Jury Duty starts today

[pegkerr]

I have jury duty for two weeks. I have no idea whether I will be picked for a jury. I don't know whether they'd avoid choosing me since I probably know a bit more about the law than the average citizen (having worked in a law office for fifteen years, and being married to an attorney) or whether they would find that attractive. I'm quite a bit more educated than the average citizen, too. So, I'll bring a bunch of books and I'll see what happens. I'm glad to be called. I've never been before, and I've been curious.

It'll also be nice, frankly, to have a break from the job.

At this point, I plan to take the light rail (don't know where I could park the bike, put my helmet, etc.) I'll miss my daily bicycle rides.

Comments

[aeditimi.livejournal.com]

I was called last week. In NY state, they give you a website (or voicemail number) to check, and update it daily to tell you what numbers need to come in on what day. I faithfully checked, but they had all the jurors they needed by #60. I was 221. I was a little disappointed, because I thought it might have been kind of fun, although I still would have been expected to do my pastoral thing, and wouldn't have been able to take a break from work.

[naomikritzer]

I have never been called for jury duty. I'm envious.

Weirdly, no one in my family has ever been called, except for my mother, who was called in Texas a few months after moving to Wisconsin. My father is a Political Science with a specialty in the American Judicial System, so you can imagine how much he would have LOVED to serve on a jury at some point. We tend to assume that they would never allow him to serve, but you never know -- there was a sitting State Supreme Court Justice in Wisconsin who served on a jury a few years ago.

[rachet.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to be called for jury duty. And I've waited patiently for my little postcard telling me "It's your turn!".

Nothing yet. *sigh*

My mom has been picked 4 times. My dad 3. Jim twice and two other friends 2 times each.

I WANNA BE PICKED!!! Please!? Please!??! *jumps up and down with her hand in the air* Me!!

But then I recall when my aunt was actually picked for a jury it turned out to be a murder trial (and when you come from a small town, murder trials are a HUGE thing) and not only a murder trial but this guy had mob ties (Youngstown mafia). She ended up being sequestered for over two weeks towards the end. *shudder* Ugh.

[naomikritzer]

I'd love to serve on a jury (and they should have a priority jury registration for freaks like us who've NEVER GOTTEN TO and would like to do it!) but the whole idea of sequestering makes me shudder.

[handworn.livejournal.com]

They will more than likely bar you for your relationships with attorneys. My mother, grandfather, father-in-law and former employer are or were lawyers, so even before I went to law school, the bastards struck me every time. They just shouldn't be able to do that.

Take a wide variety of reading material and a pen and pad. You could well be there all day.

[fgherman.livejournal.com]

I was called (for the first time ever!) a couple of years ago. I got impaneled once, but not picked for the jury. I believe that Hennepin County puts you on an on-call list, so that you don't necessarily have to spend all your time in the basement of the toaster.

I got a fair amount of reading done my first day.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

According to intelligent and reliable sources, the way to get out of being picked is to say, clearly and loudly during the interview, "I believe in jury nullification." I'm interested in what happens when you try it.

K. [google research left as an exercise for the reader]

[avengangle.livejournal.com]

I was sent notices 5 times in 5 years of becoming a registered voter, and I had to call twice (without going) and go once (the other times I was out of the country). Considering that, the one time I actually went in, they kicked someone off for being the wife of a doctor (it was an injury type case), I don't think you'll be allowed to remain on the jury.

Sorry! I really wanted to serve, too.

[pameladean]

Wash your hands a lot. Maybe bring hand sanitizer. Or latex gloves. I didn't get put on a jury (something impenetrable happened between the defendant and the lawyers and they had to stop the whole process for that trial), but I picked up an awful virus that is still, a year later, impeding my ability to smell the spring.

P.

[mareklamo.livejournal.com]

I have a lawyer friend who was surprised to be put on a jury recently. She figured they wouldn't choose her because of her profession. Her colleagues were very eager to find out what happened during jury deliberations since none of them had ever been on a jury either.

I myself have received a jury duty card once, which I sent back noting I was not eligible because I was not a US citizen.

[firedragon9.livejournal.com]

I have jury duty in July. I've never been before either. I'm kind of nervous, so you'll have to tell me how it went. Good luck!