Jury Duty
#21
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Outside of the Loop-ATL
Posts: 761
Total Cats: 1
I don't buy it. I never registered to vote in CA, and that's the only place I got summoned. Never updated SSS after I left FL either.
What I've heard (and it seems plausible) is that a lot of places are pulling their lists from the drivers license registration records nowadays, as it's a much more complete database. Probably wouldn't work in Manhattan, but everywhere else, pretty much everybody has a drivers license.
What I've heard (and it seems plausible) is that a lot of places are pulling their lists from the drivers license registration records nowadays, as it's a much more complete database. Probably wouldn't work in Manhattan, but everywhere else, pretty much everybody has a drivers license.
I think it varies from state to state. I know a few states pull from the voting and others pull from the drivers license registration. I think he states varies to get the best pull. Like you said in places like Manhattan were not everyone has a license it won't work as well. Compared to somewhere like Kansas were you pretty much fucked if you don't have a car.
#22
I've been called to "regular" jury duty twice (42 years old). First case was against a kid who was drunk as hell and driving around. We let him go because the majority in the jury thought it was somehow mean to make him pay for it. I hope he runs over their kids sometime and they get to scrape up the brains.
The second I got out of because I stood up and said there was no way I would believe the defendant over the cops. I think the defense att threw me out.
Right now I am in the county grand jury (possibly for the next two years). We meet every month for a day and decide on the merits of around 150-200 cases. Most of the time it is a cop coming in and reading a very short synopsis of 10 cases of "look how damn stupid people are". I could tell you some pretty wild stories and I know where most of the crack houses are in my local area now. From time to time we get some pretty vicious and screwed up cases but most are simple drug possession (crack) or large amounts of pot. After I serve my 12 to 24 months of grand jury I get exempted from jury duty for the next 5 years so I at least have that going for me.
The second I got out of because I stood up and said there was no way I would believe the defendant over the cops. I think the defense att threw me out.
Right now I am in the county grand jury (possibly for the next two years). We meet every month for a day and decide on the merits of around 150-200 cases. Most of the time it is a cop coming in and reading a very short synopsis of 10 cases of "look how damn stupid people are". I could tell you some pretty wild stories and I know where most of the crack houses are in my local area now. From time to time we get some pretty vicious and screwed up cases but most are simple drug possession (crack) or large amounts of pot. After I serve my 12 to 24 months of grand jury I get exempted from jury duty for the next 5 years so I at least have that going for me.
#24
Just did my service yesterday.....first time actually being picked and serving on a jury. I've had several notifications, but never got further than the exemption phase. Didn't want anything to do with this at first, and had always felt it was a waste of my time.
After this experience, and being in the position of putting something to rest that effects people's lives, I would do it again.
God forbid I should ever need a jury trial, and have to rely on someone else with the mindset I used have about jury selection.
After this experience, and being in the position of putting something to rest that effects people's lives, I would do it again.
God forbid I should ever need a jury trial, and have to rely on someone else with the mindset I used have about jury selection.
#26
Senior Member
iTrader: (14)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South East Florida
Posts: 677
Total Cats: 6
That is definitely major criteria that I consider when I am deciding who I want to kick. I practice criminal defense exclusively, and have picked probably 50 juries.
Seriously, though. I don't recommend skipping out. Putting aside all the talk about civic duty and such, it's worth it just to get a glimpse of how the court system works.......
I honestly don't see why Jury Duty has got such a bad rap, honestly. I mean, worst case scenario is that have to listen to a couple of overpaid *********** duke it out for a while and then you get to vote whether or not to ban someone from life. It's like being a moderator, only with free food.
I honestly don't see why Jury Duty has got such a bad rap, honestly. I mean, worst case scenario is that have to listen to a couple of overpaid *********** duke it out for a while and then you get to vote whether or not to ban someone from life. It's like being a moderator, only with free food.
