I've dodged jury duty for 14 years, and I have no "VALID" excuse this time.
I'd really rather be at work. If I'm gonna be away from work, letting shit back up, I'd rather be somewhere I want to be.
AND, if I have to be there...TELL ME I make the beast with two backs'n have to be there. Don't give me the...call the night before...bullshit.
I really hope it doesn't take too long, or god forbid it be more than just that day.
Don't look at it like an unpleasant task while work piles up.
Look at it like a chance to play god with someone's life.
Last time I spent 5 days at jury duty, just sitting through jury selection (it was a controversial child molestation case and they wanted a big pool). Never got called up or questioned, just sat there watching. :-\
Good news is that I seem to have earned myself a grace period since then, it's been a few years now since I've gotten a notice (knock on wood). 8)
I have been called twice in the last two years. Got out of the first because the couples settled their divorce differences. Last time I got called I searched the DMF on my iPhone for about an hour all through the questioning. I also dressed in my normal clothes, jeans and a t-shirt, praying that I wouldn't get picked... I had the itchy suspicion that I was going to get picked when I made most of the lawyers, and the judge laugh. So, what did I do.... Called an audible. I'm a pastry chef, showed the judge a picture of a wedding cake I had previously assembled, told her I was in the middle of it and she let me bail. Everyone also got a kick that I got out of jury duty to make a cake, but who cares. I got a day off work and rode my Duc from 9am to around 7pm all over my hood. I have the exact same plan next time...
Quote from: msincredible on September 15, 2008, 08:53:14 PM
Last time I spent 5 days at jury duty, just sitting through jury selection (it was a controversial child molestation case and they wanted a big pool). Never got called up or questioned, just sat there watching. :-\
Good news is that I seem to have earned myself a grace period since then, it's been a few years now since I've gotten a notice (knock on wood). 8)
Last one I attended was also a child molestation case but the guy pleaded guilty by the end of the day.
I been to Jury Duty 4 times and I have never been picked. I want to not go or get picked.... screw the in between stuff.
I've gotten called a couple times at my parent's house but I was always away at school so my parents would tell them that I don't live there anymore.
Wow, what a terrible thing to have to do [roll]
Apparently you guys aren't a fan of the Bill of Rights, specifically number "six"
umm,, as baad as it can be it's still your civic duty.
Quote from: spolic on September 16, 2008, 07:42:55 AM
umm,, as baad as it can be it's still your civic duty.
Of course it is.
that is the foundation of our legal system.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on September 16, 2008, 07:39:28 AM
Wow, what a terrible thing to have to do [roll]
Apparently you guys aren't a fan of the Bill of Rights, specifically number "six"
+1
Been called a couple of times in various states since, but haven't served on a jury that went all the way to a verdict since the mid 1980's in Manhattan, and it was actually pretty fascinating. Kid was charged with accessory to auto radio theft -- he was the lookout -- and had been nabbed by a detail that had followed them around for an hour watching them case out BMWs before busting into one. I still remember the nervous young detective who was admonished at least twice by the judge to stop referring to the defendant as "da perp" though with a lot of Brooklyn in his voice it came out as "da poyp."
Knock on wood I'll never be there, but if I'm ever on the other side of the equation, I hope the folks sitting in judgement aren't simply the ones too stupid or slow moving to get out of listening to the evidence and deciding whether the government has made its case beyond a reasonable doubt against one of their peers.
Never been called for it. Wouldn't really bother me if I did. Work reimburses the lost wages, so who cares. Now that I've been forced back to 2nd anyway. Wouldn't have wanted that shit when I was on 3rd shift!
I had to do it all last summer, which is really my busy time of the year so I was initially pissed off.
But It isn't that big a deal, I really only had to stick a round a few times, Free coffee, and it was pretty interesting (mostly DWI cases) and I made $6 [laugh]
If it was during my slow season (after xmas, before tax returns) I would have been all about it.
I tell you, its a great to watch the freak show of idiots and there crap lawyers.
I just had to skip my jury duty last week. (My grandma died) I rescheduled for November. I am really looking forward to it. Like Cyrus said it is one of your rights and you should support it.
