Jury Duty

[Topazjewel]

I'm actually downtown at the county courthouse at this moment on one of 4 supplied computers in the jury assembly room.

 

 

 

I turned 18 last November, and found myself being summoned to jury duty in April (to serve in May). I had to defer because of school, so it was postponed until July, and this is my first day actually here.

 

 

 

I don't have anything exciting to say. There's supposed to be a trial today but if there is (which there won't be, often people settle once they realise they're actually about to go to court as in the jurors [me] are showing up), only 6 people of the 22ish here will be selected. I'm hoping that I'll be somehow unsuitable and be able to go home, and if not then that the trial will only last today (the juror lady said it might be a 2-day trial). Anyways, even if there was a case I couldn't talk about it until after the verdict was reached and it was all over.

 

 

 

So here's my question: Has anyone here ever served on a jury? How old were you? What were the facts of the case, and outcome?

 

 

 

I'm bored. :D

 

 

 

8 potential days of jury duty left, if I keep getting called in.

 

 

 

Animal Planet is on the TV. Old ladies are crocheting and I don't know how many people have touched this keyboard. Ew.

 

 

 

Share your stories and experiences! I will, if I have anything to share at the end of this ordeal.

[assassin_696]

My parents both work in the legal profession, so I think they're exempt, but according to them it can be mind-numbingly boring. A 2 day trial isn't bad, I always think it'd be terrible to be called up for a trial that lasts for multiple weeks.

 

 

 

Can you share any details of the case? Just general stuff.

[Kriegsmier]

I'm in the military and my brother is a cop that works for the county....the lawyers never want me for some reason. :( I always get out of it....not that i'm complaining....

[Lenin64]

Personally, I can't wait until I get called for jury duty. But that won't be for a minimum of a few years....

[Kaphias]

My mom's not American, and my Dad is in education, so they're both exempt. I'm not 18 yet, but I do enjoy law, so we'll see how it goes once I get there.

[dusqi]

I'd love to do jury duty! I've read lots of research about how juries are really stupid and make bad decisions, or decisions based on bad evidence. I'd like to see it first hand.

[1_man_army]

I wouldn't mind doing jury duty, it is my public service of preference. If/when I have to do it, I'll watch the film 12 Angry Men the night before, get in my Henry Fonda mode.

[magekillr]

It depends on the case, if I would want to partake or not. Quite frankly, I can't imagine anything worthwhile that would happen around here, that would stay in our local courts.

 

 

 

Meh, law is interesting to me, and boring at the same time.

[Stilev]

I wouldn't mind doing jury duty, it is my public service of preference. If/when I have to do it, I'll watch the film 12 Angry Men the night before, get in my Henry Fonda mode.

 

 

 

that was a good movie, watched it after the AP test, in AP gov i'd recommend it

 

 

 

OT: i can in a few months, no really emotion one way or the other, when it happens, i'll let you know

[Kriegsmier]

To each their own. Getting paid worse then a fast food resturant for days on end in a boring trial (even high profile trials) doesn't sound like much fun to me.

 

 

 

I've been on the other side before, though not directly involved, one of my college professors is a county judge so i've hung out with him for a few days before.

[Range_This11]

My dad was on jury duty for the month when we had a huge murder case with 3 or 4 people getting murdered. It was one of those family killings where the mother went psycho and killed her family. He still won't talk about it, but I could see that it was really hard on him. They eventually sentenced her to 4 life terms even though she plead insanity. I'm registered for jury duty, and I really hope that I get to do it :)

[warren211]

Aren't jurors supposed to keep info on the trials strictly to themselves? :-#

 

 

 

thank goodness i'm only 14. I still got a while to go before my jury summon :thumbsup:

[Range_This11]

Aren't jurors supposed to keep info on the trials strictly to themselves? :-#

 

 

 

thank goodness i'm only 14. I still got a while to go before my jury summon :thumbsup:

 

They keep it to themselves during the trial. They cannot watch tv news or read any newspaper. After the trial they can talk about it if they like. My dad just doesn't want to talk about it.

[Amaranth_GTO]

They cannot watch tv news or read any newspaper.

 

So If I'm on jury duty (which won't be for a few years) I won't be allowed to watch any tv at all, or read the comics/sports section?

[Topazjewel]

My dad was on jury duty for the month when we had a huge murder case with 3 or 4 people getting murdered. It was one of those family killings where the mother went psycho and killed her family. He still won't talk about it, but I could see that it was really hard on him. They eventually sentenced her to 4 life terms even though she plead insanity. I'm registered for jury duty, and I really hope that I get to do it :)

 

So the murder happened when he was on the jury, or the trial? Because it's very unlikely that someone would be charged within a month of the incident.

 

 

 

I sat around for 3 hours today and they sent me home. They didn't need any of us, I guess. :D I'm excused for tomorrow and friday, so maybe monday I'll at least have a chance at being on a jury.

