What can I expect when I show up for Jury Dooty tomorrow?

[Cornholio]

Obviously, NSR.

Should I bring some work to do or something? How's this work? What are the odds I'll actually have to sit for a trial?

[bklyn]

Expect a face to face with bureaucracy in inaction.
If you are in NY - expect a day or 2 wasted before you find out you're not needed.

Bring a book.

[Viva]

The only time that I ever served was in San Diego. I was called in on the first day and, by day two, I was selected for a trial. The whole thing lasted maybe 6 or seven days. It was a drug possession/transportation trial- a pretty cool experience.

Hint: if you don't want to get selected, act really biased when they question you. Say stuff like "Well, look at him, he's obviously guilty."

[Cornholio]

Hint: if you don't want to get selected, act really biased when they question you. Say stuff like "Well, look at him, he's obviously guilty."

I really don't want to sit for this. But I have this social conscience thing that's forcing me to. If I get there and it looks interminable, I'll break out something like that.

Although, I do have some books to read....

[wintermittent]

I was called for Cuyahoga County a couple years ago. Assuming that's where you're headed, it wasn't bad. Park at the Galleria (9th and Lakeside) or take the bus. Definitely bring something to do/read; get there early if you want a cubbyhole/desk to spread out on. Otherwise, you're stuck in uncomfortable chairs.

I was interviewed for two juries and didn't make either. Sent home after day three.

Got a call for Federal Distric Court last year. Jury date was posponed three times, never had to go in.

[Cornholio]

Sent home after day three

And... you know... between those days too, right?

edit: Cleveland Municipal court.

[Viva]

I really don't want to sit for this. But I have this social conscience thing that's forcing me to. If I get there and it looks interminable, I'll break out something like that.

Break out with some good ol' religious fundamentalism while you're at it. "He was doing the work of the Devil!" "All Sinners will rot in Hell!"

[lemon boy]

Unless you really have a good reason to try to get out of it, I think that everyone should do everything they possibly can to participate once called up. Being on a jury is to afford others one of their most basic and precious rights of all.

Just hope you don't get picked for a jury that is a perversion of the process and a media spectacle.

[lemon boy]

oh and rent 12 Angry Men beforehand, great flick

[wintermittent]

And... you know... between those days too, right?

You won't need a blankie and a pillow. Most days, if you're not called for a jury selection, you'll be sent home mid-afternoon.

Unless you land on some high profile case with a sequestered jury, everything'll be fine there, John Grisham.

[Cornholio]

My knowledge of the logistics of our legal system is pretty much limited to the occasional remittance of parking tickets, and, yes, Grisham novels. One time, I also watched Law and Order.

LB: I'll do it, but I reserve the right to remain grumpy about the system itself.

[wintermittent]

One time, I also watched Law and Order.

You should definitely make that cool [Law and Order sound effect] duhn duhn! [/LaOsfx] in the courtroom.

[freshie247]

Let the Freakshow begin!

[Tippster]

What to expect:

Lawyers who play this like a chess match (interesting to see.)
Judge who gets cranky when you come up with a good excuse not to serve.
Room full of people who don't want to be there.

I'm both the "wrong" sex and color for most of the preferred juries here, so even if I wanted to sit on one hey usually recuse me right off the bat. (The being a journalist thing helps too.)

Man, I can't believe this is your first time. Here in DC we get called every 2 years, but it's only for a day (unless you get picked.) Grand Jury is for a Week, but I've never had to come to one of those.

[yogachik]

I seem to get called every 13 months. Here's what to expect:

EVERYBODY there can't afford to be there. Everybody wants out. But then, when you're pooled, this sense of responsibility takes over and you want in. And everybody's vibe changes - we all have different perspectives that we want to lend. One trial was a cross-dressing hooker entrapped by Hollywood vice - and as we were in vois dire it was interesting to learn that even the prim looking older woman believed that that the police should have more important things to do (the case was dropped, they couldn't find a jury). Another was a malpractice suit against UCLA where the wife was suing for all the money her husband might have made in his life, had he not died of that aneurism in the ER. And that one was interesting because of I learned that a huge majority of my neighbors hate doctors, or think they should be perfect, and blame them for some family member's death. That was a shock.

Although I lose money each day I sit in the pool (the last time took 4 days, with a pool of 75, to find 14 jurors -- and I was one of the last ones called), I always end up putting myself in the plaintiff or defendant's seat. I would want a jury of my peers, not just those who weren't crafty enough to figure out a way out or only those who's job pays them to be there. I really would want an entrepeneur, a writer, a store owner, a dentist on my jury -- not just paper pushers, the elderly or the unemployed.

Thankfully CA is a one day/one trial state, so if you're not pooled on day one, you're done. Bring a book, a newspaper, a laptop.

[Big E]

Gotten the notice twice in the last few years, one for county court, the other for Federal, but yet to have to report.

