Jury duty

[Sojourner]

So I just learned that there's a significant problem in our local courts with people not showing up when they're called for jury duty. I can understand that it's an inconvenience, or if you can't do it because of legitimate reasons, but otherwise, come on! It's your civic duty!

If they called me, I'd show up, no questions asked. I've been LONGING to serve on a jury, but no one has ever called me. I want a really good trial, too. One that lasts a week, has complicated issues, and very moving closing arguments. Watching a trial in person is a fascinating experience, and one everybody should do at least once in their lifetime.

[Carrie]

You've never been called to jury duty? Ever?

[Sojourner]

Not once. Which is a total waste. I'd be the best juror ever.

I'm even registered to vote and stuff, and do the whole forwarding address when I move thing. It's just sad.

[Jaime]

What if it was a case involving a mime?

Would you be the best juror ever then? Or would you call for the electric chair.







I may be projecting a bit..

[Carrie]

I'm surprised.

I live in this huge city with alot of potential jurors and I've already been called twice.

[Carrie]

*note to self*

Never introduce hot stuff to a mime.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='hot stuff' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:14 PM']What if it was a case involving a mime?

Would you be the best juror ever then?  Or would you call for the electric chair.
I may be projecting a bit..
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I would still be the best juror ever. I would not call for the electric chair for a mime involved in a crime. He'd need to serve time.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Carrie' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:14 PM']I'm surprised.

I live in this huge city with alot of potential jurors and I've already been called twice.
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I'm jealous.

I've watched 12 Angry Men a couple of times, and I'm just fascinated by the whole jury deliberation process. Trial work is just so interesting.

I think I'd want to be the jury foreperson.

[Carrie]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Oct 11 2005, 04:19 PM']I'm jealous.

I've watched 12 Angry Men a couple of times, and I'm just fascinated by the whole jury deliberation process. Trial work is just so interesting.

I think I'd want to be the jury foreperson.
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Don't be.

The cases were really boring civil cases. And my job didn't pay me for my time on the jury.

[Jaime]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:17 PM']I would still be the best juror ever. I would not call for the electric chair for a mime involved in a crime. He'd need to serve time.
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Ahh yes one of Johnnie Cochrans lesser known lines


If he's a mime he must do time!!

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Carrie' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:21 PM']Don't be. 

The cases were really boring civil cases.  And my job didn't pay me for my time on the jury. 
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I think I get jury pay ... they make up the difference between whatever the county pays and my normal paycheck.

Civil cases can be interesting, but criminal cases are so much more dramatic. And yes I know that people's lives hang in the balance and it's not entertainment, etc. etc.

The closest I ever got to sitting on a jury was being part of a focus group for a lawyer who was testing out his case to see how strong it was. I think what's so interesting is seeing how different people react to a case depending on their life experiences. And it's interesting as a group to sift through the evidence and find the central dispositive pieces.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='hot stuff' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:21 PM']Ahh yes one of Johnnie Cochrans lesser known lines
If he's a mime he must do time!!
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Johnnie and I were tight.

[franciscanheart]

jury duty for the most part is boring and from what ive heard its almost an insult to be put on a jury! .... at least 'round these parts.

[Lil Red]

i've been called waaaayyyy too many times, and i've been voting for almost 10 years. it smells of elderberries and i hate it.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='hugheyforlife' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:27 PM']jury duty for the most part is boring and from what ive heard its almost an insult to be put on a jury! .... at least 'round these parts.
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See, now these are the misconceptions that are clogging up the criminal justice system! I'd explain more but I have to go mail off some important thingies.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='Sojourner' date='Oct 11 2005, 02:29 PM']See, now these are the misconceptions that are clogging up the criminal justice system! I'd explain more but I have to go mail off some important thingies.
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Mailing complete.

Here's what happens. People get arrested, they go to jail. They get charged with crimes. They go through the trial process (which if it actually goes to trial and isn't pled out will involve a jury of 12 of your peers). Then they go to state custody if they're found guilty, or home if they're not.

Here, we're dealing with a significant jail overcrowding problem, so significant that the feds stepped in and set a jail population cap that we violate under pain of financial penalty -- which taxpayers pay. Less than 30 percent of the jurors called to serve have been showing up, which means criminal trials are getting continued, which means people are staying in jail longer, which means overcrowding becomes an issue. In the time since the cap was instituted, we've have 6 (six) murders committed by people who were released from the jail early because there wasn't room for them. Then there's innumerable other crimes being committed by people who, by rights, should be in custody.

So people complain about the murders/crimes, they complain about tax increases to pay for the system, but they won't show up for jury duty.

[thessalonian]

I was on JD last spring. I really learned alot from the experience and there was much to reflect on. My case was a young lady ripping off an elderly woman she did home health care for. The whole thing was interesting from the selection process to determining guilt or innocence. You couldn't talk about what you thought until the deliberations and it was like people just all of the sudden were able to vent. Jury selection was interesting as well. We had a guy who quite apparently had a thing against policemen. The defense tried his best to keep the guy on but was pretty out of luck when the guy said he couldn't believe the testimony of a cop. The basic criteria for determining guilt is that the young lady couldn't keep her story straight. She changed it at least twice. That with the evidence made it pretty easy. But there are the emotional tugs along the way, of, well she's a young girl and I don't want to wrongly convict her. But then you say, well, if she gets off she won't learn anything. And of course the defense placed the race card as well. Anyway, hope you get on some time.

Blessings

[Era Might]

I'm going to jury duty for the first time on November 2nd.