| Author | Message | ||
     Corporatemonkey |
So I got selected for Jury duty, and yesterday was my first day. I figured being a wacko that I would be dismissed, well the pool is getting awfully thin, I am still in the running.  I can't go into the details of the trial, but if I get selected it will be a big $$$ liability suit, with a 5+ week time frame. So anyone have any interesting Jury duty stories? I have wifi at court, so BWB will be a great time waster. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
bummer....u might learn somethin...u never know. | ||
| Tom_k |
I just got called for jury duty in Federal court in Detroit. Why bother me, I'm 1 1/2 hours away and hardly ever go there? I'm hoping that my winning personality excludes me from the proceedings. My boss said "Just be yourself, they won't want you on a jury." | ||
| Badlionsfan |
i was on an aggravated robbery with a fire arm trial in december. the guy also had a counterfeit controlled substance (fake crack). | ||
| Mark61 |
Right here is what is majorly wrong with USA today. No one wants to put any effort or time into being part of the system. This is one of only two times you actually CAN influence American life! Other than voting this is it! You want to duck out of jury duty but then sit around bitching cause the dope dealers, motorcycle thieves and other undesirables are walking around free or just get a slap on the wrist! HERE is YOUR chance to do something about it other than BITCH! It really disgust's me when people act like this. If everyone WOULD spend a little time and effort being part of the "system" America would NOT be so FU now! Radar | ||
| Pwnzor |
I have wifi at court Now that I'm a felon, I'm ineligible for jury duty, but back in the day, when I did go in, they took away all pagers and cell phones. It seems to me that with wi-fi it gives you a chance to communicate with the outside world while you're supposed to be deciding on someone else's fate. Or is that just in the waiting area? I can't imagine they'd let you have that in the actual court. | ||
| Mikej |
Mark61, I've sat on several juries, and got unselected on a few others. Many folks have to work and many companies won't pay for time off for an employee to sit on a jury beyond a day or three. A 5+ week trial timeframe would nulify most working adults as most couldn't afford a month without pay and most who did would not have a job waiting once the trial was over. My thoughts are that the court system should have evening and weekend trial times as this would open up a whole group of additional potential jurors who's main impediment to sitting on a jury is the time off of work aspect of the process.  | ||
| Tom_k |
Mark: I wouldn't have a problem with doing jury duty locally, but this is going to be a major PITA. Let's see what I get out of this.........lost wages, gas money spent, possibly lodging if I don't want to try to fight with rush hour traffic and turn a 1 1/2 commute into a 3 hour commute, and my 3 kids are put out because I can't be there for them. Besides, the "system" seems to have a pretty rigid set of rules that only the lawyers know how to navigate, and money seems to play into what happens a lot of times, anyway. Don't preach like you know me or my situation. | ||
| Teeps |
+1 Mark61 Corporatemonkey don't waste this chance to participate in the justice system. Use this time observe the human condition, and how other people think. You will learn something if you give it a chance. I would sign up, for the job, in a minute if they made "Jury" a job or profession... of course jury duty in L.A. is probably far more interesting than in some other cities. How many of you have shook the hand of "The Champ" Muhammad Ali? I have, in the court house, whilst on jury duty. | ||
| Ironken |
Jury duty sucks, they pay crap and that for some can relate to financial hardship! In my position ,it would be better for me if they paid nothing. Jury duty pays something like $40.00 a day.....My company pays $200.00 a day or for the missed trip while I'm on JD, only if I'm not compensated during JD.....kinda screws me by getting their silly $40.00.....oh well. | ||
| Clutchless |
I can legally claim insanity if ever choosen to appear on a jury. I was picked about 4-5 times since I turned 18. each time I had to bring in my permission slip saying from my shrink that I am "mentally unstable". people give you priceless looks when you show them your funny farm card.    