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I'm a juror on a trial now

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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33,225
Of course I can't talk about the case itself until it's over.
But I can talk about jury service itself.

I like serving.
It is, at times, fascinating, boring, intellectually stimulating, infuriating, tearful, upsetting, heart warming, but it's a very patriotic way to serve your country.

So many people bend over backwards to not serve.
I say, shame on people who shirk their civic duty if it is possible and truly not a hardship for them to serve.
You can google up many ways to answer a lawyer's juror interview questions to get yourself dismissed from getting onto a trial. :naughty: :nono:

If you were put on trial (truly fully innocent people sometimes are) wouldn't you want good folks like you on the jury?
 
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Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
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22,520
Well done Kenny
i hope its not too horrible a case and justice is served and quick
 

ItsMainelyYou

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
4,756
I've served jury duty. Never occurred to me to shirk.
 

oakleaf

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
176
I‘ve been called to jury duty twice now, but I would likely never be picked for a jury due to my spouse‘s profession.
 

Piper70

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 19, 2019
Messages
489
I’ve gone twice. Rejected the first time due to family members job and second time defendant changed plea to guilty. I will always show up.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
22,520
Im a very conservative right winger
In all honesty and in fairness to the accused i could not guarantee i would not be biased aganist - well - all sorts of people- i think its best i not end up on a jury
That's the truth
but i also beleave in fair justice for all
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
Im a very conservative right winger
In all honesty and in fairness to the accused i could not guarantee i would not be biased aganist - well - all sorts of people- i think its best i not end up on a jury
That's the truth
but i also beleave in fair justice for all

Excellent point.

I'm an off-the-map liberal yet very very hard on punishment for convicted criminals.

But ... all that does not (rather, should not) matter when it comes to being a fair and impartial juror.

The judge instructs us to set aside our views and take into account ONLY:
1. The evidence presented in the courtroom.
2. The egal instructions (s)he gives on how to apply the law to the evidence presented.

We are forbidden to listen to news about the crime, google anything related to it, visit the scene of the crime, discuss the case with anyone, including spouses, friends, clergy, social media, therapists, and even other jurors on the case.
Nothing should influence our verdict except what was admitted as evidence in the courtroom, and the judge's legal instructions.

Lawyers for prosecution and defense interview potential jurors and reject those they don't want on the case.
Sometimes during these interviews jurors admit prejudices that would prevent them from being impartial - for instance someone molested as a child may find it challenging or impossible to be impartial when called upon to judge a case where the crime is child molestation.

Ideally they are speaking their truth, but some just lie to easily get out of serving on a trial.
The judge not only immediately release them, they thank them profusely for being up front - there is not investigation whether the truth or a lie was told.
Also, as mentioned, there are other factors that can result in the rejection of jurors, like you or your spouse working in law enforcement.
 
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AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 17, 2008
Messages
13,234
I’ve been called at least 5 times in the last 30 years and just sat all day, not even questioned. I would like to at least try it once. I think I can be very impartial and stick to the law.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,225
Covid may have change that waiting thing.
In years past, I've also been called in only to wait in vain in the assembly room of my local courthouse.
They have a huge waiting room with hundreds of seats.
Now that cavernous room is empty.
This time the moment I reported they sent me directly to a courtroom to begin the jury selection interviews for a trial.
No waiting! :clap:

I think where I live they've revamped the entire system.
Now, potential jurors no longer sit around crammed together in a big room until actually needed for a trial.
Apparently now we only report to the courthouse when they are ready to use us.
IMO a much better system.

Each courtroom itself can hold about 80 people but now they scatter only the essential 20 or so throughout that large space.
Unfortunately now that the 12 jurors and alternates no longer sit in the jury box we all can't see the video projections of much of the evidence.
 
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jeweln

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
735
I have been summoned once , then they canceled . Prefer not to go as I am soft hearted even on criminals .
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
33,225
I have been summoned once , then they canceled . Prefer not to go as I am soft hearted even on criminals .

So even if the evidence proved guilt to you, you'd vote not guilty?
Wouldn't voting guilty be "soft hearted" to the crime victim?

