Jury-Duty Observations from Juror No. 7

[James Burleigh]

I don't understand why people are so upset about having to serve on a jury. Me, I enjoy the break from work, seeing how the court system operates, and doing my civic duty. It was cool how the judge pointed out that this is the only thing you are required to do as a citizen.

I understand that there are people for whom it is a genuine hardship, such as self-employed people, full-time parents taking care of kids, etc. But my job situation pays me and supports it. And as wnyfjr and others say above, it is the least efficient use of anyone's time, in terms of managing the time (not in terms of justice). Bring a good book, a big one.

Another observation to add to my original list, and I guess it surprised me because you don't see it in the movies: I didn't know the judge could / or would jump in an ask the witness on the stand clarifying questions. I thought the attorneys did all that. Sometimes I wonder if the attorney wished the judge hadn't asked that question....

 

[wfooshee]

My only time actually making it to a jury, I was number 7 on a 6-member panel, i.e. the alternate. I sat through the trial but was dismissed as soon as the trial ended, without participating in deliberations. I knew I wouldn't vote, but I didn't know I wouldn't participate! I have no idea which way it went, although I have no idea how they could possibly have done anything other than not guilty. The state's case was beyond flimsy, and the case should never have gone to trial.

 

[gixxerjasen]

The funny thing is that my dad would love to serve on a jury as he's interested in all that stuff. But he can't get on a jury to save his life. One time it came down to the question "What bumper sticker is on your car?" that got him cast off. There was another one against a local nudie bar for prostitution. The prosecutor asked him what his hobbies were, so he listed them including his love for painting art. He was asked if he'd ever painted nude models when he was attending school, and yes he had. He was dismissed. LOL.

 

[Auburn]

I don't understand why people are so upset about having to serve on a jury. Me, I enjoy the break from work, seeing how the court system operates, and doing my civic duty. It was cool how the judge pointed out that this is the only thing you are required to do as a citizen.
I understand that there are people for whom it is a genuine hardship, such as self-employed people, full-time parents taking care of kids, etc. But my job situation pays me and supports it. And as wnyfjr and others say above, it is the least efficient use of anyone's time, in terms of managing the time (not in terms of justice). Bring a good book, a big one.

Another observation to add to my original list, and I guess it surprised me because you don't see it in the movies: I didn't know the judge could / or would jump in an ask the witness on the stand clarifying questions. I thought the attorneys did all that. Sometimes I wonder if the attorney wished the judge hadn't asked that question....

You hit the nail on the head. You work for a public agency that pays your salary while on jury duty. A lot of private employers do not pay your salary while on jury duty. You get whatever the court pays you which is $10 a day here. That does put a legitimate financial hardship on many people.

 

[Spud]

Attorney observation on jurors: as is always the fear, furors tend to focus on things that have no bearing

Yellow paper helps you find your hand-written notes in a sea of white copy paper. "Legal size" pads are there as some documents (i.e. property deeds) are printed on the 14" paper. That way the files all fit together. There is however a big trend away from the legal size paper and it's being fazed out--as is paper all together in some cases (federal is electronic filings only).

 

[puppychow]

Is it a good place to pick up chicks?

 

[odot]

Um, no.

 

[kamal]

Is it a good place to pick up chicks?

Only if they're found 'Not Guilty'.

 

[Intech]

Is it a good place to pick up chicks?

Only if they're found 'Not Guilty'.

Wait, what about conjugal visits. (can't believe I just contributed to thread drift!)

 

[dcarver]

Only been called once.

Farmers Brother's coffee company being sued by a restaurant for fire originating from coffee maker.

"Where do you work and what do you do?"

Work for PGE (electric until co)

...Dismissed.

Damn, that would have been a good one.

No crazed peeps / friends of peeps after you.

Not sure what happened.

 

[puppychow]

C'mon Hans, don't be a ****.. ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lke8H9dD7no

 

[rogdeb]

When I was employed I served on 3 jury's and enjoyed it ------ it got me out of work

Since I've been retired I've served on 2 jury's ..... a royal pain

.... cause now I'm retired I have "things to do" for gawds sake !!

 

[kamal]

When I was employed I served on 3 jury's and enjoyed it ------ it got me out of work

+1 Roger. I was paid by the company and got $20 from the Sheriff's Office!

