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What's the deal with Jury Duty?

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Wellington

BAAAALLLINNN'
I have to report in tomorrow for jury duty for the first time in my life, and I want to know what to expect. It's coming at a rather in-opportune time for me as I was beginning to become the point-man at work and now I have to take a few days off for this shit.

My mother tells me that at minimum it will be four days, but my brother went just two weeks ago and was there for a good two days and that was it. What all goes on over there? I was told at work to just give the worst answers possible so I could get out of it quicker... what kind of questions do they ask? I want to be able to prepare.

I understand it is my civic duty, and that as an American I must do this at least a couple of times in my life, but it's just some hideous timing for me. Got a project due on the 16th of August and I need all the time I can glean out of my day. Any time after the 16th would be lovely, but I already had to postpone it once because it would have summoned me away in the middle of mid-terms at school. :( This sucks.
 

NotMSRP

Member
If you're in school, that should be a valid reason to exclude you. The judge and lawyers ask you a bunch of questions about yourself to know what kind of juror they're getting. They basically want a fair and impartial juror; one who uses reason and logic rather than emotions.

I don't know what state you're in and there may be different laws in each state. But here in California, it's a 1-day/1-trial thing.

You really should go to at least one jury duty. It's an interesting experience that could really change your life perspective.
 

Wellington

BAAAALLLINNN'
NotMSRP said:
If you're in school, that should be a valid reason to exclude you. The judge and lawyers ask you a bunch of questions about yourself to know what kind of juror they're getting. They basically want a fair and impartial juror; one who uses reason and logic rather than emotions.

I don't know what state you're in and there may be different laws in each state. But here in California, it's a 1-day/1-trial thing.

You really should go to at least one jury duty. It's an interesting experience that could really change your life perspective.

Don't get me wrong, I want to go, I just can't invest more than a day or two this month, this week especially.

I am in New York state. I guess I should maybe ask if I could make a 1 day 1 trial thing, would be better than spouting racial epithets. ;p
 

NotMSRP

Member
I'm not sure how things are done in NY. You should call the courthouse to see if they can reschedule you to sometime after Aug 16.
 

Wario64

works for Gamestop (lol)
I just got a juror summon 2 days ago, duty for the dates 8/30 - 9/3 :|

I guess it won't be too bad. I took a law course in the last quarter so I guess it should be interesting if I get picked. First time here too
 

Diablos

Member
Dude, no joke, if the people in court are white or something, just make fun of their race in front of the judge and chances are they will reject you and call you at another time. "Another time" usually being a couple years later. People have told me about doing it. It works sometimes. LOL

You might look like a racist prick, but who cares, you won't miss work :D
 
Just tell them that if there was enough evidence for the DA to charge the case in the first place then you're satisifed in the fact that the criminal is probably guilty. I suspect the Defendant's attorney would eliminate you mighty quick.
 

Musashi Wins!

FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
lol, everyone says to say these hard-core biased things when you're called for a jury but when you get in there they rarely ask you such loaded questions and just spurting out is rather hard to do as the situation starts to feel rather weighty and civic.

I had a boring trial the one time I was picked, but it was a fascinating lesson in group psychology to see how a jury comes to their decision.
 

Scoobert

Member
You might look like a racist prick, but who cares, you won't miss work

Umm, they can actually make you take some counseling programs. Either way, it doesn't work. They'll just throw you right back in the jury pool.

Hopefully you get called in before lunch time though. If you're not out of there by lunch, you're screwed. Moday is also the worst day to be going. Most of the time though while you're in the jury pool, you are watching a movie and getting free coffee/food. It's really not all that bad.

Most of the time though you're out of there by lunch and they give you an option. You can either leave, and not get paid. You're really supposed to go back to work though. Or you can go back in the jury pool. I rather just go home/work.

Oh and school isn't a reasonable excuse to get out of it. It even says it on the paper.
 

Wario64

works for Gamestop (lol)
On my letter, being a full time student is listed as one of the reasons to be excused. Too bad it's still summer time for me
 

Scoobert

Member
Wario64 said:
On my letter, being a full time student is listed as one of the reasons to be excused. Too bad it's still summer time for me

Oh that was it, thanks! Although this doesn't work either. They'll just send you another letter durring the holidays or summer breaks. If they don't get you one year, they'll get you the next.
 

Wellington

BAAAALLLINNN'
Wow, thanks for all the help guys.

I will see about tomorrow. If anything happense and I have to stay for the week or something I will likely just go to work in the mornings (7-8) and then head on up to the courthouse then back down to work after it let's out. Sucks, I know, but it'll have to do. :(

Free food? :D
 
i just got picked for Jury Duty a couple weeks ago. Its the worst fucking experience of my life. Aside from the whole inconvience of it (trial took about a 4 days, deliberations another 3-4), having to decide the fate of another person just fucked with my head. Im never doing that shit again.

as for how to get out of it, if its some kind of criminal case, just say you have a cousin/sister/close friend, ect... that went through something similar or was accused of it and you have very strong feelings about the matter. That will almost assure you of being dismissed.
 

shuri

Banned
I remember when i was summoned to be a jury for .. The Hells Angels gangs case.. Since i was in college, I couldnt attend it ;)
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
I got a notice to report over three moths ago. I called in and explained that my mom was bed-ridden and that I am forced to take care of her during the day. The guy on the phone said "OK no problem just put that in writting in the explanation box and send it in"...so that's exactly what I did.

