Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Jury duty

I had jury duty this week. Not needed Monday. Had to go in Tuesday. Got kicked out via Voir Dire. They told me last night my service was over. I understand about the civic duty thing. It cost me 2 days of work and they never use me because of my Law Enforcement background. Seems like a waste to drive downtown and sit for 2-3 hours then get sent home. When I was an active duty officer I got a jury duty notice and responded with a letter stating that I was a covert Narcotics Detective (which was true) and that I really shouldn’t show my face in a court setting. The judge responded by saying “That’s very nice. See you next week”. 😂
I have since given up on trying to get out of serving.

Ron

After the second time being rejected (obviously hard of hearing), I got a doctor's note - explaining that I would never recover from being so - and got tossed out of the jury pool.
I wouldn't have minded serving, but the acoustics in most courtrooms SUCK.

I got notice once to serve in Michigan while being stationed in Texas. No matter what I told them in MI - they wanted me there for jury duty (talking town of 8300, 1450 miles away) and if I didn't show I'd be in contempt. Had to go to JAG, explain to them what the deal was and what I had explained to the court. Then they sent a strongly worded letter to the court. I didn't go and never heard another peep from anyone there. I wonder what was in that letter.

I have tinnitus from flash bangs and gunfire inside houses, and 13 years flying helicopters. I can still hear the judge’s instructions, so I can’t use that one. My wife is fascinated by court proceedings and would love to serve on a jury. They won’t use her either because she is married to a retired police officer.

Ron

You do not possess the liberal bone so you’re not needed. If you were a sisi they’d have picked you.

I was informed via a letter that I might be on-the-hook for jury duty at the end of April.

I can see it now.

"Mr Mama, do you own a firearm?"

"Yes I do."

"How many do you own?"

"I don't know. I haven't counted them recently."

That will go over like a fart in church but it happens to be true.

Timely subject. I'm scheduled to report on April 8th.
Last time was on the day of President Trump's inauguration. I sat there for the entire day, only to be rejected because I had been a part-time cop back in the 1980's.
I am willing to do my "civic duty", now that I am retired, but there ought to be a way to speed up the selection process.

I've been called for jury duty twice in once each in different counties. The process was different in each.

the one required me to show up daily until I was either seated on a jury or was dismissed three times or my two weeks was up. Blocks of 50 potential jurors at a time were called up. This was in a rather large county with numerous cases per day. I was dismissed from a civil case on the first day but was seated for a criminal case the next only to have the defendant take a plea before the start. That ended my service there. I had worked in law enforcement in that county for 5 years and worked closely with several police departments in my then current position but that did not seem to be a concern for any of the attorneys as none dismissed me upon finding out my past and present occupations.

The other time I had to call in the night before to see if I was needed. I did this for three days before I was told there were no further cases on the docket and I fulfilled my duty.

I could "kinda" hear the judge, but not the attorneys (facing away) and many witnesses just mumble.
I've dealt with tinnitus since age 15, or so. Audiologist says "trauma", possibly along with genetics.

On call 6 weeks at a time, here.
"The Warden" served 2 weeks on a trial - Fed District Court in Albuquerque, though.
Man, did I ever get tired of eating out!

Last time I was called in, I tried to say anything I could to prejudice myself so I wouldn’t be picked. I was very opinionated when answering questions. They picked me.

I have to appear at 8am April 11th for jury duty.

I was the SRO at my local high school and I got called in for the district court. I spent 3 days setting around and I was paid by the City for doing it. I didn't even bother to go in and apply for my jury duty pay. The closest I came to setting on a jury was they brought 20 of us into the court room and was about to question us about our backgrounds and the defendant pled guilty to some charges and we got dismissed.

That was almost 20 years ago. Nothing since.

kwg

I always went when called to serve. I felt it was my duty as a citizen. One time I made it to being part of a jury. It took three days and was a great experience.

The case was a car accident. It involved a company driver who came out of a side street and tried to cross three lanes and merge with the three lanes on the other side of a median with bushes and small trees. He didn't see poor elderly Glenna B who was driving in the first lane on the other side of the median. She in her late 70s. He T boned her car causing injuries and totaling the vehicle. She was lucky to be alive.

The defense lawyer tried in vain to show Glenna at fault. The lawyer was pretty bad. No Perry Mason here. We had an accident reenactment expert testify. As a vocational Auto teacher the jury voted me in as the foreman. We decided that Glenna would get the max settlement. It was pretty bad for her as she lost her independence not able to drive again.

My auto students enjoyed hearing the details that the accident reenactment expert presented.

I am now so old that I won't be summoned again.

=======
One funny thing happened during the proceedings. We were cautioned about cell phones and the consequences. During the arguments a phone rang! Everyone looked around as to its whereabouts. The judge opened a drawer and quickly turned off his phone! He said: "well I guess I will have to hold myself in contempt".

I made it all the way to selection once. Had a guy who was a dr for the penal system in the room also. I get his excuse, while the odds of him actually running into the man being charged and convicted would be low, I guess its always a possibility. But he had to sit through the same nonsense for a few days before let go. I think I got 25 bucks a day.

I'd love to do it, but I guess depends on the case. My mother made it and became foreman of her jury. But her case was about a 15yo male raping his younger cousin. She said it was bad stuff to sit through and she'll never do it again. She's aged out now.

I could be a fair and impartial juror. The defense attorneys think I couldn’t.

Ron

Im an old man, fixing to retire soon. Have never been called to serve in jury duty. I was a city cop back in the 90’s and have sat in court for testimony and such, but never to serve on jury.

I don't want to judge anyone.