Frankly I think voting for what's right and fair is better than being hard or soft hearted.
Evaluating crime guilt is a matter for the mind, not the heart.
 

jeweln

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
735
I know , but I would feel pity for them even guilty . That's why I prefer not to go .
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Apr 30, 2005
Messages
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I know , but I would feel pity for them even guilty . That's why I prefer not to go .

No pity for the victim?
Would it not be kind and just to do your part to make things right for the victim?
 

jeweln

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
735
Of course if it is a clear cut case , then the guilty party has to be punished . I just prefer not to be part of it .
 

Bonfire

Ideal_Rock
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Feb 22, 2014
Messages
4,232
I must have “perfect juror” stamped on my forehead.
The last two times I’ve been summoned for jury duty, I was picked to sit on the juries. One was a very emotional case involving a seriously injured child. The trial lasted 5 days and the deliberations were intense. It was a very interesting experience.
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
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I've been called for jury duty a handful of times, both in MD and TX, but I've never been selected. I think I have too many attorneys in my family, and that's always been a question we were asked.

My husband was a juror in a case in DC and ended up serving alongside a previous mayor (Adrian Fenty) before he was mayor.

I believe it is important to do our civic duty.
 

ForteKitty

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 7, 2004
Messages
5,239
I was selected once, and sat through 5.5 weeks of a civil case. I shouldn't have been selected at all since I work for the same organization as the defendant. Didn't know the person, but I frequently see the defendant's counsel in the building for other business. When they asked questions, I asked how this is not a conflict of interest, and was told "oh it's fine, you don't know him" Uh yeah, but you don't think working for the same organization could potentially make me biased? whatever. The prosecution was horrible, kept going in circles not proving any point, got lost in his thoughts and forgot where he was going... then after we deliberated for a week, they declared mistrial. It should have been abundantly clear that the defendant was absolutely 100% guilty based on evidence, but they f'd it up royally.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
33,225
vbg
I was selected once, and sat through 5.5 weeks of a civil case. I shouldn't have been selected at all since I work for the same organization as the defendant. Didn't know the person, but I frequently see the defendant's counsel in the building for other business. When they asked questions, I asked how this is not a conflict of interest, and was told "oh it's fine, you don't know him" Uh yeah, but you don't think working for the same organization could potentially make me biased? whatever. The prosecution was horrible, kept going in circles not proving any point, got lost in his thoughts and forgot where he was going... then after we deliberated for a week, they declared mistrial. It should have been abundantly clear that the defendant was absolutely 100% guilty based on evidence, but they f'd it up royally.

Yes, that happens.

Still, thank you for your service.
IMO it's better to try (no pun intended) and mistrialed, than to not have tried.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,520
Excellent point.

I'm an off-the-map liberal yet very very hard on punishment for convicted criminals.

But ... all that does not (rather, should not) matter when it comes to being a fair and impartial juror.

The judge instructs us to set aside our views and take into account ONLY:
1. The evidence presented in the courtroom.
2. The egal instructions (s)he gives on how to apply the law to the evidence presented.

We are forbidden to listen to news about the crime, google anything related to it, visit the scene of the crime, discuss the case with anyone, including spouses, friends, clergy, social media, therapists, and even other jurors on the case.
Nothing should influence our verdict except what was admitted as evidence in the courtroom, and the judge's legal instructions.

Lawyers for prosecution and defense interview potential jurors and reject those they don't want on the case.
Sometimes during these interviews jurors admit prejudices that would prevent them from being impartial - for instance someone molested as a child may find it challenging or impossible to be impartial when called upon to judge a case where the crime is child molestation.

Ideally they are speaking their truth, but some just lie to easily get out of serving on a trial.
The judge not only immediately release them, they thank them profusely for being up front - there is not investigation whether the truth or a lie was told.
Also, as mentioned, there are other factors that can result in the rejection of jurors, like you or your spouse working in law enforcement.

