Jury duty

[mattp]

I'll cast my vote for going ahead and showing up if you are called for jury duty. It is generally a good experience to serve on a jury and you will probably learn something (though sitting around in the jury room is pure boredom). Jopa - though I could be wrong, I think you are copping out on your civic cuty and citing "freedom of choice" and "I don't have a right to judge my peers" is probably more of a justification for you just not wanting to do it than anything else. Yes, it is confusing and maybe even scary to sit on a jury and feel responsible for someone else's fate in that way - but it IS how our system works. One of the problems with juries is that you cannot get a jury that is representative of our society in part because most folks don't want to serve so the jury pools are dominated by retirees and lower level employees of large corporations that pay their employees their full wage while they are on jury duties (like Boeing or something).

[Jopa]

mattp said:

I'll cast my vote for going ahead and showing up if you are called for jury duty. It is generally a good experience to serve on a jury and you will probably learn something (though sitting around in the jury room is pure boredom). Jopa - though I could be wrong, I think you are copping out on your civic cuty and citing "freedom of choice" and "I don't have a right to judge my peers" is probably more of a justification for you just not wanting to do it than anything else. Yes, it is confusing and maybe even scary to sit on a jury and feel responsible for someone else's fate in that way - but it IS how our system works.

 

Matt, it may be how our system works, but should I not have the choice to decide whether or not it is something I agree with? It has nothing to do with not wanting to spend my time serving on jury duty, I am only saying that if we claim that this is a free society, then I should have the choice to accept or reject the system that was constructed without my input or approval.

 

Now one can respond by saying that if I choose not to participate, then I shouldn't get to take in the benefits of the system (protection, infrastructure, and the like). This may be true, but it does not mean that I shouldn't have the choice to decide whether or not I want to participate.

 

Many people use the "freedom of choice" bit because they are lazy; but some of us actually believe it!

[terrible_ted]

Jury duty is a blast!!! It's a chance to subvert the opinions of a group of derelicts, geezers and half-wits in order to further your own plans for how the system "ought to work."

 

One of my folks was serving in a pool a few years back. During voir dire, a man claimed hardship... i.e.

 

"My employer won't reimburse me for work time lost while serving in a jury pool."

 

The judge asked, "What do you do for a living?"

 

"I'm a legal aid", he replied.

 

"And what firm do you work for?"

 

"X, Y and Z."

 

"Hmmm. I want you to go to my chamber and get Mr. X on the phone and inform him that if he WANTS TO BE TREATED FAIRLY IN THIS COURTROOM HE'D GODDAMNED BETTER BE PAYING HIS EMPLOYEES TO BE SERVING ON MY JURY!!!!"

 

The guy goes to the judge's chamber, and comes out about a minute later.

 

"Ready to serve, your honor!"

 

-t

 

 

[mattp]

Jopa, the thing is you cannot and you do not "opt out" of our legal system unless you decide to leave the country and relinquish your citizen. You can pretend to have done so, until the day that you are mugged or the day that you are involved in some terrible accident or are arrested for a crime, or .....

then you'll need that system.

[Jopa]

mattp said:

Jopa, the thing is you cannot and you do not "opt out" of our legal system unless you decide to leave the country and relinquish your citizen. You can pretend to have done so, until the day that you are mugged or the day that you are involved in some terrible accident or are arrested for a crime, or .....

then you'll need that system.

 

I agree with you there, Matt. In fact, I have used the legal system to my benefit when my car was stolen (twice). But what other option do I have?

 

Are you saying, then, that I should be forced to accept civic duties even though I may reject some of those duties on moral grounds?

 

This is a topic I have much interest in so your honost feedback is much appreciated!

[dkemp]

Yeah, Dryad, I'd do it again.

 

I was juror in a murder trial in Tennessee. Boy that was drama you wouldnt believe if it happened in a movie. Franklin TN aint exactly backwoods as some would have you believe. But still its a small city and a bunch of wierd stuff went down. Glad I got to see it.

 

Last I heard that guy is still in the Tennesee state pen.

 

Worst part of all? We were sequested for three nights. They put us up at a little motel outside of town. They told us we could watch TV and told us not to watch the news - we were on our honor. Hey great, says me, lets turn on the tube!

 

All three stations (this was before cable was ubiquitous) carried the same thing - full coverage of all three nights of 1980 Republican National Convention starring Ronald Reagan - Jumpin' Jesus on a friggin' pogo stick .

 

 

 

 

[forrest_m]

Jopa said:

Are you saying, then, that I should be forced to accept civic duties even though I may reject some of those duties on moral grounds?

 

Jopa - I guess this depends on whether your objection is personal or philosophical, i.e. I don't feel qualified to judge other people vs. I don't feel ANYONE should judge other people.

 

If the former, I think you can just follow the system. Go to jury duty, tell the truth when they ask you questions, and if you truly believe that you can't judge others, it is unlikely they will let you do so.

 

If the latter, then I suppose civil disobedience would be justified. But I don't agree with that proposition, so don't ask me how that might be accomplished...

[Jopa]

forrest_m said:

Jopa said:

Are you saying, then, that I should be forced to accept civic duties even though I may reject some of those duties on moral grounds?

 

Jopa - I guess this depends on whether your objection is personal or philosophical, i.e. I don't feel qualified to judge other people vs. I don't feel ANYONE should judge other people.

 

If the former, I think you can just follow the system. Go to jury duty, tell the truth when they ask you questions, and if you truly believe that you can't judge others, it is unlikely they will let you do so.

 

If the latter, then I suppose civil disobedience would be justified. But I don't agree with that proposition, so don't ask me how that might be accomplished...