I don't see why people have such an issue with jury duty - it's really not a big deal. I've been 3 times -
1st time to sit in a room and watch movies from 8am to 4pm when they decided they didn't need us.
2nd time was a border patrol case but I knew an agent and they cut me early so I had most of the day off.
3rd time was a smuggling case and I ended up being jury foreman.
If you go in thinking it will suck then it probably will.
If you can only try to think of how to get out of it, maybe it's time to move to another country.
I actually was hoping I would get picked but I never do.
I just hate waiting with the only forum of entainment is a VCR with old tapes not even children would watch and board games from the 70s.
Bring your Laptop. In my case I played with my IPhone all day and I even had a Thread going about Jury Duty while I was there =)
I can understand some people not liking jury duty because it puts them in a difficult position (no pay for a day or two) but that shouldn't be the case for most everyone on this board.
I just think it's a nuisance. At the same time that I dodge my civic responsibility I also forgo some of rights like the right to vote. I figure it's a give and take. Since I don't vote I also don't gripe that much about politics. Of course, if it were for something I found interesting it could be entertaining but sitting on the jury for a divorce or some minor offense doesn't sound enticing at all.
[thumbsup] They don't want me!!! [thumbsup]
I don't have to go for the next 12 months. ;D
Tell your work they did and go for a [moto]
My work never checks.... whoohahahaha
I am surprised how many people here are arguing it's ok to scam your way out of jury duty. What part of the word "duty" do you not understand? Sorry guys, but if you're not willing to take on the responsibilities that come along with being a US citizen, you're scamming the rest of us who understand that we owe something for the privileges that come with citizenship.
Quote from: ducsix on September 17, 2008, 04:23:41 AM
I am surprised how many people here are arguing it's ok to scam your way out of jury duty. What part of the word "duty" do you not understand? Sorry guys, but if you're not willing to take on the responsibilities that come along with being a US citizen, you're scamming the rest of us who understand that we owe something for the privileges that come with citizenship.
I would very much encourage anyone who didn't want to do it, to not do it.
It might be my jury they end up on-I don't need them starting off already peeved at me.
Quote from: ducsix on September 17, 2008, 04:23:41 AM
I am surprised how many people here are arguing it's ok to scam your way out of jury duty. What part of the word "duty" do you not understand? Sorry guys, but if you're not willing to take on the responsibilities that come along with being a US citizen, you're scamming the rest of us who understand that we owe something for the privileges that come with citizenship.
Responsibilities,...I pay TAXES. I pay for those citizens that can't pay for them selves...heck, I'm probably paying for the non-citizens that can't pay for them selves also. I pay for wars. I pay.
That's enough responsibility for me.
Quote from: DarkStaR on September 17, 2008, 07:21:27 PM
Responsibilities,...I pay TAXES. I pay for those citizens that can't pay for them selves...heck, I'm probably paying for the non-citizens that can't pay for them selves also. I pay for wars. I pay.
That's enough responsibility for me.
When you are on trial for a murder that you didn't commit, you want some intelligent, responsible taxpayers on your jury or a bunch of unemployed freeloaders that "you" pay their welfare on your jury?
That being said. I've never been summoned for jury duty and can pretty much guarantee I never will.
Quote from: hbliam on September 18, 2008, 05:17:34 PM
That being said. I've never been summoned for jury duty and can pretty much guarantee I never will.
cheater. ;D :P
Quote from: DarkStaR on September 17, 2008, 07:21:27 PM
Responsibilities,...I pay TAXES. I pay for those citizens that can't pay for them selves...heck, I'm probably paying for the non-citizens that can't pay for them selves also. I pay for wars. I pay.
That's enough responsibility for me.
Oh, you pay *taxes*! My bad. I think they have a check box for that on the jury selection form, under the "Anyone Who Pays Taxes Is Exempt From Their Other Legal Obligations" section.
1st time was postponed due to school
2nd time sat around talking to a cute blond until we both got called in. Time ran out for the day so I got to go home. (sorry guys no more to that story)
3rd time was in the Jury box, probably would of been picked but school was starting the week the trial was to begin.
