# Jury Duty



## Velka (Mar 6, 2015)

So, I just received my summons for jury duty in mid-April. 

I've never done this before, but have always been intrigued (I used to work for the Court of Queen's Bench and was ineligible, hence being able to dodge this bullet, erm, democratic duty, for so long). Depending on the case, I think it would be really interesting to be a part of a jury, but ugh, what if it's one of those that goes on forever and I'm sequestered, or it's a horrible, horrible crime that puts me in therapy with PTSD? Give me a good old-fashioned mob hit or something. 

When I mentioned it at work today I was flooded by tons of my coworkers wanting to share their jury duty stories. It was really interesting to see how this common, usually dreaded, obligation was a shared human experience and hear all their different takes on it.

So, do any of you have a jury duty story to share, either the process or actually serving on one?


----------



## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 6, 2015)

I was summoned last July but I never served on a jury. But most of the time people come out of the experience wanting to do it again. However, just hope it's not a four week long conspiracy to defraud the government trial. Those suckers are BORING!


----------



## SM-Dreamer (Mar 6, 2015)

I've been summoned, spent the day waiting to see whether I would be needed or not. Was rather boring, and I spent the time finishing up the book I was reading (I don't recall which it was, lol). Ended up not being needed, though I wouldn't have minded doing it.


----------



## ThinkerX (Mar 6, 2015)

I have served on both petit and grand juries - and get to juggle work and (petit) jury duty come May.  

I have been a juror in two separate trials, one which could have been averted had the police officer involved properly filled out his paperwork (guy challenging his arrest on purely technical grounds) and a second that came down to a 'point of honor against the cops' (the guy won that one.)    Most parts of those trials were less exciting than watching paint dry.  

The grand jury, though, was interesting - we heard a couple dozen cases a day ranging from felony drunk driving to embezzlement to rape and home invasion, and decided if there was enough evidence to go to trial.  (And it was a rare case that didn't get recommended for trial.)  That one, unlike petit jury was a regular Friday thing for three months, as I recollect.


----------



## TheCatholicCrow (Mar 6, 2015)

Sounds like an excellent opportunity to people watch


----------



## Caged Maiden (Mar 6, 2015)

Most don't go to trial.  If it's something you have feelings about, you will not be selected.  They ask you questions, for example in a drug trial, the prosecutor and defense would ask whether you have ever done drugs, whether anyone in your family has ever been charged for drugs, whether you have any personal feelings about drugs, have ever suffered an injury because of using yourself or by the hand of someone under the influence... They're thorough and throw you out if you react in any way to the subject matter.  I got thrown out of a drug trial, BTW, when I was selected just after turning 18...

Pretty much, they are looking for people who will be unbiased to the subject.  If you are selected to sit on a jury, it will be because you want to be selected.  You can pretty much opt out if you are not comfortable.  In fact, you can ask to be excused by the judge before you ever get selected to be eligible for a hearing.  My second time being called, I got out of the commitment because I told the judge my husband had to stay home from work while I was there because I didn't have day care (as a stay at home mom) and he let me go.  He seemed confused when I told him just the two of us solely took care of the kids.  He asked what I did with them all day and I told him I bring them everywhere with me (I think I had two at the time).  Like, is that unheard of for a mom to bring her kids to everything?  I mean, that's my life, right?  If I go to the doctor, I bring them and give them blow pops in the waiting room and office room.  If I go shopping, they're riding in the cart.  Like...jury duty requires my husband to take days off to stay home with them.  Call him for jury duty, he's salaried and would love to sit there all day reading magazines and not being at work!.


----------



## Devor (Mar 6, 2015)

I was supposed to go in for jury duty last month.  But they sent me a text the day before saying that they didn't need additional jurors for the day and that my service was complete.

Really, it will probably just be boring.


----------



## ThinkerX (Mar 6, 2015)

> Pretty much, they are looking for people who will be unbiased to the subject. If you are selected to sit on a jury, it will be because you want to be selected.



Not in my case.  I was uneager to serve on either jury.  Unfortunately, the attorneys exhausted most of the pool before they got to me.



> You can pretty much opt out if you are not comfortable. In fact, you can ask to be excused by the judge before you ever get selected to be eligible for a hearing. My second time being called, I got out of the commitment because I told the judge my husband had to stay home from work while I was there because I didn't have day care (as a stay at home mom) and he let me go.



Not in my case.  I work a contract mail route for a living.  At this point in time, the only other person who knows enough to fill in for me on that route is recovering from a double knee replacement and can barely walk.  The judge was unimpressed and told me to show up anyhow, though I was given the option to delay service, which I took.


----------



## Gabcy (Mar 6, 2015)

TheCatholicCrow said:


> Sounds like an excellent opportunity to people watch



I agree with this.  I have yet to receive a summons, but I think I would be ok with it.  

I've never had much experience with our law system outside of paying a speeding ticket, so it would be cool to see a deeper look.


----------



## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 7, 2015)

Caged Maiden said:


> Pretty much, they are looking for people who will be unbiased to the subject.



I have to disagree with this. Attorneys don't just look for unbiased jurors. They look for a jury that they can sway. In criminal trials and simple civil suits that's for idiots. I've heard an ex-cop say, "If you put the brains of an average juror into a seagull the damn thing would fly backwards." That's not inaccurate. I would argue that in my jury selection I was not selected in large part because of my education. However, for complex cases attorneys want intelligent jurors. They'll actually follow the case instead of being confused by it.

So, if want to be be a juror for a street crime, hide your intelligence. If not flaunt it.


----------



## CupofJoe (Mar 7, 2015)

I did a 5 week fraud chase a few years ago and it was incredible boring... There were so many pauses where "Points of Law" were discussed. Luckily we had a private Jury Room and I had bought a BodhrÃ¡n at a local music shop. I learnt to play it fairly well... 
It is a great chance to people watch.Just be prepared to be thoroughly demoralised... You are seeing a lot of people that are bored with what they do and even more that are having a really bad day...
 In the UK sequestration is very rare so we did get to go home every day. And jury selection is just about non-existant.
Do you know the accused?
Do you know the victim?
Have you suffered from crime like this/recently?
Will you be fair?
Swear the oath now... [and you get a choice of books of faith or none to swear on - that was kind of cool - I read some of the Koran [Quran?] while I had the chance]
In fact the penalties for lieing or trying to manipulate to get on a jury are usually massive - contempt of court.
My best advice? Take a good book and some sweets.


----------



## Garren Jacobsen (Mar 7, 2015)

Brian Scott Allen said:


> So, if want to be be a juror for a street crime, hide your intelligence. If not flaunt it.



I'd just like to say this line is not meant to be serious advice.


----------

