Advice - getting off jury duty

[Mr Janny]

My brother got picked up for jury duty while he was at the post office on his lunch break. A cop approached him and asked if he lived in the county. When he said yes, he told him to report to the courthouse ASAP. He wasn't allowed to go back to work or anything.

When he got to the courthouse, there were probably 20-30 other people there who had been selected the same way. A lot of angry folks. The judge came out and said that he understood that people were mad, but that their anger should be directed at their fellow county residents who didn't respond to their jury summons.

Jury selection lasted two days, but my brother didn't get selected. His boss was not too happy about the whole thing, but there was nothing he could really do.

 

[jbhtexas]

I had Jury Duty in january. I wanted to do it because it was an interesting case and I guess the whole court room scene is fascinating to me.

Mine would have been very interesting too: deadly assault with intent to do bodily harm. The defendent was accused of dousing her her boyfriend with gasoline and lighting him on fire.

The voir dire was quite fascinating...

A major point of the prosecution was to make sure the jurors understood that things beyond a a gun or a knife can be used to carry out deadly assault.

One guy wanted off real bad. He answered every question asked by the attorneys in the most predjudicial manner possible. It got really embarrasing for him, and a number of folks were getting upset with him because of the time he was wasting.

A lady raised her hand and said the defendant looked real familiar to her. The judge questioned her, and determined that there was no familiarity. Seeing this as a possible way out, about five other hands went up with the same excuse. So, the judge took them all out for private interviews, and determined that none of them could have known the defendant.

The defense attorney was a jerk. He kept asking his questions in an either/or manner which would make the jurors look predjudiced against his case no matter how they answered. The jurors were getting openly irritated with him. The prosecutor objected a couple of times (sustained), and the judge called him up to the bench. He was better behaved after that.

 

[bringmagicback]

Figure out the crime, and then go to the police station and say that its a case of mistaken identity and you feel bad and admit to the crime. They cant put the defendent on the jury, that just doesnt make sense. Boom off the jury.

 

[ianoconnor]

I've always wanted to get called in, to be honest. Never have.

 

[weR138]

My brother got picked up for jury duty while he was at the post office on his lunch break. A cop approached him and asked if he lived in the county. When he said yes, he told him to report to the courthouse ASAP. He wasn't allowed to go back to work or anything.

When he got to the courthouse, there were probably 20-30 other people there who had been selected the same way. A lot of angry folks. The judge came out and said that he understood that people were mad, but that their anger should be directed at their fellow county residents who didn't respond to their jury summons.

Jury selection lasted two days, but my brother didn't get selected. His boss was not too happy about the whole thing, but there was nothing he could really do.

Say WUT???

The cops don't go find the summoned residents and instead ambush people on the street?

That's bananaz.

 

[weR138]

I've always wanted to get called in, to be honest. Never have.

Ha, me too. And I've been a registered voter for pushing twenty years.

 

[Tailg8er]

My brother got picked up for jury duty while he was at the post office on his lunch break. A cop approached him and asked if he lived in the county. When he said yes, he told him to report to the courthouse ASAP. He wasn't allowed to go back to work or anything.When he got to the courthouse, there were probably 20-30 other people there who had been selected the same way. A lot of angry folks. The judge came out and said that he understood that people were mad, but that their anger should be directed at their fellow county residents who didn't respond to their jury summons.Jury selection lasted two days, but my brother didn't get selected. His boss was not too happy about the whole thing, but there was nothing he could really do.

Did this happen in a small town or long ago?


Couldn't imagine this happening in a city like Des Moines nowadays.

 

[Mr Janny]

Say WUT???

The cops don't go find the summoned residents and instead ambush people on the street?

That's bananaz.

well, when the jury selection is supposed to take place that day, and very few people show up, it's probably a lot more effective/cheaper to go send a cop to round people up at the post office, than it is to send someone to the summoned residents houses. Especially in the middle of the day. how likely are they to be home? It's not like those folks got off scott free, though. My brother said the judge was pretty mad about the situation, and told the jury pool that those that skipped would be dealt with.

Did this happen in a small town or long ago?


Couldn't imagine this happening in a city like Des Moines nowadays.

happened a couple years ago. small, very rural county. Population of about 20,000.

 

[VeloClone]

My brother said the judge was pretty mad about the situation, and told the jury pool that those that skipped would be dealt with.

Well, ignoring a jury summons can be contempt of court...

 

[Mr Janny]

Well, ignoring a jury summons can be contempt of court...

Yeah, I have a feeling that judge could make things pretty uncomfortable for the people who skipped.

 

[ruxCYtable]

My daughter registered to vote (18 yrs old) at the local caucus. Right after she turned 18, she got a jury duty notice. Sent the form back saying she was still a HS student, so they deferred her. Two weeks ago, she received another notice for the middle of June.

I got a notice to serve on a jury when I was 16 years old! My mom went down there and said my son got this notice and he can't serve, he's only 16. The woman, in typical government form, scoffed at her and said,"He's going to have to come here himself during regular business hours and request to be excused."

My mom said,"He's a minor and he's in school!"

The lady scoffed again and said,"I'm going to excuse him this time, but if he's called again he'll have to appear."

I'm now 40 years old and have never again been called.

 

[cardsNclones]

My personal opion is that given the opportunity you should do it. I was on a 2 week 1st degree murder trial a few years back, so it was rather interesting. I was never in the military or public service of any kind, so I felt that was my way of giving back.

 

[erikbj]

I would have liked to do it, but this week was just bad timing. My wife did it and sent a youth to 75 years in prison a couple years ago. He tried robbing a couple strippers at gun point, the strippers boyfriend got the gun away from him - then shot him........and still was sentenced to 75 years, bad day for him.

i am all about cleaning up the streets one bad apple after another. Cedar Rapids has had a rash of shootings lately, i was hoping to get on one of those and ask if i can be the one to pull the lever for the electric chair.

 

[3TrueFans]

I got a notice to serve on a jury when I was 16 years old! My mom went down there and said my son got this notice and he can't serve, he's only 16. The woman, in typical government form, scoffed at her and said,"He's going to have to come here himself during regular business hours and request to be excused."

My mom said,"He's a minor and he's in school!"

The lady scoffed again and said,"I'm going to excuse him this time, but if he's called again he'll have to appear."

I'm now 40 years old and have never again been called.

Way to have your mom fights your battles for you.

 

[clone4good]

It's probably going to be a drunk driving case or somthing like that. If so, have a strong stance for drinking or not drinking, each side gets to kick off like 3 members each so you will be one for sure. Also, if it is a minor case they typically last a day.

 

[TxCycloneFan]

Pack some peanut butter in your underware. When called, stand up, stick your hand in your pants, grab some PB and smear it all over your face and mouth.

Let me know how that works out for you.

 

[ruxCYtable]

Way to have your mom fights your battles for you.

Dude, I was actually in school and she worked right next to the courthouse!

 

[ianoconnor]

My personal opion is that given the opportunity you should do it. I was on a 2 week 1st degree murder trial a few years back, so it was rather interesting. I was never in the military or public service of any kind, so I felt that was my way of giving back.

What did your employer do under those circumstances?

 

[Incyte]

What did your employer do under those circumstances?

Let him off work per the requirements of law?

 

[ianoconnor]

Let him off work per the requirements of law?

I figured it's probably mandated by law to let them attend. You get a per diem for jury duty, right? I'm thinking more along the lines of pay... I suppose if you don't have PTO, you'd most likely have to just take unpaid leave.