Jury-Duty Observations from Juror No. 7

[James Burleigh]

>Both attorneys are using yellow legal pads. Do they use them because they're legal pads? Or are they legal pads because they use them? And why do attorneys need three inches more than everybody else?

>Everyone, including the judge, stands when the jury enters the courtroom. That's cool. But I have to resist the urge to do the royal nod & wave.

>Jury duty is like traveling by plane: a lot of waiting around. First you wait in a big lounge waiting to be called. Then you go to another place where they tell you where to sit. And then you wait some more. Expect frequent unexpected delays.

>The judge said it's not like in the movies, but really it is, except for maybe lots more attorney-judge sidebars.

More after it's over and I'm allowed to talk about it....

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I have served twice, once as the jury foreman. It is not exactly like the movies but it is much better than a soap opera. Days of Our Lives has nothing on a good trial. If it does nothing else, it should give you some appreciation for the legal system. When I was younger, everyone I knew made every attempt to get out of jury duty. After serving on a jury, I hope that if I ever go to trial I get a decent group of people.

 

[odot]

Fish, I have told you before and I will tell you again..... you are perfect material for ADMINSHIP here.......

 

[vtwinn]

My first jury duty was when I was 22 and it was a Murder trail,he was found guilty.

 

[Auburn]

>Both attorneys are using yellow legal pads. Do they use them because they're legal pads? Or are they legal pads because they use them? And why do attorneys need three inches more than everybody else?
....

Compensating for something ...

 

[Tyler]

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

Have served three times, twice as foreperson, one hung jury, two guilty convictions (one that turned out to be a 3 strikes matter which we were not told until AFTER we had delivered the verdict)... and I totally agree with you about getting a decent group of people that pay attention to more than what size someone's pad of paper is... way too many people take the whole thing so flippantly... ugh, urg, crap I got jury duty, mylifesisomuchmoreimportantthanthisbullsh*t... how'd that make you feel if it these were the people that were deciding your fate?

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

 

[Greg 03]

I just wear my "Right Wing Gun Nut" t-shirt to selection... Never get picked and on my way in a jiffy!

 

[James Burleigh]

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?

 

[Patriot]

The sheltered, naive AIW was picked for a federal grand jury which included cases of transporting **** & sex toys across state lines. She came home with eyes bulged shaking her head.

 

[Tyler]

Are you sore because I don't share your taste in lugubrious videos?

Yeah.. that's it.

 

[airboss]

Never served on a jury trial.

Always get caught on question # 3.

Do you know ay law enforcement officers?

Answer: yes lots. then I get to go home.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Hans, I hope it's not me you are growling at, I did not intend to offend at all. I applaud your powers of observation, I certainly did not know that lawyers need 3 more inches! Of course I never dated a lawyer, and you never said whether they were male or female lawyers.

Regarding "Just like the movies", in both cases I was chosen to sit on, the "actresses" were both drop dead gorgeous. I make no exaggerations when I say that both of the young ladies involved in the first trial could have easily have stepped onto a movie set or a Playboy photo shoot. In the second trial I served on, the plaintiff was so beautiful that the lawyers deliberately had her makeup, hair and clothing subdued so that to the untrained eye, she was very plain. I consider my eyes well trained though. Then the defense showed us over an hour long film of her doing some modeling work. She looked eerily similar to that animal in the Nicky Hayden video.

None of which has the least bit of relevance to the importance of seeing justice done in the courtroom. The decision we as a jury made in the second trial, largely bullied by me still haunts me. The "Did I do the Right Thing" question can be troublesome. IF you have a conscience and a sense of right and wrong.

 

[Falko]

I've never been summoned to jury duty. And people laugh at my lifestyle of utter recluse and anonymity from the gov't.

 

[Intech]

I was in the jury pool for the last quarter of last year. Was called once and then dismissed due to a plea. I welcome the opportunity to serve. The wife is in the pool for this quarter. Her opinion differs...

 

[gixxerjasen]

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

Can't we do the right thing AND be a pompous ***? Taking note of things like the legal pads can be done during the enormous downtime.