My dad, on the other hand, just finished up serving on a Grand Jury that was - I'm not kidding here - twice a week for 4 months!! You weren't forced to go every single day (I know he missed at least one week when he and mom went on vacation), but were expected to attend most of the time. He's retired, so it wasn't that big of a deal, but he said it was really tough on a couple of the people that worked for very small businesses.

[The AD]

I've served a couple times. I think it's interesting to serve on a jury. Yeah, waiting to get called is boring, but once you get in there the process is pretty cool. If you really don't want to serve it's pretty easy to get out of it. During the voir dire (jury selection) it's usually pretty easy to see who doesn't want to be there and in my experience the lawyers don't want these kind of people serving and they get dismissed.

[Monique]

You'll have plenty of time to read, and it's not a bad idea to bring a disc player or ipod with you just in case someone truly obnoxious tries to latch on while you're sitting around waiting for something to happen.

If your group of jurors is called for a case, the attorneys for either side will ask you questions that may range from whether you have knowledge of the case to what you watched on television last night. They're trying to get a sense of your specific biases toward the subject matter at hand and also a feeling for your general world view--what kind of person are you, law-and-order or live-and-let-live? "'Love it or leave it" or "eat the rich"?

Books and magazines are actually good props to help you get dismissed from serving on a jury, if that's what you're after. Give the prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney a glimpse of your copy of The Nation and then switch so the defense/respondent's attorney sees you reading Soldier of Fortune, and you're as good as out the door.

Attorneys can dismiss potential jurors "for cause" if there's some kind of objective connection to the topic that might cause bias (say it's a vehicular assault case and you were injured by someone else in an accident recently). They're also allowed a certain number of dismissals they don't have to explain, and sometimes they'll dismiss someone without even asking them questions, which can feel pretty weird if it happens to you. For example, a prosecutor might bump a 19 year old white male wearing jeans, a hoodie and steez hair from a DUI case without ever bothering to find out if he tips a beer or two himself.

Good luck!

[DJSapp]

Actually, the way my dad repeatedly got out of jury selection was to dress up nice (suit and tie), pay attention and take notes. Bring a clipboard and take lots of notes (or doodle, whatever). The lawyers will notice this, assume you're taking it very seriously, and shitcan you because you're making their job harder. Worked for him 5 times.

[mr_gyptian]

Unless you really have a good reason to try to get out of it, I think that everyone should do everything they possibly can to participate once called up. Being on a jury is to afford others one of their most basic and precious rights of all.

Just hope you don't get picked for a jury that is a perversion of the process and a media spectacle.

I played the "I'm on probation" card and skipped twice in two weeks. However, I stupidly did not immediately raise my hand to announce the above and sat through part of the selection process. I can assure you that your reason better be damn good for not being able to make an objective decision. lawyers, especially the prosecution don't let you off that easy. they make you earn it to the point of trying to shame you into fulfilling your civic duty. if they don't succeed, they let the judge take a whack at you.

[Tippster]

You'll have plenty of time to read, and it's not a bad idea to bring a disc player or ipod with you just in case someone truly obnoxious tries to latch on while you're sitting around waiting for something to happen...

Unpossible, since he doesn't have tits.

[1080Rider]

On the civil side you might get an interesting case. The cases seem to have more merit. On the criminal side you'll only get HALF the information. Tons of evidence including the person's criminal history will never be presented. So, know that if there's a trial its one of two things:
1. the prosecutor is a dick and is making a shitty offer, or
2. the defendant is a piece of shit and his history is so long that he'll go to jail for a long time once convicted.

I'd say usually its #2, if its #1 you'll know w/in 5 minutes because asshole prosecutor's are assholes to everyone...

[Buzzworthy]

Book, wait, aren't you supposed to pay attention? (never been, don't have a clue what is involved besides watching TV)



I will never have to do jury duty (so I am told). Neither does anyone in my family now either.

Reason: Wife is in Psychology. (can someone explain this?)


Mom got called for a murder trial in AZ last month, when the asked all the questions and what not, mom was "excused" immediately, as they told her the reason was because of what my Mrs. does.



I am not sure why this is, but I am not going to complain.


edit: maybe Mr. G just answered it:

I can assure you that your reason better be damn good for not being able to make an objective decision.

[gonzo]

i keep a doc. of funny quotes from my law school profs - here is a good one from the other day - super cool laid back guy:

"I never told you guys my jury duty stories...well, I got bounced. I think it was the defendant’s lawyers. They asked me, it was a good question, 'what did you do in between law school and being a law professor?' It was a theft case, so they asked me if I was ever a prosecutor, and I told them what I did. I represented the United States government before the Supreme Court in several criminal cases...so, I guess that was enough...”

edit: i would imagine both sides would want him out of there...i have a mental image of them making eye contact with an unspoken "bounced!"

funny stuff.

[Telenater]

I've been called once. I got bounced because I listed my job as environmental researcher and it turned out to be a case involving a timber company.