[Topazjewel]

They cannot watch tv news or read any newspaper.

 

So If I'm on jury duty (which won't be for a few years) I won't be allowed to watch any tv at all, or read the comics/sports section?

 

It's not that you're not allowed. But you're supposed to avoid any possible coverage of the case. If you were watching a sports channel or reading the sports/comics, that wouldn't be subjecting you to possible trial coverage. The idea is that you don't let the media bias or, or throw in additional "evidence" that was not submitted in court. And it's only two weeks (here, anyways), and a month in some places. I'm sure you'd be fine. :P

[Kriegsmier]

Usually you can watch tv and read newspapers yes. Its up to the judge really, in a lot of high profile felony cases the judge will tell the jurors not to do those things at all or to shun the stuff about the trial.

[Range_This11]

My dad was on jury duty for the month when we had a huge murder case with 3 or 4 people getting murdered. It was one of those family killings where the mother went psycho and killed her family. He still won't talk about it, but I could see that it was really hard on him. They eventually sentenced her to 4 life terms even though she plead insanity. I'm registered for jury duty, and I really hope that I get to do it :)

 

So the murder happened when he was on the jury, or the trial? Because it's very unlikely that someone would be charged within a month of the incident.

 

 

 

I sat around for 3 hours today and they sent me home. They didn't need any of us, I guess. :D I'm excused for tomorrow and friday, so maybe monday I'll at least have a chance at being on a jury.

 

Nah it was just the trial when he was on jury duty. The case had been open for quite a long time.

[Amaranth_GTO]

They cannot watch tv news or read any newspaper.

 

So If I'm on jury duty (which won't be for a few years) I won't be allowed to watch any tv at all, or read the comics/sports section?

 

It's not that you're not allowed. But you're supposed to avoid any possible coverage of the case. If you were watching a sports channel or reading the sports/comics, that wouldn't be subjecting you to possible trial coverage. The idea is that you don't let the media bias or, or throw in additional "evidence" that was not submitted in court. And it's only two weeks (here, anyways), and a month in some places. I'm sure you'd be fine. :P

 

Oh. Was getting scared for a second.

[DaN]

I know someone who had a 3month murder trial. The jury spent 2 weeks locked in a hotel without any outside contact.

 

I thought it was the crimminal that's meant to do Jail time not the Jury.

 

 

 

I would never do Jury duty because I work full time and choosing me for jury duty would be perverting the course of justice because juries are supposed to be fair and impartial.

[Yomyth105]

jury duty stinks when u really need to go to work. or college. etc.

[DaN]

jury duty stinks when u really need to go to work. or college. etc.

 

 

 

Well you can hardly tell the bank "Sorry but I had to do Jury duty this week, Ill get it to you next week." the repo guys will be parked outside the house on standby.

[urbestfreind]

My parents hate doing jury duty. They say it pays barely enough to drive down there and back, let alone cover a days worth of wages.

 

 

 

I wouldn't mind sitting on a jury. I've have the pleasure to serve as part of one in two mock trials, one for English (we were deciding a punishment for a character, I believe it was based on Lord of the Flies), the other for History (again, putting a ruler on trial, but this was more in-depth). I enjoyed both of those, and it wasn't just a five-minute ordeal, both took at minimum 3 days (the history one took a week), it was really well done for a 9th and 10th grade project (respectively).

 

 

 

I think I would do well serving on a jury, probably be like Lois from Malcolm in the Middle (for anyone not familiar, she stops everyone from just voting for a conviction and ends up getting them to actually consider the facts after some long arguments with the other members of the jury). It's not exactly easy, especially if you have people who don't care, and it's not worth the time lost (especially if you have to skip a class or something that has more than just monetary value).

[Adam007]

My parents hate doing jury duty. They say it pays barely enough to drive down there and back, let alone cover a days worth of wages.

 

 

 

I wouldn't mind sitting on a jury. I've have the pleasure to serve as part of one in two mock trials, one for English (we were deciding a punishment for a character, I believe it was based on Lord of the Flies), the other for History (again, putting a ruler on trial, but this was more in-depth). I enjoyed both of those, and it wasn't just a five-minute ordeal, both took at minimum 3 days (the history one took a week), it was really well done for a 9th and 10th grade project (respectively).

 

 

 

I think I would do well serving on a jury, probably be like Lois from Malcolm in the Middle (for anyone not familiar, she stops everyone from just voting for a conviction and ends up getting them to actually consider the facts after some long arguments with the other members of the jury). It's not exactly easy, especially if you have people who don't care, and it's not worth the time lost (especially if you have to skip a class or something that has more than just monetary value).

 

You'd probably love Twelve Angry Men. It's a real classic. I'm sure that episode of Malcolm in the Middle was influenced by the movie.

[Alex_Ewan_1]

Seems like learning about the American judicial system in Politics class over here in England maybe interesting!