Reply #6

It's been awhile, but as I remember, the procedure exactly followed the Federal template in your OP - minus any Magickal Books or other relics. We were all sworn in before voir dire, though, as soon as we got into the courtroom. I guess the 12 + 2 actual jurors are sworn again when the trial starts.

The jury pool simply stood up en masse, raised our right hands, and were told to "swear or affirm" we would do our duty.

They'd wear out the Buy-bull pretty quick in an L.A. criminal court - I think we had more than a hundred potential jurors called for one murder trial, so they could winnow us down.

And in that case, I was horrified when I saw the defense attorney in the courtroom - Leslie Abramson, most (in)famous for defending the Menendez Bros. That promised a trial running about as long as the Hundred Years War. Fortunately, I don't usually survive the cut after voir dire - defense lawyers hate me.

OT as usual, but in L.A. County, the jury system is incredibly tenacious. They tracked me down when I was working in Egypt and sent me a notice for jury duty - with the usual threat of a bench warrant if I missed it. I called them (from Egypt), and explained that I had no idea when I would be coming back to the States. The guy on the other end of the phone kept bugging me for a date when I would be available. Jebus! What part of "I don't know" is giving you a problem? He finally gave up. I've been back in the U.S. for 3 years now and haven't been called yet...