Jury duty

[sunlver]

Has anybody served Jury duty before? How as it? Interesting, boring ??

Ive lived here for 15 yrs,and finally last month got a summons for Jury Duty. I Was told to call the number Starting on Oct 24th. I call every night for 2 weeks. So I have been doing it, it kept saying you have NOT been selected etc....Today though It said I am to appear Wed Nov 5 8:30am, but to call the night before to check status?

What are the odds when I call tomorrow night they will say I dont have to report. Part of me really wants to do it, I think it would be very interesting. BUT.. I do have 3 kids, my older 2 are in school , my youngest goes to preschool 3 days a week 3 hrs a day...Thats where the problem comes in.

So those who had their number called what was it Like?

 

[EthansMom]

What are the odds when I call tomorrow night they will say I dont have to report.

Both DH and I got a "You do not have to attend" message when we called the night before for our last Jury Duty notice.

Years ago, I showed up for Jury Duty, waited around for an hour or so and then was told "You aren't needed".

 

[Feralpeg]

I've served on multiple juries. I've even been the foreman on a jury. I found it to be very interesting and enlightening. I'd be happy to do it again.

 

[GeorgeG]

I once served for thirteen weeks on a jury for a criminal tax case. It was both interesting and educational. I'd do it again.

 

[mum4jenn]

I LOVE jury duty. I wish I could get called more often. The whole process is very interesting.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I served on a second degree murder trial. It was very interesting, though I am the type who finds the process very interesting. I was proud to serve and would do it again when asked!

We only served maybe 5 days - and not always an entire day. The other members of the jury were very nice and we all got along well. We all brought in snacks to share.

The Judge was very fair and the officers very friendly - both were very supportive of us as jurors.

It was also a little stressful and difficult. We went home over the weekend and it was hard having all that weigh on you without being able to discuss it with your spouse or anyone. The delivery of the verdict was also very hard and upsetting for some of the jurors. We all took it very, very seriously.

 

[Meriweather]

I also really enjoyed jury duty. Very interesting. I enjoyed it a lot.
But I can see how some cases could be boring.
I would love to do it again.

 

[Master Mason]

I got picked as an alternate on a wrongful death case. It sucked that I had to sit there through the whole thing and then not be part of the deliberations.

 

[tonilea]

I always wanted to be called for jury duty - at least before DH (currently a police officer) and I (past officer) became involved in law enforcement. I knew when I was called, I wouldn't be able to serve on a jury, but I was not excused. At the time I was working full time in a vet clinic and part time in law enforcement. For me, it was a huge waste of time and cost me a bunch of money. I would always arrange for someone to replace me at work and then jury duty would be cancelled. So, I didn't work and I didn't have jury duty.

 

[mrs_hower726]

I did jury duty last october. They were trying to accuse an ex-convict of carrying a gun. It lasted 3 days and if I was working, I would've been fine with taking time off since it was an interesting process to see how everything worked in the courts (and we had LOTS of chocolate since it was around Halloween) but I was a full-time grad student and it was around midterms so I wasn't a happy camper.

 

[JoJo's Mom]

I know different counties in different states do it differently. I was called a few years back. I had to go in every day for 1 week. I literally sat in a room with like 100 others for 8 hours. If a case came up, they would call potential jurors into a court room for questioning. If you were not chosen for that case, you were sent back into the big room. I was never called at all. The 2nd week we were just on call. Never had to call in though. Now, the next county over did it differently. I was bored out of my mind. Though, I think if I were picked for a case it may have been a lot more interesting.

 

[C.Ann]

I got called, but during the phase where they actually call you up to the jurers box so the attorneys can question you (to see if they feel you would be good for "their" side), I was eliminated when I told the one attorney I didn't like him or his television commercial..

 

[Chicago526]

I've been called but never picked. I'd love to do it, I think I'd find it really interesting. But then I don't have kids so I don't have schedules to worry about.

