Jury Duty - UPDATE-POST #30

[kuntrygirl]

I have been summoned to report to the courts as a prospective petit juror. I am curious to know what questions do they ask and what determines if a person is picked or not. I'm not excited about this at all.

My friend, family and co-workers seem to think that I won't be picked because my views on things are way off over in left field and not the norm. Go figure.

 

[Okie Amazon]

You will only get questioned about your views on specific subjects when pulled from the jury "pool" for voir dire for an individual case. If you WANT to serve vs. you would rather be boiled in oil, will determine whether you get picked generally. However, that CAN backfire, as my last criminal case I sat on showed. I strongly expressed my views that marijuana should be either legal or at least decriminalized. That GOT me ON the jury. Onw week of getting paid 7.50 a day, which won't even cover parking, much less lunch. At least my employer at the time reimbursed me!

 

[Teach97]

they ask things like...have you ever smoked pot, stolen a car, buried a body, eaten a spotted owl, based jumped off mt. rushmoore, pulled the fire alarm to get out of a test, mailed a powdery substance to a congressman, given birth to Arnold's love child, color of underwear....


things like that!


or maybe not....

would you beliee....they ask if you know the folks invovlved, have any ideas about the case involved (this is where you get to answer in a way to get you not picked)...been involved in a similiar case...stuff like that

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I actually wanted to do jury duty and was excited to get picked - what a let down.

For me, I lasted thru two days.

The first, we (the entire group, about 50 people) filled out a questionnaire - nothing too indepth, but general questions about you, with a bit of a slant towards the cases they have coming up. A lot of just sitting doing nothing - bring a book or something to do.

That was the first cut of people, more than half were not asked back the second day.

Second day, we were divided up into juries and sent before judge/attorneys of the case. Both prosecution and defense asked questions, and then they weeded us out.

I just answered honestly - it was a traffic accident case - and prosecution sent me home. Ironically from what I had gathered from the overview of the case, I had actually been on the prosecution side

Parking was paid, and I think I was paid $10.00 a day.

 

[thespinningcottage]

Things you answer "off the wall" on may cause you to be picked anyway by the OTHER side. Both defense and prosecution get to pick jurors. Good luck!

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Quote:
Won't work - last time I was asked about the death penalty & I said, "they ought to bring back hanging & sell tickets" & I got chosen.
But it settled the night before so I didn't have to actually serve.

Jim's been summoned twice this year, regular & federal & both times didn't even have to show up - settled before they even had to go in.

 

[PineappleMama]

DH always gets called in... doesn't matter that losing a day of work costs us 21% of the week's pay... and we're already below poverty level... doesn't matter that he misses college classes (that cost out the wazoo PLUS books) and thus lectures that if not covered can screw up his grades and thus the scholarships that make it possible for him to attend at all...

And bonus points for making him serve, but the case pleading out after two days (that'd be 42% of that week's pay) so it didn't count as "serving" for any of the jurors and they were all thrown back into the pool to be called again... B's recall took only two months before he was ordered to miss more work and classes.

Yeah, I'm not real keen on the rules on that. Not when it means we can't pay our rent or put food on the table. I rant and rave about the judge forcing parents to choose between jail and providing for their children, I rail at the *insert explicative* that is responsible for me having to be there because of their incredibly stupid and selfish choices... I rail at the DA for blathering on for hours and hours just to then plea bargain the case to boost their conviction rating...

Nope I doubt if they knew how I felt about all parties involved that they'd want me anywhere NEAR a case... but since I've got a kiddo (actually two) under the age of 15 I'm exempt... donno why everyone thinks at 15 suddenly kids are totally capable (and legally allowed) to drive themselves to school (and if they don't remember it's the parent who goes to jail) but whatever. Of course now we homeschool it would mean mine being without a teacher, but since truancy laws aren't applied to HSers anyways donno that any judge would care. DD's only 8 so I've got a good 7 years until this will be an issue... so I guess ask me again in 2019.

Oh... DH says that one of these days he's going to get fed up and just announce to everyone "I'm an equal opportunity bigot. I hate EVERYONE!" and see if maybe that'll make a difference.

 

[mamawolf544]

I just got my summons yesterday for June 6th. I get hauled in about every 3 months. I have never been chosen and have never been asked a single question.
I must look mean.

 

[debilorrah]

Just be honest. I usually am dismissed but I got picked once. Not bad!

 

[jcf3202]

I was on Jury Duty a few months back. And I got picked to serve on a jury.

This is how it went for me.
They called us into a room and everyone had to sign your name, your ID was checked and you were given a number. I sat for a few hours (I took a book to read) and they called my number. Into a courtroom we went.

First the judge asked if any of us knew him (the judge) any of the litigants or attorneys. Some did and were further questioned as to how they knew said person, did they have a good/bad opinion of them, etc. Someone had experience being sued by the one attorney (they were excused).

After the judge went through his questions each attorney had a chance to ask potential jurors questions. They had a list with your number, age, occupation, education level (stuff like that) on it. The jury I was on was for drug possession, intent to distribute and posession of paraphernalia. The attorney for each side asked general questions on your beliefs concerning such things. Someone had a granddaughter that was in rehab and they were also excused. Sometimes someone was excused for no apparant reason (maybe their occupation, I don't know. Not sure what other info was on the list they had.)

So basically, in my experiences, the questions were loosely based on that particular trial.
My mom was on a murder trial and was asked things about the death penalty, etc.
My husband served on a domestic violence trial and was asked something about his opinion of a woman staying with an abuser, what if she had children, etc.

I personally have served twice and, call me weird, but I rather enjoyed seeing how the system worked. To me it's interesting.

Hope that helps you a little.

(edited for spelling)