Thus far, I've only been called once. I realized that I didn't have military duty, and was't in school anymore. I figured only an act of God would keep me from serving. The day I had to call in and report, I was informed via recording that due to the impending hurricane coming in, all jury duty was dismissed. Act of God complete!

For me, it's not so much the serving that would bother me. It's the going down, sitting in a plastic chair all day watching soap operas only to be sent home at the end that would drive me nuts. I've known this to happen to far too many people. If they told me without a doubt that I'd sit in on a trial, I'd be there in a heartbeat, pay attention, and take it very seriously. But until they improve the system, I'll continue to hope and pray that I don't get called.

 

[ionbeam]

I found being called in for jury duty to be quite educational about the legal system, it was the first time I was ever in court on the other side of the law

I was asked the 'do you know anyone or anyone in your family...police' question. I though, cool, I'm off the hook. The judge called me up alone, leaned over and asked me if my brother being a LEO would really interfere with my ability to be neutral. I assured the judge that my brother always told me that the police never arrested an innocent person. Judge took a deep breath and repeated the question and I had to reply that I could still be neutral. Dang, it sucks being honest sometimes.

No good deed goes unpunished, I got called in for jury duty on a theft case. I spent 4.75 days in a very hot, humid non air conditioned room getting to know 12 other people better than I know my family members. At least once a day we were told to get ready, we were going in. Only we didn't. Finally at the end of the fifth day the court clerk came in and told us that the lawyers and judge had reached an agreement and we were free to go home. I would rather have spent my week at work. The trial would have been a repeat offender's last trial if found guilty, it would have been major.

 

[Auburn]

Since people are sharing their experiences with being called for jury duty.

I have been called a few times, to be in the pool with instructions to call in each night to see if I needed to come in the next day. But, never had to go in. It is a civic duty that I won'tmmind being called for. I just hope it will be when I am retired and have lots of time. But if it is not, so be it.

My wife has been called into the County court several times for the jury pool. She never gets past the judge's first question to the pool.

The question goes something like "is there anything that interferes with your ability to serve on the jury?" She patiently waits for the usual my job, my kid, my vacation excuses, to which the judge almost never allows anyone to leave. Then she speaks up and says, my sister in law was killed in hallway just outside this courtroom in 1995. Her sister in law was one of the friends just outside the courtroom that Blackwell killed when he shot his wife and two others. https://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960518&slug=2329860 This case was the reason that the County now has metal detectors just to enter the building.

Fortunately, the last time she had to go in the judge ordered the court clerk to permanently remove my wife's name from any prospective jury pool so she won't get that call anymore and have to relive that nightmare all over again again.

 

[Geezer]

I have been called a few times over the years. I actually look forward to serving. The problem is that I have never even gotten to the point of being questioned. Most of the time I simply called in from home and my number was not on the list for the next day. One time my number did come up and I drove in, parked in the required parking space, passed through the courthouse security, and sat in a courtroom for several hours before jury selection began. Then I learned that the case was about some guy suing some other guy for something trivial and that the guy doing the suing seemed to sue people for a living. I was glad I didn't get picked for that nonsense. Still, it was a big waste of time and, although I still look forward to serving some day, I can understand why people are jaded.

 

[wnyfjr]

The last time I got summoned I actually made it all the way to a trial. Now I see why the legal system takes so long...

It took over two days just to seat 14 jurors (12 plus two alternates). People have any reason not to serve. Sure, I admit I'd have rather not had to spend my days in court instead of working, but I just can't imagine bullshitting an answer to a question just to get excused. Our case was a repeat offender (drugs) being caught in his brother's apartment where drugs were found. He threw his brother under the bus. Once a panel was seated, we found that court ran from 10-noon and from 2-4pm. So for the day, only four hours of courtroom time possible. We got through a day and a half of prosecution witnesses (cops and informants) and the next day it was to be the defense's turn. We showed up and waited until almost 11:30am (had to be there by 9) when we were finally called in and told he copped a plea and we were excused. Four whole days of my life I'll never get back, for maybe 4-5 total hours of court testimony.