So I am good for another year at least.
Quote from: derby on September 18, 2008, 05:24:36 PM
cheater. ;D :P
I go to court at least twice a month. I'ts not like I'm totally getting out of it. I was there this morning matter of fact. Traffic court. He lost. I actually have never lost a ticket in five years.
I got a thing in the mail for jury duty also and I guess if I was missing work I wouldn't care but I'm in school full time right now too so I hope that I don't have to do it.
Quote from: ducsix on September 18, 2008, 05:49:39 PM
Oh, you pay *taxes*! My bad. I think they have a check box for that on the jury selection form, under the "Anyone Who Pays Taxes Is Exempt From Their Other Legal Obligations" section.
Just as a corollary; since I complete my jury duty, can I stop paying taxes? Is there a check box on my return I've been missing?
;D
I served on a case in which a woman was charged with hitting a cop. We had to convict her, the evident was conclusive, but we should have
asked the judge to give her a special commendation for public service. The cop was a real jerk.
I sat on a Federal jury for two & a half weeks. Big case too. That's been my only jury experience ~
JM
Quote from: DarkStaR on September 17, 2008, 07:21:27 PM
Responsibilities,...I pay TAXES. I pay for those citizens that can't pay for them selves...heck, I'm probably paying for the non-citizens that can't pay for them selves also. I pay for wars. I pay.
That's enough responsibility for me.
[roll]
Quote from: akmnstr on September 19, 2008, 12:55:42 PM
I served on a case in which a woman was charged with hitting a cop. We had to convict her, the evident was conclusive, but we should have
asked the judge to give her a special commendation for public service. The cop was a real jerk.
see that is the point of being on a jury YOU DONT HAVE TO do anything you don't want to, if you as the jury want to disregard things you can its that simple so if you had it out for the cop you could ignore if you want the evidence and just make the contrary decision. simple as that.
as long as you can live with yourself you can do that and are allowed, that is the TRUE POWER of the jury.
Quote from: sbrguy on September 19, 2008, 01:12:01 PM
see that is the point of being on a jury YOU DONT HAVE TO do anything you don't want to, if you as the jury want to disregard things you can its that simple so if you had it out for the cop you could ignore if you want the evidence and just make the contrary decision. simple as that.
as long as you can live with yourself you can do that and are allowed, that is the TRUE POWER of the jury.
Maybe that is why there are twelve. In the jury room the fool that wants to ignore the evidence or ignore the letter of the law is
overruled by the others. In our case we had a diverse set of opinions on the woman and the cop. It came down to what she had done
and what the law said was a crime. In the end, the emotion and bias was filtered out. Anyone that feels that serving on a jury is not your civic duty or
the jury system is BS should serve before making a final judgment.
[popcorn]
I like being picked for Jury Duty. [thumbsup]
My work pays me for the time, although I have to reimburse them if I'm paid by the state for Jury Duty. :-\
The last time I was selected for Jury Duty, the court only had one case needing a jury, and the rest of us were released at 11 AM. 8)
When I lived in lower Manhattan I loved being called for jury duty. I could walk there, I collected a paycheck from my employer plus I ate good food and I met interesting people. Then I moved to the Bronx. Too far to walk. Two bosses or pay for parking, the food sucked and it was hard to tell the jury pool from the criminals. But the boss still payed. Now/ I wouldn't be so happy and the jury pool is overcrowded. I wouldn't be so happy.
Quote from: sbrguy on September 19, 2008, 01:12:01 PM
see that is the point of being on a jury YOU DONT HAVE TO do anything you don't want to, if you as the jury want to disregard things you can its that simple so if you had it out for the cop you could ignore if you want the evidence and just make the contrary decision. simple as that.
as long as you can live with yourself you can do that and are allowed, that is the TRUE POWER of the jury.
Yeah, that makes alot of sense. That's why a murderer like OJ is walking around. What if you get a bunch of people that decide they don't like YOU and decide to ignore the evidence that would prove your innocence?
I have gotten a notice once. I asked for a 6 month waiver because of my military duties and I haven't heard anything since. That was over 2 years ago....