slo’s MONDAY 10/23 poll - Jury Duty

[slo]

My DH gets to start off the week by going to jury duty today (he’s not very happy about it). He has a lot going on at work (he worked about 60 hours last week) and missing today is not good. Why is it that jury duty always comes at the most inconvenient times? It’s weird - never once have I heard someone say - I got jury duty and it’s the perfect time for it - LOL!

So I ask you all….

When was the last time you were summoned to jury duty?
Did you get selected or did you get dismissed?
(multiple choice)

*For our DIS Friends in other countries, I’m sorry this excludes you, but we would enjoy hearing if there’s anything you are summoned to do where you live. It’s always interesting to learn what happens in different countries.


For Me…..The last time I was summoned to jury duty was in 2007. It was one week before my store was going to open and I was not happy. Needless to say, I made it known how unhappy I was and I was dismissed. I honestly would like to do jury duty now and experience the process of sitting on a jury. I’m sure I’ll get my opportunity one day and hopefully it’ll be at a convenient time - LOL!

 

[Kitty 34]

I had Jury Duty in January
DH had Jury Duty in May
My sister had Jury Duty in June
My brother had Jury Duty in September
and now my sister's DH has Jury Duty next week.

What's weird is we all live right next door to each other!

So far none of us had to serve.

I have been on a Jury in the past and was picked to be Foreman which was an experience.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I was getting notices constantly years ago and got out of doing it until this one came up and this judge was dismissing no one ! I got dejected - attempted murder trial - lasted a week - very interesting- not guilty- won’t get into it but they never should have charged this poor person it was so wrong and such a stretch of the actual facts of what was going on

 

[BrianL]

I did it recently for the county. I only had to do one day. I was called up to the courtroom with a group almost immediately, but they seated teh jury before needing me, so I was dismissed completely.

 

[barb969]

I’m 80 and have never been sumoned. DH has been summoned 4 times but never served on a jury. DD registered to vote and was sumoned within a month. She didn’t have to go because of her college program. That was 30 years ago. I don’t think she has been sumoned since. We u*can’t figure out why I was never chosen.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have been on Jury duty, once in Philadelphia and once in Dayton, OH. I was called for jury duty in 2022, but since I was 75, I could be excused, and so, I did ask to be excused.

 

[MIGrandma]

I was mailed a questionnaire years ago, and apparently they didn’t like my answers because I’ve never been called to serve on the jury, which is fine with me. DH has been called up a few times.

 

[rndmr2]

SInce I have lived in Western NY I have been called once I think it was 17 or 18 and here in this area you are supposed to be available for 3 days. You are given a phone number and you have to call the night before for all 3 days and check if they call your number. I called the first time and my number wasn't called. I called the 2nd day and they said they had what they needed and we were dismissed for day 2 and 3.

Back when I lived in Philly area I was called I think twice. It was for federal and I think it was 2 days. The first time I went down and sat there all day and they never called me into the room and then let everyone go at the end of the day. The second time I did get called into the room and after hearing what the case was I told them I didn't think I could be impartial because my sister had sustained a similar injury when she was little and they dismissed me. It was a case of a kid being burned by a malfunctioning stove or something.

 

[nene0182]

I’ve been summoned 3 times in the past 20 years with the last time being earlier this year. The only time I had to actually go in was the first time. It was a medical malpractice case. I sat there all day answering questions but was ultimately not chosen for the jury. I’m kind of glad because it ended up being a two week trial and I was a single mom that had just started a new job.

 

[john7994]

Was called and selected as Juror #4 in our county’s new system at the end of 2021 - which included a virtual assembly in Zoom and individual voir dire by the Judge and Counsels. We had to appear in-person in court for the trial. They have since kept this new system and was called again in 2022, but if you serve in a trial within 12 months, you can be excused.

The trial was only the 3rd civil trial post COVID in our county and run by the chief judge for our Superior Court and the same person that handled the recent grand jury for a notable prosecution in Atlanta. We only had to assess damages for a car accident as guilt was accepted by the defendant - but the litigants couldn’t agree on damages. It was about two days in duration.

 

[Meriweather]

I was called not to long after we moved here, maybe 2012. Served......one day for selection, one day serving. Then it was dismissed for the health reasons for the person being charged.

DH just got a notice. Called in and told him we had a trip for that time. He was postponed for 60 days. We'll see what happens then because we have another trip planned.

When we lived in WA, I was called and chosen. That one was a week long. Interesting and the person was found guilty.

 

[easyas123]

I’m 80 and have never been sumoned.

I'm 51 and have never been summoned either! My husband was once probably about 25 or 30 years ago.
Not sure how I've managed to never be summoned.

