Greetings from jury duty

[Abagadro]

Yes. I was called in for jury duty today. When it is guaranteed I will not serve on a jury. On my day off.  To the building across the street from my office.

 

[Nebu]

Stop at a costume shop on the way in and get something colorful.  At least make it fun!

[Abagadro]

Being a member of the Bar for the court I am showing up at sorta precludes that kind of shenanigans.   

[WayAbvPar]

Yes. I was called in for jury duty today. When it is guaranteed I will not serve on a jury. On my day off.  To the building across the street from my office.

 

I would assume that being a lawyer makes getting selected as a juror tougher. Is that the case?

[Abagadro]

Yes. Almost impossible. Plus if it is a criminal case I probably work for the same office as the prosecutor.

[Abagadro]

Heh. Just watched a video shown to the potential jurors that evoked the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and dead grandfathers in WWII.

 

[Merusk]

So you have to go through the whole process and be seated for your questioning before they'll boot you? That really, REALLY sucks.  Can't you just sit down and go, "Hi I'm a lawyer in this office, why am I here?"

[Abagadro]

Nope. You have to go through the voir dire process becuse there is still a 1 in 1000 chance of getting seated.  I will get a fat juicy check for 17 dollars though.

[Ironwood]

Do they have the same law over there that means if you actually do get picked, you're not supposed to say anything ?  Much less post on a message board ?

I sense a short lived thread.

 

[Nebu]

So you have to go through the whole process and be seated for your questioning before they'll boot you? That really, REALLY sucks.  Can't you just sit down and go, "Hi I'm a lawyer in this office, why am I here?"

That's why I suggested the colorful suit.  Gets you out SO much faster.  Of course having to worry about being disbarred is a minor inconvenience.  

[Abagadro]

If you are seated (which I won't be), you aren't supposed to discuss the merits of the case with the other jurors or get information about the case from outside sources (like media).   I haven't even made it out of the juror bullpen at this point. I'm sure the attorneys are upstairs settling whatever case generated this juror call in the first place.

[Abagadro]

Ugh. A couple of geezers near me have decided that this is a good idea to bloviate about politics and government. Urge to kill rising.

[NiX]

I'm with Nebu. Get an Awesome For Real suit made.

[Sky]

Heh. Just watched a video shown to the potential jurors that evoked the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and dead grandfathers in WWII.

 

What, no 9/11? Should've gotten on your feet and screamed about terrorist-loving courts and the legal system being a morass that protects terrorists and habeus corpus is no longer applicable.

Also, the defendant is guilty. The eyes, they're weasely, I'm sure of it.

[Jayce]

From the description, I think I saw that same video two months ago at my jury duty.

However I got $40 for it rather than $17, so I'm calling it a win.

[Brogarn]

Serving on a jury is one of the most important things you can do as a citizen. I hate to think that people have the impression that getting out of serving on a jury using less than truthful means is something to be proud of. It isn't. It's disgraceful.

This isn't a comment against any one in particular and I understand the OP's unique set of circumstances. I just get tired of people who bitch about serving on jury duty and use whatever means they can to get out of it.

[WayAbvPar]

Until the government starts paying my full wages (and also has someone finish all my work while I am gone) when I go, I reserve the right to bitch. My company actually covers up to 5 days, but jerking somebody out of their job for several weeks is bullshit.

[Abagadro]

There is an amazing coinceidence at play here that I will gladly share later but can't because someone might read over my shoulder.

I should have been bounced out of here on multiple levels but I am having to sit through the whole process.  It's interesting to see it from the other side of the bar, but I'm not having much fun.

[Nebu]

There is an amazing coinceidence at play here that I will gladly share later but can't because someone might read over my shoulder.

I should have been bounced out of here on multiple levels but I am having to sit through the whole process.  It's interesting to see it from the other side of the bar, but I'm not having much fun.

I'm interested in hearing your take on it from an attorney's perspective.  It's like the doctor becoming the patient kind of thing that they make movies out of. 

[Brogarn]

Until the government starts paying my full wages (and also has someone finish all my work while I am gone) when I go, I reserve the right to bitch. My company actually covers up to 5 days, but jerking somebody out of their job for several weeks is bullshit.

That's just fucking shameful right there.

[Nerf]

I don't see how, it's never going to be a jury of my peers if I need it anyways, my peers are smart enough to get out of jury duty.
Besides, you convict the guy and hes back out on the street in 6 months robbing someone else, why should you have to waste all that time, money, and energy if they aren't going to actually stop him?

[Cyrrex]

Until the government starts paying my full wages (and also has someone finish all my work while I am gone) when I go, I reserve the right to bitch. My company actually covers up to 5 days, but jerking somebody out of their job for several weeks is bullshit.