Oh and BTW mark, we DONT control this country. SKipping jury duty has nothing to do with this country. If everyone had price tags stapled on them in the court room then maybe. (Message edited by clutchless on January 24, 2008) | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Mark61, First off calm down. I am not trying to remove myself because I dislike our country. I dislike the process. I take it you have never been call for jury duty? Here in King County (seattle) it redefines the word "bureaucracy" Everything is like pulling teeth. I waited around 5 hours yesterday doing nothing, before I got a chance to sit in front of a judge. Mind you I was selected for a trial within 45mins of me arriving. The court system does not seem to value ANYONE'S time. The only people I could see enjoying the slow process would be the attorney's (being paid hourly). I do believe in a judicial system that is fair, but to drag the process out to this degree is just wasteful. Now to the process of selecting jurors, that is flawed too. It is supposed to be a jury of your peers, that in my mind means a sampling of people from your community. Not a hand selected group by the lawyers that may sway an outcome because of their views. Why must I publicly profess my News sources? What does my occupation have to do with this. I understand there could be a conflict issue, but that is not what I am talking about. Bottom line is, I have views, I live in the community, I should be able to serve, but don't waste my time. Now onto the financial aspect. Here in king county (seattle) we get $10 a day. They actually had the balls to ask for it back as a "Donation." They have had some serious cutbacks with their onsite childcare center. They expect us to give up out pay this. A lot of people are not sponsored by their employers during this time. And the ones that are usually have a time limit (5 days to a week). I just wish they wouldn't waste mine, or anyone elses time. GET THIS SHIT MOVING, LET'S EXPENSE SOME SWIFT JUSTICE, THEN WE WILL FINALLY FIX THIS COUNTRY FTI Wifi is only in the juror waiting room. | ||
| Mikej |
"FTI Wifi is only in the juror waiting room." I can just see it now, googling up and altavista-ing people searching up the suspects and witnesses while on breaks. Let us know how it went once all is said and done, or as much as you can. | ||
| Chellem |
I served on both trials for which I was called. One was a two-week-long, 50 year old murder trial. One was a simple assault that only lasted about 3 days. My instinct was to try to get out of it. But here's the thing. God forbid any of us is ever in the situation where some jury of 12 is going to decide our fate. I'm hoping I built up some positive karma, and that someone OTHER than the unemployed (or unemployable) people who are the only ones with nothing better to do will take some time off from their schedules to find me not-guilty (which, of course, I would be  ). The original poster is right - the jury pool is getting awfully shallow. It was inconvienient, had to find someone to watch my kids, and I worked AFTER court to make up the work I missed (and prevent desk-top pile-up), but if some of us don't do that sometimes, then, well, I'm not sure I'd want my fate determined by what's left. Just my $.02. ->ChelleM | ||
| Vortec57 |
I got a summons for it about a month ago. I'd just moved out of the area, actually about 4 hours from there. Now I kind of whish I could have been in the case, was a guy who shot a kid in the face and left him to die (he didnt) and then shot at a bunch of cops and was selling met, an all around nice guy. Though while there I worked for the newspaper so I doubt I'd have made the cut. When I called to tell them I moved they told me I'd be getting a local summons soon. That same night the news did a piece aobut it being the 3rd day in a row that officers handed out on-the-spot summonses to people on the street as jurrors weren't showing up! Now I guess I'm on borrowed time till I get the call again | ||
| Mikej |
Nice neighborhood, thought Colorado was friendlier than that. Ouch. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Well I guess I was not one of the chosen, they just called my number. They dismissed me from this trial. But now I am back in the general pool. I have to hang out until the end of the day. They might call me for another trial. Bad part is the wifi is not functioning properly today. Their router is not issuing IP addresses. I have my own connection, but it is dog slow in here (low signal.) Since I off the trial, I can vaguely fill in the group on what it was about. We were told the basics by the judge. This guy was a painter working for a painting service. His company was hired to paint an housing complex. He was painting a place without ensuring proper ventilation. Something went wrong and the fumes combusted. Painter dead, building on fire... Not good. Painters widow goes after the employer, the building owner, and worst of all the manufacture of the paint... Who knew paint was flammable? I have to check if this was a darwin award candidate. Even the judge alluded to us that this was a money grab. This country really needs tort reform. | ||
| Mikej |
5 weeks for that????? I wonder if he was spray painting. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I don't know if he was spray painting, but I don't think it matters. What pissed a lot of us off was the fact that the manufacture had been listed as a defendant. They mentioned who might be called to trial. It was the entire executive staff, and a good portion of their engineer/chemist team. This is no different then when the firearm manufactures got sued. Someone used their product to harm someone else. What ever happened to personal responsibility. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
too bad u didnt get a ...oooh i spilled coffee on my lap...AND IT WAS HOT.....that woulda been fun. | ||