 

[tazdev3225]

I don't remember the last time I was summoned but I would say more than 6 years ago. I had been summoned every couple years before that and hated going down. My husband was in Law Enforcement so I was always dismissed.

I did serve on a jury when I was 20. It was a murder trial and they were seeking the death penalty. We found the defendant guilty, but deadlocked on the penalty. Two girls decided they couldn't be responsible for taking another man's life. I had no issue at the time as the defendant robbed a gas station, kidnapped the young boy (he was 17 or 18) who was working at the gas station, transported him across city lines, promised to let him go and then shot and left him to die in 20 degree temps in the snow. I had little compassion for the defendant. Thankfully the judge didn't make us deliberate more than one day as it was a Friday and my 21st birthday was the next day. I wanted to be at my party, not locked up in a tiny room in city hall.

I was called for Federal Jury duty about 15 years ago. I liked that one so much better. I was called to be questioned for the jury placement. We were sent home and the next day found out they had reached a plea agreement and dismissed. The Feds paid way better than the city.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I have been summoned but never called and thankfully I am past the age where I am required to serve. Our jury system was created to be fair and just, but it has been so corrupted that I would never want to be on a jury.

 

[mamamary]

I chose 2017. It was right around then but I can’t remember the year for sure. I had to show up but they didn’t need anyone so I was only there about 3 hours. My dd got called in August and my ds is going in a few weeks and my dh is going in December so will I be called soon also?????? My dh is having a slow time in work now so he is actually glad about the timing. My son just started a new job so it’s not a great time for him but he isn’t postponing because you only get one postponement. My dd when she got called got dismissed the night before so she didn’t even have to show up.

 

[kdonnel]

I love getting called up for jury duty.

I have been called three times.

1. For Federal jury duty the week of July 4th. I never had to report as the court was closed that week.
2. For the local county, I reported but was dismissed because the case settled before jury selection started.
3. For the local county, I reported and went through the voir dire process but was not selected.

One day I hope to be selected.

 

[wenrob]

Last time I was called was near the end of 2021. Social distancing was still a thing in government buildings and they were doing construction so the courthouse was a chaotic mess. You know how sometimes you make a “buddy for the day” in situations like that? That’s what happened here. This woman and I were both turning in our tubs to be sanitized after going through the metal detectors and both needed to know how to get around the construction to find our courtroom. When we find the escalator it’s blocked off and when we find the elevator it’s shut down so we have to double back to where we were originally at to take the stairs. This adventure probably added ten minutes to the time it took to get there and get in line. We’re about three dozen people deep with about three dozen more behind us. By the time we get to the front we know everything about each others kids, lol. When we get there they stop the line at us and close the doors. A few minutes later a bailif comes out and tells the one that stopped us that they’re full. They validated our parking and we were dismissed without ever making it into the room. The thing is if I hadn’t “buddied up” I probably would have just taken the stairs in the first place and made it into the room. Sometimes getting lost has its advantages.

The time before that was 2018? They kept peeling people off as time went on and I was set to go into the courtroom. By then after watching all the films and receiving instructions I was kind of excited to possibly be on a jury. Just before we were to go in the judge came out and told us the defendant had taken a plea deal, thanked us and dismissed us.

My DH was picked for a jury in 2022 I think. Murder/robbery trial. Essentially the guy’s own phone convicted him. He used it before, during and after the crime.

I was getting notices constantly years ago and got out of doing it until this one came up and this judge was dismissing no one ! I got dejected - attempted murder trial - lasted a week - very interesting- not guilty- won’t get into it but they never should have charged this poor person it was so wrong and such a stretch of the actual facts of what was going on

This sounds a lot like the one my sister in law was on recently. When she told me about it after it was done my first thought was it was clearly self defense. She said he came out after to talk them and cried when he thanked them.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I seem to get called a lot, which makes me think there's something flawed with our system. I feel like I'm overdue because I get called so often and it's everything from the smaller county courthouses to the big one in the middle of the city. The last time I was called I was in a pool for a murder case. I was juror 64 out of 65 and came too close for comfort to being selected. The trial wound up lasting around 2 weeks.

Before that, I've served two or three times and the worst of which was a civil case. The criminal side of the trial (murder and attempted murder of two city police officers) had already taken place, so they moved onto the monetary angles tied to potential negligence. It took nearly a month and was one of those awful cases where there were reporters and tv cameras nearly every day. It really left a sour taste in my mouth because one of the attorneys sent us nasty letters after the fact, condemning us for our decisions. I reported it to the judge but no idea what came of it. I feel like I've fulfilled more than enough of my civic duty with that singular case but obviously the regularity of my summonses says otherwise.

 

[ford family]

In the UK
Was called for November but we will be in Australia so moved it to January.

ford family

 

[lovesmurfs]

Nearly 56 years old, and have never been called.