Jury Duty - Tips, Suggestions, Advice?

[Jessica527]

I have been summoned for jury duty tomorrow. Of course I haven't been picked yet, but I need to spend the day waiting to see if I am picked.

Any tips, suggestions, or advice to survive?

This is in PA and new rule states no laptops or iphones.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I have been summoned for jury duty tomorrow. Of course I haven't been picked yet, but I need to spend the day waiting to see if I am picked.

Any tips, suggestions, or advice to survive?

This is in PA and new rule states no laptops or iphones.

Bring a book.

 

[clh2]

ear plugs...

One day when I was in the jury selection room - they had Oprah on TV, and twenty years ago - when she did trashier shows, IIRC, the show was on love triangles. I about tossed my lunch.

A book is the only thing I can think of too! Or - do you have any small crafts - i.e.. knitting, crocheting, needlework?

 

[Eeyore5]

Another idea is a deck of cards. You will probably find someone else who wants to play. If you knit, bring that. Sudoku book or crossword puzzle book.

 

[momof1princess]

when i went to jury duty back in november, i saw people with magazines and books. we weren't allowed to have our cell phones on either. you might also bring an iPod. if i were summoned now, i'd bring my nook.

 

[Jessica527]

Another idea is a deck of cards. You will probably find someone else who wants to play. If you knit, bring that. Sudoku book or crossword puzzle book.

Great ideas!

A book is the only thing I can think of too! Or - do you have any small crafts - i.e.. knitting, crocheting, needlework?

I would love to take the day to learn how to knit, but they don't allow "knitting needles" through security lol.

 

[dawson5]

exact change for parking.

I was on the list and had to call in earlier this year for jury duty. I was not chosen. I talked with my neighbor, her daughter was chosen. She had money and tried using it to pay for her parking. The machine would not take the $10. She hand to scrounge for change in her car to pay for parking.

 

[DebbieB]

Ugh.....very boring day. The last time I went we sat most of the morning, the only thing they did was ask us to fillout a questionaire. Around lunch, they picked the first group to be questioned for a case. I wasn't picked. 90 minute lunch. After lunch, they picked another group to be questioned. I wasn't picked. Around 4:00, I was dismissed, never even questioned for a case. Earned about $11.

 

[Agri]

I always take a novel and a variety puzzle book. We haven't been allowed cell phones since they first starting popping up with cameras.

 

[Jeafl]

Here in IL, you have to stay a week whether they use you or not. I spent an entire week sitting around with the same people, and NO ONE was ever called at all! It was a complete and total waste of time for all 150 of us.

I did make friends, of sorts, with a few other women. We played poker and black jack while we chatted. That helped ease the boredom a little.

 

[mrodgers]

exact change for parking.

I had a ticket to put on the dash for parking.

90 minute lunch.

90 minutes for lunch? I had half an hour. 15 minutes to drive somewhere and wait in line, 5 minutes to wolf it down, and 10 minutes to drive back.

It stated in the letter/info that no books, magazines, etc were allowed. This was before all the smartphones. Nothing was allowed, then when I got there, everyone but me had books to read. I sat for 9 hours and twiddled my thumbs before finally being dismissed.

 

[PigletsPal2]

In 2008, the jury waiting room in Osceola Co. FL had 6 internet computers, tables to play cards or spread out craft materials, about a dozen copies of the daily paper, loads of current magazines and a quiet room, where talking was discouraged. I waited around until about 2pm, when I was dismissed because I had a homicide detective in my family.

Queen Colleen

 

[lajones81]

Here in IL, you have to stay a week whether they use you or not. I spent an entire week sitting around with the same people, and NO ONE was ever called at all! It was a complete and total waste of time for all 150 of us.

I did make friends, of sorts, with a few other women. We played poker and black jack while we chatted. That helped ease the boredom a little.

Not all counties in Illinois rely on a week long jury duty system. My county uses the one day, one trial system where you either spend one day in the jury room or are selected for a trial.

I have been summoned three times in the past ten years and was selected to be a juror twice.

 

[Jeafl]

Not all counties in Illinois rely on a week long jury duty system. My county uses the one day, one trial system where you either spend one day in the jury room or are selected for a trial.

I have been summoned three times in the past ten years and was selected to be a juror twice.

I am jealous! We are in McHenry county and I spent one whole week of my summer vacation sitting around the courthouse. It felt like an eternity!

 

[Jessica527]

Thank you so much for the suggestions and tips! But I am a very happy person right now, at 8p they post whether or not you need to go to jury....and I got exempt!

Though I hate has PA waits till the night before to tell you, it is still nice to know.

But now I know for next time

 

[aprilgail2]

exact change for parking.

I was on the list and had to call in earlier this year for jury duty. I was not chosen. I talked with my neighbor, her daughter was chosen. She had money and tried using it to pay for her parking. The machine would not take the $10. She hand to scrounge for change in her car to pay for parking.

You have to PAY to park for jury duty???? Wow-never heard of that!
I would bring my Nook or a book to read- would not be happy about not having a phone though-do they give you a number where people can call to reach you in an emergancy???

 

[Kim&Chris]

I recently finished for NJ. I brought a book, but was actually too bored to read...just couldn't get into it.

It's a two-day commitment for NJ, $5.00 per day.

The ONLY thing that helped me, even slightly, was my iPod.

 

[tvguy]

exact change for parking.
.

Not an issue, here, jurors have their own parking lot, and if you ride the bus, you turn in your ticket each day, and they give you a new one, so you only pay bus fare for your first ride to the court house.

They have 2 systems here, 1 day or 1 trial if you physically go in, or 2 weeks of on call jury duty. You have to check in after 4:30 pm to see if you have to be in at 8 am the next day, and again at 11 am to see if you have to be in at 1:30 pm.
Most folks I know opt for going in for 1 day and hoping for the best, and most employers would rather gamble and have you go in one day, and know you will be gone, rather than having to have plans for you to be gone on short notice over a 2 week period.

 

[lajones81]

I am jealous! We are in McHenry county and I spent one whole week of my summer vacation sitting around the courthouse. It felt like an eternity!

I think a week of waiting would be quite painful! lol

You have to PAY to park for jury duty???? Wow-
never heard of that!
I would bring my Nook or a book to read- would not be happy about not having a phone though-do they give you a number where people can call to reach you in an emergancy???

I had to pay for parking at the lot and for the train downtown! I think it ended up being more than I actually earned from jury duty that day! lol

 

[cassiez76]

i'm doing criminal court jury duty this month. i have every monday/wednesday in march. we do it differently in new orleans.

this past monday i was selected for service. attempted 2nd degree murder. the 2 were guilty on 4 of the 6 counts. they won't be back on the streets. ever.

and actually 4 of the 12 courts exhausted the jury pool that day. it was a crazy amount of attempted murder and murder trials. hopefully NOLA is cleaning itself up with all these cases.

we have 2 t.v.s in the room, an overflow room and a quiet room. we're packed in like sardines! we can have laptops/phones and there is wifi. but their is no cell phone reception.

the judge did confiscate our phones the 2 days of the trial and we got them back at the end of each day.

it wasn't so horrible and i hope i'm picked for another 3 days of service so i don't have to go to work. lol