Now, just last week, and three months later, thinking I'm off the hook, I get another notice saying "Thank you for your request for POSTPONEMENT(WTF?)" and that I'm required to report during the week of August 9th.

You know what? A)I didn't request a fucking postponement I requested an EXCUSE and B)I'm not responding to shit this time! I hope I don't get in trouble but I have heard that most of the time they don't actually go after you if you don't show up. What do you think?
 
isamu said:
I got a notice to report over three moths ago. I called in and explained that my mom was bed-ridden and that I am forced to take care of her during the day. The guy on the phone said "OK no problem just put that in writting in the explanation box and send it in"...so that's exactly what I did.

Now, just last week, and three months later, thinking I'm off the hook, I get another notice saying "Thank you for your request for POSTPONEMENT(WTF?)" and that I'm required to report during the week of August 9th.

You know what? A)I didn't request a fucking postponement I requested an EXCUSE and B)I'm not responding to shit this time! I hope I don't get in trouble but I have heard that most of the time they don't actually go after you if you don't show up. What do you think?


because you never officially reported. What did you expect, to be off the hook for good?
 

Wellington

BAAAALLLINNN'
Actually, now that I think about it, someone at work had told me to just rip it up and pretend I never got it. They don't make you sign for the notice and it comes via regular mail. Just pretend that they lost it.

Hm...
 
er, isamu, you CAN and WILL get in trouble if you do not show up. sometimes, the penalty for not showing up and providing a legitimate excuse in a federal case can cost you jail time. but hey, look at the brightside, maybe your cellmate will be biffR. ;)
 

bjork

Member
They say you can get in trouble, but I really doubt it. I've heard "oh, police will take you to j ail if you get pulled over after you've skipped jury duty" as well as "the DMV won't renew your registration if you skip jury duty."

I get one summons each year, typically, and it goes right into the trash. Then I got one followup thing that said "we see you missed jury duty, respond by such and such date or else", and I threw it out also.

Since then, I've renewed my registration, been pulled over about thirty times, and no stress at all. It's jury duty, and they get their jury with or without you... why bother putting people there who don't want to be there? Twleve Angry Men is an awesome movie, but I don't need to experience it in real life. As long as OJ walks, I know the judicial system isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway...
 

Hournda

Member
If you want to get out of jury duty then act really intelligent or have some kind of high college degree that proves that you're smart. Lawyers only want dumbasses on the jury that they can manipulate and not smart, independant thinkers.
 

Justin Bailey

------ ------
I know my Dad never has to do Jury duty because my mom's a cop. Thing is, he actually wants to, but as soon as they ask him what his wife does - THE BOOT.

I wonder if the same thing will happen to me. . .
 

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
bjork said:
They say you can get in trouble, but I really doubt it. I've heard "oh, police will take you to j ail if you get pulled over after you've skipped jury duty" as well as "the DMV won't renew your registration if you skip jury duty."

I get one summons each year, typically, and it goes right into the trash. Then I got one followup thing that said "we see you missed jury duty, respond by such and such date or else", and I threw it out also.

Since then, I've renewed my registration, been pulled over about thirty times, and no stress at all. It's jury duty, and they get their jury with or without you... why bother putting people there who don't want to be there? Twleve Angry Men is an awesome movie, but I don't need to experience it in real life. As long as OJ walks, I know the judicial system isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway...

What in the blue fuck did you get pulled over thirty times for?
 

bjork

Member
Archaix said:
What in the blue fuck did you get pulled over thirty times for?

I had a headlight that would blink out on occasion, and I worked 11pm-7am. So I'd be driving to work, and a cop would pull me over, tell me my light was out, check my license and information, and then tell me to get the light fixed. They only started getting really pissy when I would be like, "Hey, I remember you, you pulled me over those two other times"... turns out it was a $60 problem that I had fixed not too long ago, finally.

Oh, I also drove through a closed road during rainy weather, because it was the quickest way to work, and I knew it wasn't impossible to get through. So the cop pulled me over, and we argued over who knew the road better, him or me. I told him that I'd driven that road almost daily for like eight years. He said he'd only been with this police station for three years. So he let me go without any sort of citation or anything, which I thought was really awesome and funny.

Don't want to jinx it, but it's been almost a year since I've been harassed by the police.
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
bjork said:
I had a headlight that would blink out on occasion, and I worked 11pm-7am. So I'd be driving to work, and a cop would pull me over, tell me my light was out, check my license and information, and then tell me to get the light fixed. They only started getting really pissy when I would be like, "Hey, I remember you, you pulled me over those two other times"... turns out it was a $60 problem that I had fixed not too long ago, finally.

Oh, I also drove through a closed road during rainy weather, because it was the quickest way to work, and I knew it wasn't impossible to get through. So the cop pulled me over, and we argued over who knew the road better, him or me. I told him that I'd driven that road almost daily for like eight years. He said he'd only been with this police station for three years. So he let me go without any sort of citation or anything, which I thought was really awesome and funny.

Don't want to jinx it, but it's been almost a year since I've been harassed by the police.


What city are you in man?
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
bjork said:
Then I got one followup thing that said "we see you missed jury duty, respond by such and such date or else", and I threw it out also.

did that second notice say anything threatening such as "you will be penalized with jail time" or whetever?
 

bjork

Member
isamu said:
did that second notice say anything threatening such as "you will be penalized with jail time" or whetever?

I don't believe so, but it may have listed it as a possibility.

Oddly enough, I just got a jury summons last week, but I'm sending it in with an excuse. My boss doesn't pay jurty duty, so I need to find the "I work for a greedy chinaman" box...
 
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