Since I've been retired I've served on 2 jury's ..... a royal pain

.... cause now I'm retired I have "things to do" for gawds sake !!

I volunteered for the winter session, didn't get called. I'll bet those ******** call me in the summer.

Al.

 

[gixxerjasen]

C'mon puppychow, the least you could do is post links to the rest of the episode!

 

[puppychow]

Ask and you shall receive..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DBs3xUk5tg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg-h4rHqamo

 

[SacramentoMike]

Another interesting subject, isn't it? I worked for the state of CA, and they were good about jury duty, and it never cost me any income, but even now, with all my time my own, I still kind of enjoy it.

Hans is right about bringing a book. Even if you wanted to watch "their" choice of daytime tv's offerings, you either couldn't count on seeing one of the tv sets, or hearing it, or being able to stay to the end to find out if Joan and Dr. Vance were really going to get it on while Joan's husband was in a coma.

But the duty itself, once you're empaneled, is a fascinating process. The thing that struck me right away is that as a juror, the whole show is put on for you! That's something I never got from a show about a trial. The jury was always just a passive audience. But you find everybody in the room is talking to you, trying to convince you, worrying about what your reactions will be--YOU really hold a lot of people's immediate fate in your hands: not just the defendant, but the people who are there supporting him, and the people who want to see him swing! And you feel it from the very start of the process.

Of course, if you're stuck in a deliberation room with one or two idiots, it can make the process pretty grueling, but also a little more memorable, eventually. I was lucky enough to have been in on a couple of very interesting criminal cases (although we did have the idiots). Guess I might feel differently if my cases had been tedious and boring, or god help me, an endless, weeks-long O.J. Simpson-type deal.

.

 

[Bounce]

I have JD again on 3/4. The last time the other jurors tried to elect me foreman. I swung it so another guy was so I could be the pupet master.

As a federal employee (that whole "public employer" thing above), any compensation higher than the cost of parking has to be turned in to the agency.

 

[Hudson]

After serving on a jury, I hope that if I ever go to trial I get a decent group of people.

Hans, do the right thing please and don't be a pompous ***.

Yikes! Where'd that come from?

Are you sore because I don't share your taste in lugubrious videos? What's next? Will I be pilloried for not laughing at today's cat video?

Too late, Tyler. (The forum server suddenly goes idle as the inmates rush to their search engines. Lugubrious??. Def. exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful. Syn. bleak, dark. On the positive side, the usual suspects are for once literally silent. "I got nothing..." thinks Busta to himself. Sheesh, even Don can't work "lugubrious" into some non-sensical drunken Mexican gibberish. Maybe Hans is onto something with these $5 words....).

 

[Geezer]

After serving on a jury, I hope that if I ever go to trial I get a decent group of people.

Hans, do the right thing please and don't be a pompous ***.

Yikes! Where'd that come from?

Are you sore because I don't share your taste in lugubrious videos? What's next? Will I be pilloried for not laughing at today's cat video?

Too late, Tyler. (The forum server suddenly goes idle as the inmates rush to their search engines. Lugubrious??. Def. exaggeratedly or affectedly mournful. Syn. bleak, dark. On the positive side, the usual suspects are for once literally silent. "I got nothing..." thinks Busta to himself. Sheesh, even Don can't work "lugubrious" into some non-sensical drunken Mexican gibberish. Maybe Hans is onto something with these $5 words....).

I remember the first time I heard the word lugubrious used. Henry Kissinger used it to described the occasion of John Kennedy's funeral. I had to look it up then. I've seen it a few time in literature since then.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Called twice. Served twice and was foreman the second time. First was a bender bender where the 'victim' was going to need weekly chiropractic treatments for the rest of her life. Her expert witness was the chiropractor who would be paid for said treatments. When the evidence was all weighed up th case was clearly bogus.

Second time was a medical case and I knew the doctor whose charting decided the case. For sure I'd be dismissed, right? Not. The kid who was injured in a car accident wanted a lottery win from the other driver. He dropped out of college and wanted to blame the accident. He evidence clearly showed otherwise. Later ,we learned that his own attorney had advised against taking the case to court but the kid had $$ in his sights.

It's interpreting to see how the system works. If they could just condense the waiting around time and let you leave four hours earlier. I don't mind doing it as long as they don't exceed the days paid by my employer. Losing a day's pay (or more) and getting reimbursed $10 is not cool.