Overpaid? Obviously you have not heard of the enormous salaries of Assistant State Attorneys (District Attorneys) and Assistant Public Defenders (Public Pretenders). Odds are they are the attorneys trying the case.
it's fucked up that i've be summoned twice and had to go even though they can't legally pick me because my grandfather and uncle both work in the court house so there's potentially a conflict of interest.....yet i still have to show up.
one of them was some guy accused of raping some girl at a mcdonalds.....
one of them was some guy accused of raping some girl at a mcdonalds.....
Seriously, it really is a shitty thing to not show or to intentionally get kicked just because you have more important things to do. You may be the person that can explain the true guilt or innocence of another human to the other jurors. Juries get it wrong sometimes. Innocent people get convicted and guilty people get off. Probably over 99% of cases are resolved before trial, so the ones that actually go are usually pretty ******* important to someone.
#27
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,057
Total Cats: 6,619
Overpaid? Obviously you have not heard of the enormous salaries of Assistant State Attorneys (District Attorneys) and Assistant Public Defenders (Public Pretenders). Odds are they are the attorneys trying the case.
#28
Former Vendor
iTrader: (31)
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 15,442
Total Cats: 2,100
42 years old. Never been called for jury duty. I say it's because I don't register to vote. People disagree with me on this saying that it isn't tied to voter registration here, but my "not registered-never been called to jury duty" record seems to stand for itself. My wife is registered to vote and has been called 2-3 times in the 11 years that we have been married.
#30
Senior Member
iTrader: (14)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South East Florida
Posts: 677
Total Cats: 6
I can't tell if you're being sarcastic, but I was actually serious. It's not "Law & Order" every day, but even though I'm not a big idealist (con law can suck my *****) I really do find the criminal court system interesting.
Ok, so I'm jumping the gun on that one. But give it time. How many folks working for the DA or the public defenders office do you know who actually intend to make a career out of it? They're there because they didn't go to a top 14 school, and probably weren't in the upper 10% of their class, so they're doing time until they can make it into a private firm doing research 70 hours a week, pay off the loan, and start making money. I know, $100k doesn't sound like much if all your friends and co-workers came from Columbia or Duke, but to most folks it falls into the "overpaid" category for someone in their early 30s.
Ok, so I'm jumping the gun on that one. But give it time. How many folks working for the DA or the public defenders office do you know who actually intend to make a career out of it? They're there because they didn't go to a top 14 school, and probably weren't in the upper 10% of their class, so they're doing time until they can make it into a private firm doing research 70 hours a week, pay off the loan, and start making money. I know, $100k doesn't sound like much if all your friends and co-workers came from Columbia or Duke, but to most folks it falls into the "overpaid" category for someone in their early 30s.
Did you ever start law school? I remember you talking about it a while ago. Since you are referring to it as 'conlaw' I am going to guess that is a 'yes.'
You are probably right about how most start off as asa's and pd's. Maybe 10% become lifers and stay. 80% of the rest (including state attorneys) go private criminal defense. Working 70hrs a week grinding is not practicing law. I would be embarrassed to switch to that. How sad for them.
#31
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,057
Total Cats: 6,619
Did you ever start law school? I remember you talking about it a while ago. Since you are referring to it as 'conlaw' I am going to guess that is a 'yes.'
Working 70hrs a week grinding is not practicing law. I would be embarrassed to switch to that. How sad for them.
#37
Several years ago I was chosen for a murder jury. We were selected in mid-October. We went through the longest trial in local history, into the longest deliberation in local history. We tendered our verdict on New Year's Eve.
Good things about doing the duty (for me):
Learned a ton about how the system works.
Free food and mileage every day.
My employer pays full pay while on judu.
My job was not critical at the time, and I was able to return with little/no disruption.
90 minute lunches!!!
Later hours than my normal job.
Haven't been called back for judu since then, >10 years.
Good things about doing the duty (for me):
Learned a ton about how the system works.
Free food and mileage every day.
My employer pays full pay while on judu.
My job was not critical at the time, and I was able to return with little/no disruption.
90 minute lunches!!!
Later hours than my normal job.
Haven't been called back for judu since then, >10 years.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post