| Mikej |
I sat on a jury once, city cop rear ended a civilian who was stopped at a red stoplight, the officer was not responding to a call, the officer just messed up and slammed into the guy's car. The police department and insurance had already settled on the car repairs and if I remember right for some time off work for the other driver. The other driver was suing for pain and suffering and for chiropractic care for over a year time span. Ended up we the jury figured the people giving the driver massages for over a year were just milking him and telling him he'll get all the money back with a civil trial. We awarded him squat, he was fine, appeared fine, gave no evidence that he hadn't been fine apart from his massage bills. Plus he'd already recovered any property and time off work losses. His attorney saw a deep pocket in the police department (wealthy southern California department in an ocean front city), we just saw no just cause to award him anything further. Thanks for playing, have a good day. Two day trial, we took 45 minutes to discuss the case and make a decision, the judge made the comment that us taking almost an hour showed that we did have some honest and in depth discussion and gave the case fair consideration and thanked us for our time. The judge then asked if we could stay after he dismissed the courtroom. Then when everyone was gone but us and the judge, the judge then thanked us personally for taking the time from our lives and jobs and being willing to do this. | ||
| Kyrocket |
What ever happened to personal responsibility Amen Corporate. Everyone's looking for a windfall no matter who they have to ruin financially to get it. Working with the building inspector I see some of it here. Lives and reputations ruined because of someone's stupidity. My office overlooks the courthouse and yesterday about a dozen kids were skateboarding under a no skateboarding sign. When one of them cracks their skull who are they going to sue? I'm really afraid our country is screwed. | ||
| Rex |
have gone several times, but have never been picked. I go again next wednesday...we will see. rex | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
I'll never ever see a jury again. I got called for JD about 10 years ago. Funny that it was a drug case. Defense Attorney...."Mr Heibler, do you believe in defendant's right to a fair trial" Me...."Well, yes I do. All drug cops, even the ex-undercovers with a BS in Criminal Justice and another in Sociology, such as myself, believe that all people, no matter how guilty they appear, deserve a fair trial" Defense attorney..."Your honor, I'll use my first peremptory challenge and dismiss Mr. Heibler" (Message edited by buellinachinashop on January 24, 2008) | ||
| Buellerandy |
Thats awesome shop- I was about to post something similar- 3 months out of active service I got called to JD. The case was for a drunken hit and run. When asked about my background, I stated the obvious military serice, but I really got the defense's attention when I said I was going for my Associates in criminal justice- never saw someone make a check mark so fast in my life lol. Haven't been called back since. | ||
| Pwnzor |
The only people I could see enjoying the slow process would be the attorney's (being paid hourly) All the lawyers I know (more than a few, for various reasons), only get paid by the hour after the trial actually begins. The jury selection process is included in the initial lump sum you pay up front. Some of the more low-end ambulance chasers might be different, since they work for people who really can't afford lawyers in the first place I suppose. | ||
| Oldog |
After My runin with the court system for a divorce, I would hope that a jury of thoughtfull folks like your selves would be judging me, I have gone the other route judge and lawyers deciding, spent today cleaning up a 1,700$ tax mess because of poor documentation of the case, the right to be judged by a jury of my piers, it's important ask me how I know.... | ||
| Swampy |
I have spent a considerable amount of time in court being entertained by my good buddy befuddling the system and cause prosecutors and judges much grief. Two movies everybody needs to watch: Twelve Angry Men And Allageny Pass, with John Wayne.(I think that is the name, maybe it was Appelation Pass) Anyways it was about an early Eastern frontier town. I have only been called once for jury duty and that was while I was in college a very long time ago, I sent them a letter explaining that I was transient in their town and never heard from them again. | ||
| Brumbear |
just tell them loudly you can spot quilty people a mile away | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
So I ended up getting dismissed. They never offered a reason why. I am very miffed that I had to waste all of today doing nothing. They notified me around 9am that i would not be needed, but I was still required to hang out for another trial. Of the couple hundred of us there, not one person was ever called all day. You would think they would plan their days out better than that. Nothing like bureaucracy to waste a perfectly good day. |
