Jury Duty...

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I'm a teacher, and the 2X I've been called, I've been dismissed as soon as they hear my profession! It's a small county, so they probably figure the defendant was one of my students.

Terri

According to jury profiling/selection, teachers aren't desirable for the defense because they tend to be nurturers. You wouldn't be understanding in a criminal trial.

I've also always been dismissed. But last week it was because I went to HS with the judge!

 

[DVC-Don]

From what i've been told, you can be put on the list for jury duty if you recently got a drivers liscense or state ID, registered to vote, voted for the first time after not voting for a while, or if the computer just randomly chooses your name.

Our county uses DMV, unemployment and voter registrations for the jury pool.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My husband swears he got called because he voted for the first time in a presidential election. I think they go by tax records...but I'm not sure. Unfortunately, my DH will no longer vote in any election.

Actually, they select jurors from registered voters. It doesn't matter that he voted or if he ever votes again, in any election, and I'm relatively certain he can't unregister from the voter rolls.

He walked me over to the info desk and had the receptionist hold onto my scissors for me while I had to serve jury duty. I collected them at the end of the day.

Well, if it's any consolation - I couldn't bring a similar pair of scissors into the audience of a televised game show recently (although I simply had to hand them to security, I didn't have your intensified experience!)

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I was called in when we lived in NJ over 9 years ago. I was pregnant with the twins and on bed rest so I sent in my doctores note.

 

[kaytieeldr]

However, that was 4 years ago... and I haven't been called since.

My mother got called for jury duty for the first time when she was 56. That day, while she was in court (and this was before Massachusetts went to "one day/one trial"), my dad had a heart attack. She called the courthouse the next morning and was told the same thing as you, that she was excused for now but expect to be called again shortly. Nope. Nothing. She never got called for jury duty again.

My dad, on the other hand, after he retired, got chosen for a trial. I forget the actual case, but it was a civil suit. I remember him being disappointed when, after a trip to 'the site' and three days of testimony, the two sides settled and the jury never got to deliberate.

I've gotten three notices. The first time, they didn't need me at all (the infamous "call us the day before"). Second time, back in the nineties, district court in the next city over. We went, we waited, we waited, we went to lunch, we waited, we went home - no trials. Done for (at least) three years. The other time was two or three years ago, probably two. District court again, this time in a city I'm not comfortable visiting without my doors locked. So I called the number on the card and explained my concern, and the woman told me what to write to get my assignment changed - something about 'extreme fear'. I did, and got reassigned to the courthouse around the corner from where I live.

We went, checked in, watched a video, the judge came down and talked to us - and then because he had other business to take care of, sent us on a 'break' for an hour and a half! I was too smart to go home, though, even though I could see my building from the back of the courthouse. I know me, I'd fall asleep Anyway, we reassembled, went up to the courtroom - and the one trial? The one we might have been assigned to? Nope. No trial. The defendant chose to let the judge decide? I forget.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, yeah, I forgot. I'm not 100% on the details, but... apparently, a few months back, there was a cat called for jury duty here, somewhere in the Boston area.

Yes, a cat. Somehow, the cat's name had made it onto the voter roles and that name was called for jury duty. Sal the Cat's owner tried getting an exception. She chose the most apparent option on the card when returning it: 'doesn't speak or understand English'. Now, I never heard the final outcome, but seemingly a lack of English isn't enough to exempt one from jury duty in Massachusetts.

 

[SC Minnie]

I've had jurty duty twice in 13 years and both times I was called to sit on a jury. The last time I had to sit on 2 trials- both lasted about a day. I got finished with the first one before lunch break. We had to call after 1:00 to see if we had to report for the afternoon session and my name was on the list again. I reported and got seated for that case too. I found the whole process extremely interesting.

One of the trials from the last time, the defendent was charged with resisting arrest by a highway patrol officer. The incident happened very near where I live. I remember names and faces well. Last summer DD was taking drivers ed at a private company and the person teaching her that day was the officer from that trial! When I picked her up I told him I had sat on that jury.


DH has been called twice in the same time frame and has never been seated on a jury. The last time reported on Monday morning, they went through the initial process, and called the first jury pool. He wasn't chosen. The next morning he calls to check and and they were all released for the week.

 

[Iluvthemouse]

I am 42 and have had jury duty once.

Right now my hubby is on his 4th go round. He got picked for a case yesterday.

His mother seems to get "picked" every couple of months. lol

 

[Rora]

I was called for the first time in my life yesterday..

I was at the courthouse by 8, checked in, and was told to sit down until 8:30 when "orientation" would happen.

It was about 8:20, my name, plus 20 others, were called and we were taken up to a courtroom. We sat outside for a good hour before the cop came out and told us that the judge didn't need us til 10:45.

So, I ate a muffin. A very expensive muffin from the "Juror Cafe". Clever name.

At 10:45 I went back to the courtroom (on my way there I met a clearly drunk man who told me he was going to jail for a couple of weekends and asked if I'd come make conjual visits......), we sat there for another 20min when the cop came out and told us the guy took a plea and they didn't need us.

Then I watched 2 movies, ate lunch, and talked with a very nice lady until 4pm when we were released.

It was such a looonnng day. I would've liked to serve just for the experience!!

 

[punkin]

DH just got a notice and had to call to postpone because DD is graduating on that day. He is going in a day later, but of course that doesn't guarantee he'll be picked. I have been called only twice and both times I did not get to serve. Heck I didn't even get questioned.

 

[Aisling]

My DH has been throwing away his jury duty summonses ever since he got his first one at 18 years old (he's 48 now)! I keep telling him they're going to catch up with him one day with a big fine, but he says he "never got them."

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Bring some entertainment for yourself and some change for vending machines. In some courts, the only refreshments available for waiting jurors are in vending machines.

I've served. Despite being a practicing lawyer and law professor, I was still empaneled. It was a civil suit to determine the damages to award from a car accident. We didn't award any money.

My grandmother has been on many juries. She was on a large federal trial that had her sequestered for weeks. Our only contact with her was through the artist sketches of the jury that they aired on the local news. We would watch the news each night to see grandma.