Oh Jury Duty...

[gordonzola]

I thought I might luck out and not be called at all. On Monday and Tuesday they called groups 101-106. On Wednesday they called 108-110. Thursday: no groups at all! I started counting chickens.

Alas, they called my Group 107 for today at 12:30 PM. I thought this might work to my benefit right away. Judges and lawyers always have long weekend plans, right? I was hoping for a trial postponement and a thank you for service. I also thought, hmmmm, I could end up going to a room for a trail and the judge, still wanting the early start on the holiday weekend, might make us come back next week.

The latter is what happened. I know I shouldn’t complain too much because the jury system is much, much improved from the old days of hanging out in a jury room on call for a full week at a time. But still, why call us in just to dismiss us at 1:45 in the afternoon? I was totally in the mood for some hott voir dire action.

And damn, let me mention that the Civil Court jury room is plush. I’ve only been called for criminal jury duty previously and that was bare bones, messy, loud and confusing. 400 McCallister has like reclining chairs, masseuses, and waiters delivering drinks to your seat. Well, not exactly, but there is a noticeable difference. No one had to sit on the floor for one.

For the record, I have a feeling I am going to be empanelled. I’m not even trying to get out of it. It’s only a 5-day trial. I have no idea yet what it’s about (not that I could talk about it anyway), but hey, why not? I can afford it right now (my workplace pays half days for jury service) and actually can schedule work around some of it.

The last jury I was in the running for was a 6 week murder/kidnap trial conducted with Mandarin translation. That would have been a problem, money-wise and hassle-wise. Luckily I had plane tickets for five weeks away and could prove it.

Comments

[commandercranky.livejournal.com]

If you can do it, it's definitely valuable to have someone with your politics and perspective on the jury (knowing nothing about the case, of course, I still think it stands as a general proposition). But, if you want out it wouldn't be that hard to do.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

well, I'm not planning on using any, but what are the secret tricks to getting thrown off juries?

[commandercranky.livejournal.com]

I guess my profession requires me to say that everyone should do their jury duty and take it seriously. But I will note that lawyers and judges do not like jurors in criminal trials who: don't believe in the death penalty; have friends or family members who are or have been incarcerated; or who don't believe the testimony of cops.

Lawyers and judges in civil trials do not like jurors who: have unusual or radical politics; are activists or very politically active; are biased against corporations; are members of political groups; are members of workers' collectives; hate corporations; or who act crazy and shifty-eyed, or fall asleep, mutter a lot to themselves, and so forth.

My bosses recently struck a guy from a jury because he looked incredibly nervous.

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

You can always go to http://www.fija.org to learn your right to try the law as well as the fact. Let them know that you know that is your right and you will be off the jury very quickly.

[commandercranky.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - nobody wants a juror that is all about jury nullification. Anybody that says those magic words will be sent packing.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

it is my understanding though, that nullification is only argueable on criminal, not civil cases. Is that correct?


(not that I think this trial will be that kind of case.)

[commandercranky.livejournal.com]

True.

But civil or criminal trial, no lawyer is going to be at ease with some juror who is all up in arms about the jury's ability to decide justice, not facts.

[goodbadgirl.livejournal.com]

Cool site. Thanks for linking.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

yeah, I know that site. Not to sound all civics lesson, but I do think the concept of the jury trial was the most radical thing in the constituion.

I also know that the phrase "jury nullification" is the atom bomb of voir dire. ;)

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

It does come from English common law.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, I guess I mean in looking back from a 2006 perspective, not that it came from nowhere. and I understand that the jury pool in 1783 has some demographic differences from our current times.

[sparkle-shortz.livejournal.com]

So "hating corporations" and "being biased against corporations" count as two separate things?

Awesome. I will never have to be on a jury again!

[7leaguebootdisk.livejournal.com]

Well, the idea of corporate personhood was invented by some court back around 1870 or so. Prior to that they had to get a charter from a legislature to do a specific thing for a specific period of time.

[sparkle-shortz.livejournal.com]

God, we need to bring that back, eh?

[commandercranky.livejournal.com]

Yeah yeah - lack of editing on my part. Apologies.

[sparkle-shortz.livejournal.com]

:) Sorry

Tho I would have been curious if there *was* a distinction.