That's just fucking shameful right there.

How is that shameful, exactly?  There are lots of people who can't afford to go to jury duty.  What is shameful is that the government doesn't pay you your exact wage.

[Merusk]

Yeah, shoot all the convicted ones in the head. That'll stop 'em good!


I've never been summoned for jury duty.  Not in Ohio and not in Kentucky.  I find it a bit odd when I know folks who have been summoned multiple times.  I soothe myself by making up a world where I'm simply "known" and therefore not bothered with.

[Paelos]

I've never been picked for a jury even though I've been summoned numerous times. I can only assume this is because of my race and/or education.

[Righ]

Heh. Just watched a video shown to the potential jurors that evoked the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and dead grandfathers in WWII.

I think they accidentally showed you National Treasure III.

[Brogarn]

So, you should be paid your wages? What about that guy next to you that makes less? What about that woman behind you who makes double what you make? You're all sitting there doing the same thing but getting paid differently? You somehow think that's fair? Beyond fair, what about the cost to government (which means higher taxes) in order to do all the bookkeeping it would take to make sure people were paid what they make at work? Bad idea there. Real bad.

Beyond that, it's your duty as a citizen of this country. The alternative to our system can be seen throughout history. Do some reading and see what you should be scared of.

[Paelos]

Heh. Just watched a video shown to the potential jurors that evoked the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and dead grandfathers in WWII.

I think they accidentally showed you National Treasure III.

National Treasure III: The Search for Franklin's Stove!

[Cyrrex]

So, you should be paid your wages? What about that guy next to you that makes less? What about that woman behind you who makes double what you make? You're all sitting there doing the same thing but getting paid differently? You somehow think that's fair? Beyond fair, what about the cost to government (which means higher taxes) in order to do all the bookkeeping it would take to make sure people were paid what they make at work? Bad idea there. Real bad.

Beyond that, it's your duty as a citizen of this country. The alternative to our system can be seen throughout history. Do some reading and see what you should be scared of.

Fine, exact wage might be unrealistic.  But 17 bucks a day?  40?  Get the fuck out of my face with that idiocy.  When the "duty" to perform jury duty causes ordinary people to struggle even more than they already are, you take take your "duty" and stick it 18 inches up your poop-chute.

[Sky]

So, you should be paid your wages? What about that guy next to you that makes less? What about that woman behind you who makes double what you make? You're all sitting there doing the same thing but getting paid differently? You somehow think that's fair? Beyond fair, what about the cost to government (which means higher taxes) in order to do all the bookkeeping it would take to make sure people were paid what they make at work? Bad idea there. Real bad.

Beyond that, it's your duty as a citizen of this country. The alternative to our system can be seen throughout history. Do some reading and see what you should be scared of.

I'm sure the mortgage company will understand when I can't pay my fucking mortgage on the shit pay they reimburse you. Stop being all offended and realize we agree with you about the duty part, but also live in the real world where we have, you know, bills and personal responsibilities.

[Nebu]

If people want to discuss duty to country we could certainly open a draft thread. 



(I agree with Sky.  Duty is all fine and good, but you have to feed and shelter family too. )

[K9]

Jury duty is like the draft without medals.

[Merusk]

Jury compensation is modeled on a society that doesn't exist anymore. One where you owned your own place of business or worked your land for a living and had enough kids or helpers to keep it going for a week or so if you were called away.  Yes, it sucked if you had to serve and couldn't oversee things for a bit, but you weren't likely to lose your livelihood or your property because of it.  Today you run that risk if you're assigned a protracted case.  I recall hearing that the OJ jurors in particular had their own private hells - which is why I rather forgive the douchiest of them for trying to make a buck after the fact.

[rattran]

I got called up for jury duty once. Got a letter, followed by a series of increasingly angry and threatening letters over the next two months. I was in AIT at the time, and had to have my Guard CO write a series of letters when I got home. Never been called up in the 20 years since.

[Hawkbit]

I'm sure the mortgage company will understand when I can't pay my fucking mortgage on the shit pay they reimburse you. Stop being all offended and realize we agree with you about the duty part, but also live in the real world where we have, you know, bills and personal responsibilities.

Seconded.  I accept the fact that it's my duty.  I can't accept the fact that taking a few days off unpaid (which is what jury duty would be to me or my family) would leave me financially burdened.  More than a week and we're missing mortgages, school loans and daycare expenses.  Christ, daycare alone is $80 a day. 

[NiX]

You can choose to vote for the future of your country.

You can't choose to opt out of being selected for jury duty.

AMERICA! FUCK YEAH!