We are such a small country we only have two degrees of separation between us all
here so as often is the case the accused will have name suppression to protect their right to a free and fare trial

In very high profile trials with interest from overseas media this is often not understood or adhered to (looking at the British press pack), especially now with the internet and social media but it's so thete idn't mistrial or a miscarriage of justice which will just cause a victim's family even more pain
And of courses no one wants to see an innocent person convicted of a crime they didnt commit
 

Austina

Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Feb 24, 2017
Messages
7,555
DH had to attend for jury service 3 times at The Old Bailey in London, twice he was rejected, probably looked too ’establishment’ :lol:
 

missy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jun 8, 2008
Messages
53,980
Greg also enjoys jury duty. He has served on a jury twice which is saying something because he is an attorney and he could have easily gotten out of both cases. However he wanted to serve.

I have been called twice but wasn't picked for any jury. Which was a relief for me actually. It is very hard for me to sit still all day so in my mind serving on a jury would be torturous for me because I couldn't just get up and walk around and move. I think I have ADD so yeah it would be challenging for me.
 

rainydaze

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
3,361
I have been called once, and I was chosen to serve. I was excited for the experience. I wouldn't be as excited a second time around, however I would not try to get out of it. That just doesn't feel right to me.
 

wildcat03

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 11, 2011
Messages
904
I'm kind of jealous! I'll be interested if you have more to update later!

I've always wanted to serve. For a few years I lived in a city with a lot of crime and a lot of people with felony convictions who were ineligible to serve. This meant that I got called frequently. The one time I was actually selected was fairly eventful. It was a murder trial. When time came to seat jurors, both defense and prosecutor seated me without objection. They seated a bunch of other people but then slowly replaced them. No one seemed to want to replace me, so there I sat. Defense ran out of preemptory challenges and was trying to find a way around the rule. Judge stepped out to do something. A few minutes later there was a wave of chatter amongst the bailiffs and all of a sudden they asked 3 people sitting in the middle of the jury pool to leave. Turns out the defendant's family had come in during lunch and HADN'T LEFT THE COURTROOM WHEN THE JURY POOL RETURNED. Judge had to declare a mistrial. I was a bit relieved because it was Friday afternoon and I was supposed to work the overnight shift on Monday night and could tell this wasn't going to be a quick trial.
 

jaysonsmom

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Messages
4,879
I was summoned 1x only, and probably because I've only been a citizen of US for about 6 years. I was disappointed when I was not selected as a juror, and sent home after half a day of sitting around doing nothing.
 

dk168

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
12,492
I am exempt from jury service in UK due to my profession, otherwise I would have been honoured if I were selected.

DK :))
 

DAF

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
777
I enjoy jury duty. I've been called three times, but only was picked the first time (drug possession/selling case). When I was summoned the second and third times, I was rejected based on the nature of the case and having sued my insurance company for something similar, and for having a SO whose close family was in law enforcement and a practicing attorney.
 

mom2dolls

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Messages
394
Recently was summoned but due to covid, had to check the website each night to see if I was needed. Never had to report to the courthouse.

Last time I had jury duty, we went into the courtroom and went through the beginning stages of selection. The defendant was sitting in the court room, it was a child molestation case. There was no way I could have sat on that jury. I did have young children at the time and could not miss two weeks of work without pay, so I was excused. I don't think I will ever forget his face. I know this is judging, forgive me but he was terrifying.
 

seaurchin

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
3,541
I would love to do it because I think it would be very interesting. I've been called several times but was never chosen.
 

NonieMarie

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
948
Im a very conservative right winger
In all honesty and in fairness to the accused i could not guarantee i would not be biased aganist - well - all sorts of people- i think its best i not end up on a jury
That's the truth
but i also beleave in fair justice for all

When there is bias, there is no fair justice for all. You need to work on that.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
22,520
When there is bias, there is no fair justice for all. You need to work on that.

Actually i am
And at last im honest about it

You know bias goes both ways

160925-mobama-w-hug-hg-1530_4ad239e316c0f0a40549d30bef4eb976.jpg America will never heal until both sides show compression rather than judgement toward each other
 
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