 

I can only speak for myself; speaking on behalf of others would be claiming that I have some truth that others do not, and I definitely do not think that way.

 

The former solution you offer is exactly how I would handle the situation if called upon.

[mattp]

Jopa-

I can't really quarrel with your statement that you do not feel you can judge other people in any real way other than to say that you may one day find yourself in a position where you are one the parties in court, in effect asking others to decide in your behalf, and you will then have no legitimate complaint if all the jurors are 55 to 75 year olds who may not be inclined to understand your situation.

[Jopa]

mattp said:

Jopa-

I can't really quarrel with your statement that you do not feel you can judge other people in any real way other than to say that you may one day find yourself in a position where you are one the parties in court, in effect asking others to decide in your behalf, and you will then have no legitimate complaint if all the jurors are 55 to 75 year olds who may not be inclined to understand your situation.

 

mattp

 

I think there is much more to this argument. Perhaps I'll come to a pub club and start up the debate again! At any rate, I think you and forrest_m make some good points.

[Dave_Schuldt]

catbirdseat said:

No, Dave is just the sort of patsy- I mean person- they are looking for. You know a pliable- I mean open- mind.

 

Well I never got a chance to find out if I am what they want. I showed up in tie dyed shirt and shorts. I figured thy would think I was some sort of subversive. All the cases we were called up for setled or were delayed so they let most or us out before lunch on the second day. Did I go work that afternoon? Hell no I went to the UW rock.

 

dryad, I thought you hated your job. Take a few days off, do they pay you for jury duty?

[Gary_Yngve]

I had jury duty once. The lawyers settled that morning, so I went home with my check for a day's work after just two hours.

[Scott_J]

Was picked to be on jury duty in Palmer, Alaska. They were trying a few people for pot growing etc. When I was asked how I felt about the cultivation, use and sales of pot I answered honestly: it grows in nature, its intended for human use and therefore I could see no crime unless they were selling to minors. Needless to say I was asked to leave and I was never chosen again for jury duty.

[catbirdseat]

Here's a question for the legal experts...

 

I just got a note calling me in for jury duty, and I would really rather not go. One of the requirements is "ability to communicate in the English language". Obviously this is aimed to keep out people who don't speak English, but would a speech impediment like a stutter also be enough to disqualify me?

Someone needs to read this thread so he can get out of jury duty and go to Smith this weekend.

[cj001f]

Jury Duty sucks balls. Fuck Ventura County

[archenemy]

All he needs to do is say he's a scientist. No one wants them around apparently.

[mountainmatt]

You will have an easier time getting out if you can get a hint of what the case is about. For example, traffic accident, suggest that you always side with the insurance company because most accidents are made up. Basically you want one of the lawyers to see you as so biased that it would be stupid to keep you around.

[Kat_Roslyn]

Here's a question for the legal experts...

 

I just got a note calling me in for jury duty, and I would really rather not go. One of the requirements is "ability to communicate in the English language". Obviously this is aimed to keep out people who don't speak English, but would a speech impediment like a stutter also be enough to disqualify me?

Someone needs to read this thread so he can get out of jury duty and go to Smith this weekend.

The courts are not open on weekends.

[counterfeitfake]

Have you guys been to jury duty? I served in Seattle and from what I saw, odds are good that you will never even get the opportunity to answer a question that would disqualify you. In my 2 days, I didn't even get put on a panel.

[underworld]

show up wearing a sheet

[lI1|1!]

show up wearing a sheet

 

?

 

[faster_than_you]

My dad and I have a similar name, but not exactly the same. Anyway, he received the jury duty letter and served. Only after they sent him a pay check for his public service did he realize that he stood in for me... What was more funny is that he was then called again a few months later... only this time they got his name right. Thanks Dad!

[mr.radon]

Excuse #1 - real for me

Since I take care of everything on-line I check the mail about once a month. By then all the junk mail is waiting for me at the post office and I can ditch 99.9% of the bundle. Well I got a Jury notice, but since the date had already passed I ignored it and in the same pile was a letter from the DA asking why I hadn't showed up. I called and explained that I don't check mail every day. He went balistic about my civic duty to check mail. I told him to F-off and talk to my mailman (he's yelled at me about never checking my mail) he'd tell him I'm not making it up. I never heard from the DA again.

Excuse #2 - real for my mom

She got a notice, she told them she couldn't be on a jury. When asked why, she said she was not a citizen. Sure enough you can't be on a jury if you are not a citizen. Tell them you are not a citizen, you just jumped the Rio Grand last year.

[roboboy]

All he needs to do is say he's a scientist. No one wants them around apparently

 

not necessarily...birds of a feather might flock together

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Excuse #1 - real for me

Since I take care of everything on-line I check the mail about once a month. By then all the junk mail is waiting for me at the post office and I can ditch 99.9% of the bundle. Well I got a Jury notice, but since the date had already passed I ignored it and in the same pile was a letter from the DA asking why I hadn't showed up. I called and explained that I don't check mail every day. He went balistic about my civic duty to check mail. I told him to F-off and talk to my mailman (he's yelled at me about never checking my mail) he'd tell him I'm not making it up. I never heard from the DA again.

Excuse #2 - real for my mom

She got a notice, she told them she couldn't be on a jury. When asked why, she said she was not a citizen. Sure enough you can't be on a jury if you are not a citizen. Tell them you are not a citizen, you just jumped the Rio Grand last year.

 

Someone I know got called up and ended up being in the room where perspective jurors were questioned by the lawyers. One guy sat down, took a look at the plaintiff, pointed, and said "that guy over there looks guilty as hell!". The judge went ballistic and chewed the guy out... but let him go.