-:,`
I got into the selection process once. Didn't get picked... maybe that's cause they asked if anyone in the room didn't drink alchohol at all and I rose my hand (kinda felt out of place right then as everyone kind of stared at me). It was a hit and run case.
The defense attorney asked us if anyone belonged to an "organization that prohibits the consumption of alcohol." Being in Logan, UT, about half of us raised our hands. I'm not sure how that affected his decision, but the one woman selected had raised her hand, too. I didn't notice if any of the other selected had.
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I was in downtown Phoenix... I guess they might have thought I couldn't 'relate' or something.. fine with me, I had two small kids at home waiting for me. My husband had to take the day off work just so I could go. But I didn't come up with some lame excuse. One guy argued that he was a Dr. and he lost to much money by not being at work every day. I felt like raising my hand after him and saying, "I've got two little one's with no one to watch them if I'm here." but my pride kept me centered on my civic duty. ;)
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i'm a lawyer and have been called several times. For what I think are obvious reasons I have never been picked to serve on a jury but have had to wait to be dismissed. Not a biggy, plus It has given a slightly better insight on juorors. My father in-law was picked to serve on a federal grand jury which he thought was fun, at least until he came to understand that it was going to sit for 18 months. :-\
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Everyday for 18 months! Wow... that'd take it a hit in your pocket.
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My first summons (canceled before the selection process) was for a five day trial. This one was for two days. I wouldn't mind a week or two, but 18 months.... I don't know what would happen at work if I weren't there for so long. There are only two electrical engineers at work, and while the other guy could cover most of my projects, he is generally even more busy than I am.
What kind of lawyer are you, Cubarey?
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Never received a summons for jury duty. I know people who have been called several times ( a few while they were out of the country), but never me. I'm not opposed to serving. Actually, I think it would be an interesting experience. Of course, I say that now. My opinion may change if I do get called up.
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I've never done Jury duty.
I was however, once a witness for the prosecution....
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I was once called as a witness, but it didn't go to trial.
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I totally got to be on the stand and look at the guilty guy and say things that made sure he went to jail
except he didn't. He was deported instead.
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I was however, once a witness for the prosecution....
Ooh, how Agatha Christie. My husband was called for jury duty once and even served on the jury. It was just a few hours and they found the guy guilty.
My sister was called for jury duty on a civil matter. They didn't excuse her even though she had five kids at home. I don't think she minded, though, since it gave her a break from her kids.
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Uh oh. You didn't send him to Canada, did you?
I've never actually been involved in the legal system here. Although I did consider lawyer as a career for about 2.5 seconds before laughing at myself.
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no no no, not canada. We would never be that cruel. He spoke spanish better than English, so I assumed Mexico or points south, but I don't think I ever knew exactly which country.
I actually took the LSAT and did very well, especially for someone who didn't do any preparation or studying for it. But I chose not to do law school in the end.
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So what score did you get? (you don't have to answer... I guess.) My husband just took it, now he's applying all over to schools. He really wants to got to Salt Lake but we'll see.
But I'm not telling his score unless you tell your's and then I still might not if you got higher ;)
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I can't remember exactly. I think I was 10 points behind my brother, or so. My brother studied for it and got pretty close to the best score possible. What's the scale? If I remember that I can remember what the scores were.
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180 is top score. Average is 150's- ish. My husband got 155 (I think... could have been 156, but rather irrelevant).
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ok, if I remember right then, my brother got 177. I was very impressed.
I got somewhere in the 160s. 166 I want to say, but I'm not positive. Somewhere around there. I *could* have gone to lawschool, but it just would have made me more insufferable than I already am.
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I *could* have gone to lawschool, but it just would have made me more insufferable than I already am.
And we thank you for that from the bottom of our hearts.... ;) ;D