General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWell, I finally got a jury duty questionnaire in the mail.
I've never served jury duty before. I'm not sure if I should be stressed or excited. Either way, I'm stressed out over it. Not even an official summons yet, obviously no guarantee I'll get one, and yet I'm stressed about this! Even though I know that if I get one, this will most likely be just 6-8 hours of my life and then I won't have to do it again for a long time.
Anyhoo, any tips or pointers from anybody who has served jury duty before?
True Dough
(19,116 posts)having a torrid affair with the accused. That's always a good rule of thumb, IMO.
Best of luck to you! I'm sure it will go fine, just listen carefully to the instructions provided in court.
LuckyCharms
(18,457 posts)NOW you tell me!
True Dough
(19,116 posts)you should have known better!
Emile
(27,862 posts)be called in for jury duty anytime during this year. Don't sweat it, like voting it's our patriotic duty and can be very interesting.
Glorfindel
(9,878 posts)I have served on grand juries, criminal juries, civil juries, and even on a coroner's jury. Be prepared for hours and hours of boredom. However, it is one's civic duty, so thank you for being prepared to see the ordeal through.
LuckyCharms
(18,457 posts)One Grand Jury and one trial jury.
They're really no big deal...kind of fun actually.
I'd gladly do it again, but I have not been called for jury duty in a long time.
It's a good experience.
RockRaven
(15,941 posts)or not you have to serve. And most likely you won't be selected in the end.
Don't stress about it. Even if you do get selected, it probably won't be a long trial.
LakeArenal
(29,581 posts)I found it interesting maybe a little boring.
I didnt mind. Everyone should do it.
Its not like being drafted into war or anything like that.
Not everyone called winds up on duty any way.
MontanaMama
(23,864 posts)Ive been called several times but only chosen for the jury once. In fact I knew two other people called on that particular day
one of them was a co-worker. After the initial round of questions by the attorneys, my co-worker was excused and he looked at me and said youll be on this jury, take that to the bank. Indeed he was correct. The trial was for an alleged assault on a police officer. It took one day and the jury unanimously acquitted the defendant much to the dismay of the plaintiff, an police officer who needed anger management help in our opinion.
My takeaway was that I was impressed how seriously my fellow jurors took the charges and the process. Id do it again in a heartbeat.
elleng
(134,883 posts)Tetrachloride
(8,310 posts)and probably answered a question incorrectly.
One time, I stuck around for opening statements. That
was
an eye opener.
MiniMe
(21,789 posts)The DA and the defense attorney each have so many strikes. The defense attorney used one of his on me. I was actually glad he did. It was a childhood molestation case, some of what they were asking us was "can you believe a small child about these kind of things? I could absolutely believe a small child because what experience would they have to make something up about that.
wnylib
(23,681 posts)Sat in a large room with about 50 other people who had been summoned. We received questionnaires to fill out. By the time I completed mine, we were informed that the defendant had settled the case (plea deal) and we wouldn't be needed. We'd only been there about an hour.
Got paid $40 for the day. Since I'm retired, there was no loss of work. So I got some pocket money out of it.
Siwsan
(27,022 posts)Since then I've had 2 more 'summons' (I think that's what they are called) but when I'd check the web site to see if my group was called for the next day, it never was.
Easterncedar
(3,012 posts)Didnt like the responsibility, really, but am glad the foreman and I took it seriously. We got a repeat drunk driver off the roads for a bit, anyway. The other jurors didnt want to see the pattern. It was in the news later, what the defendant and her lawyer were lying about or at least trying to hide.
Xavier Breath
(4,627 posts)and five of the six times I didn't even have to go in, I just called the number and they told me I wasn't needed.
The last time was for a grand jury summons, and they wanted long-term commitments from participants. The judge said that if we could not commit due to our jobs, there'd be no hard feelings. He then asked who could do four months, and no hands went up. None went up for three months either. One hand finally went up for two months. Then he started asking for three and two week commitments, and enough people had volunteered by then that rest of us were not needed. We were dismissed and lined up at machines that spit out a crisp $10 bill to each of us for our trouble. An interesting experience, to be sure.
.
Rebl2
(14,343 posts)the first jury summons I ever got was for a grand jury-I was in my thirties. I have rheumatoid arthritis and could barely get around. I also had/have severe headaches and my rheumatologist back then wrote a letter and told them I would definitely not be a good candidate for grand jury.
The next time I received one it was a regular jury. I went and the trial involved a bank robbery. My mother was a bank manager, and I spoke up up and told them my mother had experienced three bank robberies when she was a manager and said I could not be neutral on someone charged with robbery of a bank. They dismissed me immediately.
cloudbase
(5,660 posts)In that instance, the parties settled the case prior to the trial beginning.
The whole experience is lots of sitting around waiting. Definitely bring a book to read or crosswords, or whatever.
Thanks for doing your civic duty. Don't spend your "pay" all in one place.
LakeArenal
(29,581 posts)Free lunch too!!!!
Model35mech
(2,047 posts)It seems that the attorneys want people trained to question arguments/presentations.
So if you don't want to serve just pause overly long before you answer their questions.
yonder
(9,921 posts)The testimony and deliberations weren't that fun - it's serious work, but it was a very rewarding experience overall. I got to see up close how some things work - especially interesting were the steps the system took to keep the jury uncontaminated. Then, after our decision, the judge took an hour or so to answer any and all questions we had about the process.
I'd say embrace it. It is our duty after all.
dembotoz
(16,922 posts)jury of my peers? frankly i had hoped for better.
dress comfortably. You sit a lot. bring a book
the job is important.
I learned a lot...served twice, both minor infractions, both short trials....