Anyone had any experiences with Jury Duty before? I was called to be a potential juror this week. I've heard from others that its just a long boring process. The only day something happened was on Monday. We arrived at 8:30AM after an hour they explained what was going on -- we'd be there all week: 9:30-4:30 usually, would get paid $40/day when it reaches 11 business days ($100/day when it reaches 50 days) Around 10AM we went to court to hear about one of the trials about to begin (type, trial duration, etc). After excusing some people due to medical reasons, etc they started picking names at random to create 4 groups of 20 (A through D). I was A2. After that there was more waiting until lunch at 1. Back at 2 for more waiting.. I was in 4 different waiting rooms, each one smaller than the previous. I went before the judge again at 3 or so and answered some questions. I was accepted by all parties and became an juror #1. The Judge forgot to ask me about my employment though so I told them I wouldn't be able to miss work for an additional 4 weeks (we had to deliever a product to the client in a couple of weeks). I was excused after the judge and lawyers agreed. So I went back to the Jury Lounge (room I was in at 8:30AM) to wait and see if Id get picked for another case. 3:30PM we were told we could go home. Tuesday: Spent the day just chilling out in the Jury Lounge from 9:30-4 (hour lunch). Nothing happened, although by the end of the day the lounge was also filled up again. Wednesday: New potentials arrived (they were in another room though) More nothing happened. They let us out for lunch at noon, told us to come back at 2PM. At 3, they discharged us for the day and said we weren't needed anymore for the week. I passed the time watching Season 2 of Life on my iPod Touch and reading a free daily newspaper. Now I'm safe from being called again for 3 years.
I have been on Jury Duty before and it was very long and boring. Since all it takes to get through it is just do things responsibility & w/o problems as it will effect w/ a case that people decided as a group. At least it does pay people for their time instead of doing it for nothing. But I not very fond of doing Jury Duty.
Im fearing the time when it comes. My mom had to goa few years ago. Sorry you had to do it, but glad you got it over with in a way, if they don't call you back
My mom was almost chosen to serve on the Grand Jury of Colorado 10 years ago or so. She almost had to do it. Would have been something like a 2 year thing. Eep.
youre lucky, here they only pay about $8 a day for jurors, plus you have to pay for your own parking and food. Ive been called twice but never chosen. Thats what happens when you say you are a racist who believes in capital punishment.
i just know my computer teacher, Mr. Hale, was out one time on jury duty, and he has a slow, monotone voice....i SO wanted to see that lol
I've gotten 2 letters (never called, though) to be in jury duty in my life. Both times I threw the letters in the trash seeing as they weren't registered mail. Never heard from them or had any consequences. I think the trick is once you acknowledge it, you are screwed. Sounds like a telephone call would be the worst...can't really get out of that, can ya?
There are times when work was slow and I wouldn't have minded jury duty, but I'll probably get the call when I'm swamped or when missing work costs me a major opportunity; I almost wouldn't mind if you could "Volunteer" when you had the chance to get yourself taken out of the pool at other times.
I've been called several times and like seeker said, the "I'm a racist that hates the police and believes in capital punishment" speech works everytime. In fact, I've got Jury Duty on the 16th. If only it could be as cool as the movie and have Tia Carerre, I'd love it.
When it eventually happens for me, I'm gonna watch Ernest Goes to Jail the night before so I can psych myself up to laugh at inappropriate moments.
I got a Jury Duty Summon once, at 19. I didn't go and they never once sent a Police Escort after my ass. Which is werid, because I swear my parents said they would come get you if you ignored their Letter.
Did it once, a long time ago. Had to call every weekday for about six weeks to see if your needed, and often that's no, and the three times I was, one time I was checked out from one jury, second time I couldn't participate, and third the settled, so we had to sit in the diliberation room for over two hours, then got sent home.
If you tell them you are good friends with a cop the defendant's lawyer will get scared and get you excused.
I role out the "I know a cop" in real life speech(and I do) which makes people turn tail and I go home. One time I got some snarky person on the first day who thought I was trying to get out of it by saying I was a student(I am)...of all the things to lie about.
Yeah, I just did mine last month - pretty much the same experience as you - Monday I go in, wait to be selected and after lunch my group is told we can go home, Tuesday the same, Wednesday we actually get picked for a jury, sworn in and listen to the start of the case but as soon as the young main witness comes in she decides that she can't cope with testifying after all - case collapses and we get sent home 'till the following monday. The next week was only 3 1/2 working days so when I wasn't picked for the jury and the other cases either had thiers sorted or collapsed the rest of us were told we weren't need anymore. Basically an exercise in sitting around.
Yeah pretty sure you don't have to worry about that for a few years. Although to be fair if you keep frickin' shotgunning people it's likely you'll end up at the mercy of a jury.
Never had to do it. A friend did, had to sit on his ass til the last day when he got put on a murder / paedophilia case and his duty got extended by 3 weeks.