Having a jury of our peers is a right.

Got stuck on jury duty back in 1983, two marines and their scuzzy girlfriend hit an undercover drug officer in the head ,handcuffed him and rolled him into the river . It took 2 weeks of lawyer's dragging the obvious out till we could convict them and two more days of listening to the whiners in the jury room to get them life instead of a shot

I liked it when I worked, never got picked, back home by 8:30 AM, got paid regular wage. I’m past 70 now so I’m exempt. Fug em

My brother got the little card in the mail that acts as a preliminary questionnaire to see if you're a candidate to serve. Where it asks for a reason that you wouldn't be a good pick, he wrote "Racially biased." Never heard a word again.

I got the same card a few years ago and just stated that I was a business owner and nobody else provided for my household. Got a call a few weeks later telling me that I could ignore it.

I'll do everything in my power to get out of serving a system that I believe is a failure and only benefits the highest bidder, while paying jurors like its still 1910.

I got called three times in four years and never was selected. Our work schedule was already finalized by the call in time for the next day’s court session so I got a day off. We got paid for it anyway.

When you get a little older 😁 you don’t have to worry about jury duty anymore. 😁

Going through voir die one morning a defense attorney asked if anyone in the jury pool knew the defendant
I raised my hand ( knew the guy from high school )
He asked if that would prejudice me in making a fair ruling to which I replied " I have more respect for a rattlesnake "
I was excused.

Another time I got picked for a jury, rape case.
Went to lunch and just happened to sit down at a table next to 2 uniformed LEOs.
They had a couple of good looking gals w them.
As they were eating lunch they discussed the prosecutions evidence in the case I had been picked for.
Seems the defendant was LEO and used his handcuffs in the assault.

Luckily for me I knew the Judge, I was her service consultant at local Cadillac dealer.
I asked her bailiff to see her, told her what I'd overheard.
She dismissed the entire jury and as we were leaving we could hear her reaming the 2 LEOs

I have only been called once, and that was in my mid-20's. I ended up sitting on the jury for a civil medical malpractice case. The trial lasted a week, and then we deliberated for a week. Not that I especially want to do it again, but it was a great learning experience.

I consider it an important duty for a free society.

JMHO

It's actually a bit of a minor miracle any jury gets put into place these days. With all the identity politics and such- it's crazy that someone would fit an appropriate profile anymore for both sides.

Teal, during Voir Dire you should hear some of the answers the potential jurors give. It’s amazing. I think TV shows like CSI have ruined the ability to seat a good jury. People watch the show where they solve a difficult murder case in 60 minutes. They in turn expect real Law Enforcement to be able to do the same.

Ron

I heard it wrecked things. People expect DNA evidence/match for a criminal trespass or Disorderly Conduct type of mentality.

I spent the best part of a month on a murder trial. Definitely an experience. I came to realize that evil does exist and that it walks among us.

I got selected twice, first time in Alaska and got excused do to my work. Next time in Wyoming, after I retired, got selected. Federal court drug case, guy was cooking and distributing meth. We convicted him , sent him up for 10 years, then Obama came along and released a bunch of, so called minor drug offenses, and our boy was released, The jury foreman, and a couple of the ladies on the jury were worried he might come looking for retribution but so far nothing. You never know this guy was a real hard ass scum bag(he thought)

Elkhunter, that’s a long one. If the Bryan Kohberger case ever makes it to trial those jurors will see some things that they wish they could unsee. The savage slaughter of 4 innocent college students. I don’t envy them at all. Weeks of awful crime scene photos and defense attorney crap.

Ron

It's been 20 years since I've been summoned and was immediately dismissed because of work both times.

These days, I get kicked out of most surveys because of my wife's job, I'd imagine it might be an issue with jury duty, should they ask. Do they ask what your spouse does?

I had jury duty for the first time 6 or 7 years ago. They gave me a number and every day I had to call a phone number and listen to a recording that said what numbers should show up tomorrow. Never had to go in at all. That was fine with me.

Got called for jury duty in early '91. Guy's "third strike" DWI!
One young man in the jury pool was a Texas DPS cadet.
Lawyer was asking jury pool "show of hand" questions.
He asked if anyone thought police radar was trustworthy?
The cadet's hand shot into the air.
Over the next five minutes, the jury pool was entertained as the cadet innocently swore that radar units were infallible! Lawyer was having a blast!
Before the day was out, the guy made a plea deal and we were all sent home.

Only other jury duty I got selected for a wreck. High school punk overdriving on a rain-soaked highway, late for school nearly killed himself and a friend. The jury was 11-1 for denying the suit.
To my dismay, the kid was sueing a trucking company for tracking mud onto the highway, making the pavement slick.
I would have liked to sock it to the arrogant a-hole trucking company owner, but the kid was passing a line of cars, the area was known as a trouble spot due to the gravel trucks and the fact he was speeding was evident.
The accident occurred right after he passed a big "Slippery When Wet" highway warning sign! 😖

Jake, they generally ask if you know or are related to anyone in Law Enforcement. That seems to be the deal breaker. In my county in Ohio you have to fill out a lengthy questionnaire that pretty much covers all the bases. The prosecution and defense get copies and pretty much know who they want and don’t want. They never use my wife because of my career.

Ron

Thanks. My wife is a writer/reporter for the county newspaper.

During my 43 year career in the mining industry, I never got a jury duty summons. When you move to another state every 2 to 5 years, it's hard to hit a moving target.

My greatest concern was driving through a state I lived in years before, getting pulled over for a traffic violation and finding out that I had a contempt of court warrant for missing jury duty after I left that state.