 

[korzmom]

i served one time and really thought it was interesting, it was attempted murder and lasted 5 days. I'm a stay at home mom and it was a nice change of pace, wouldnt mind doing it again as long as i dont have to drive in alot of snow,i really hate that.

 

[antmaril]

I served once and was the jury foreman. I thought it was very interesting.

 

[ksumn1]

I served on a jury for 5 days. It was an attempted homicide and assault case invoving domestic abuse between a young man and his girlfriend. I found the entire process very interesting and challenging at the same time. Our case invilved convicting a young man (or not) for crimes that could send him to jail for 20 years or more. This case involved testimony form not just friends and family and law enforcement but also form a firearms and ballistics expert. Fascinating stuff. Very sobering though to have that weighty decision to make. We eventually found the young man guilty on all counts (I think there were 3)and I really felt like my presence on the jury really did affect the justice system. I found it very rewarding and would love the opportunity to do it again.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I served once before I had kids. It was a drunk driving case. I found it all very interesting, but really changed my opinion of the justice system. The prosecutor acted like a spoiled whiny toddler and actually threw a tantrum when he lost the case. His entire case was "You need to find him guilty because I say he is". The judge spent most of the time doing her nails and reading a magazine. If there was an objection (and the prosecutor had a ton of them) she would just have the court reporter read back and then rule.

The defense attorney was good.

In deliberations most of the jurors were sort of on the fence. So the foreman said "look, he seems like a good hard working kid (he was about 18) and his parents spent a lot of hard earned money to fight this. I think this has scared him straight and he won't do it again so lets just consider him not guilty."

I would have held out for guilty but I was young and was raging sick with a 104 fever and just wanted to go home and go to bed. I was the only hold out so I just said to hell with it and changed my vote.

I would do it again, but I wouldn't want to be on a hard core case like a rape or murder. I think it would really mess with me.

 

[Violet Crayon]

I was called upon, but spent half a day sitting in an extremely crowded room watching awful romantic comedies. After lunch I was called with a group and dismissed because a case was settled and the computer (luckily) randomly selected me. Some people might have done the same thing everyday for a week if their name was never pulled up for a case, which is why I was relieved to resume my life (did not want to miss college classes!).

My boyfriend spent a day sitting in the room and the next was selected for a case. There was a gang shootout in a street during the day. Nobody was killed that day but at a later date some of the individuals involved were murdered. A video from an ATM was able to convict the teen on trial so it was a pretty easy decision.

 

[Kycha]

In my county, when you are called for jury duty, you serve a minimum of 2 or 3 days for Criminal Court and 5 days minimum for Civil Court. I have been called for jury duty 3 times in my life. The first time I was excited to do my civic duty. I had never been in a courtroom in my life and found the whole thing fascinating. Anyway, my juror number was never called in those 2 days. I just sat in a room with 300 other people. Trying to find something to do for 2 days.

The second time I was called for jury duty, they actually called my number for jury selection. Then we waited around for a day and a half for them to take us into the courtroom to begin jury selection. Finally, at the end of the second day, the parties had settled out of court and my number was put back into the jury pool. Then eventually I was excused.

The third time I was called was within a year of the last time I served jury duty. So, I was excused. Thank God. I really want to perform my civic duty. But, sitting in that room for days on end is not fun. I'm hoping the next time I'm called I'll actually make it into a courtroom.

What I want to know is, they say that jury selection is completely random. Yet, I have been called 3 times. And out of all my friends and family, I only know of 2 other people that have served jury duty or been called to serve.

 

[sunlver]

I am the OP, and well I got out of it. I actually really wanted to go, but could not find childcare in the morning for my 4 yr old. I tried. My husband would of been able to pick her up from preschool, but I didnt have anybody to bring her there. I was suppose to be there at 8;30, and would have to leave at 7:30am. My husband leaves for work at 5am...It just didnt work.

He called the court house for me, they said "Ok, no problem,fax us a signed statement saying why I couldnt make it"...we did and when I checked my number it now says I am excused from jury duty.Maybe when all 3 of my kids are in school full time I can do it