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Jury Duty

So I mentioned I had jury duty on Monday … saw the whole jury process first hand. I’ve been lucky and that was my first time called … and now I’m finished for six years. Yay! Had I been picked, I would have had to listen to a Mandarin interpreter because both parties didn’t speak English. I’m a little afraid I’d have fallen asleep. HAVE YOU BEEN CALLED FOR JURY DUTY? PICKED?! What was your experience?

21 thoughts on “Jury Duty”

  1. Called put never picked (thankfully)!

    You’re lucky with 6 years until you can be called again- In Massachusetts it’s 3 years!

  2. Called and picked a lot. In CT you call in the night before to see if you need to go or not. If you go it’s one day unless you’re picked for a case then you are there for the duration of the trial which may start immediately or may not based on the case. If you do go and serve – whether picked or not – you don’t go for three years.
    You can be called annually if you have not been picked to even show up.
    It used to be you had to serve for 4 weeks if you were called. Happened to me in the 70’s that way and I was an accountant and it was at year end close. I got off grand jury so had to serve Tuesday to Friday and went to work on Mondays to do my week’s worth of work in one day. Glad we went to the one day system. I’ve heard about 5 or 6 cases over the years but have never gone to deliberation since they’ve always settled out of court once the trial started.
    My husband and I are called religiously almost every cycle we can be. He wasn’t called for his first 20 years when he moved to CT and then bang every time we turn around one of us is getting a notice.

  3. Carly –

    I was recently picked for jury duty, then was voted fore(wo)man! It was an education, for sure. No translations needed, but I couldn’t get my jury to come to a decision on one of the charges. The judge kept sending us back to the jury room, but I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I feel like I disappointed the judge! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Kelsey

  4. about 5 yrs ago; motor vehicle accident. and i had to be on the jury. ironically was called again this oct. but delayed for a year as i am a companion for a lady with alzheimers. we are “safe” for only 3 yrs, i believe. if you had to stay-your migraine would be back with a vengeance. wishes for good health.

  5. In Dallas Texas it’s every 2 years. I’ve been on a couple of jury’s including a murder trial. Looking at pictures of the dead body was awful. I had nightmares for a while. Did an inappropriate touching of a child case and we couldn’t come to an agreement. Totally felt like we failed the child. Don’t think I’ll ever get on another one of those.

  6. Called 1 time but never served. Interesting how my folks have gotten called numerous times and served, My Mom was recently called, she is in early alzheimers my Dad went with her and still needed medical proof ๐Ÿ™ Glad you did not get called it would have definitely brought on your terrible headaches!

  7. I”ve been called twice. Once for the week that we were moving (I told them this and also that I didn’t have anyone to watch my special needs child and I didn’t have to do it) and another time right out of college. That time, it must have been a rape/assault case and I don’t think that the prosecution would want me because I was a young female (well, I am still kind of young, but you know what I mean). I got lots of questions about sex and consent and such.

  8. I have done it for the local jury and for the Cleveland Grand jury. The grand jury is for four months! Thankfully I was seven months pregnant at the time and was excused.

  9. Called but then they called me & told me they released me because they had too many people. My youngest son was called right after he graduated from high school. He is very shy & quiet, eo it was an experience for him.

  10. I actually have it coming up on 10/6! This will be circuit court. I once had district court but wasn’t put on a jury. I plan on bringing a book with me so I can read in between and hope I don’t get chosen for a jury!

  11. Over the years I have been sent many jury notices. Was picked 3 or 4 times. One time was a shootout in a rail yard and the jury just knew that both parties had guns (not just 1 as claimed). We all said innocent because we felt the required proof was not there for him to be guilty. The first time I was picked a police officer chased a man and claimed he threw drugs away as he was running. I remember this one quite well because the DA’s lawyer was making faces that said she did not believe the defendant. Reminded me of TV. She also wondered why the defendant was afraid and ran away when the chasing officer was her size. (She was short.) “They say that it is a privilege and an honor to serve as a juror.” Maybe, but I did not get the warm fuzzy feeling about how the trials were handled. So, I’m not surprised when I read about innocent men being released after many years in prison.

  12. Just once, Federal court, a looooooooomnngggggg time ago. I remember it was supposed to be “quick” but I had company coming for dinner that day and I was late getting home. Sees like my time should be up soon….

  13. :glasses: I too finished my jury duty today because I was not selected. But I can’t talk about mine at all!! So ordered by the judge. And since I’m night time care giver for my mom and have her all of Friday this was a great relief. I love being on the jury but this year is stressful enough. Of course I can be called anytime. No six year limit here!! ๐Ÿ™

  14. Hi Carly,

    Oh yes, I’ve had jury duty several times. One was a murder case involving a guy who ran a red light and killed an elderly lady. I’ve been on a jury where a lady hit another person at a red light, she was at fault but decided to sue the person she hit. The next one was a guy who caused a wreck, left the scene of the accident, cops had to chase him down. I’ve been called several more times but didn’t get on a case. I think they like me as an all around person, non threatening, i.e. secretary. I’m generally not turned too often. And, I loved being on jury duty to see the process and how it all evolved. One of my favorite, yes favorite, was when the guy left the scene. The judge was awesome and I would set on a jury for him anytime. We were allowed to ask questions, take notes, and there was very little off limits. He was a very congenial and knowledgeable judge.

  15. Been called several times. Never picked for the jury. Only once did I even make it to the jury box for questioning. Your lucky you are done for 6 years. In California we can be called once every twelve months.

  16. I don’t care about jury duty. I do whatever I can to get out of it. I don’t think it should be forced on people and I don’t think people should be made to feel as if they are lesser citizens for not wanting to do it. I was called a few times, but got out of it. One time it was just after I had gotten out of the hospital with pneumonia. The other times it was during the time we didn’t have a car. We lived over a hundred miles from the courthouse they wanted me to go to and I had no way there or money. The lady told me that lack of “transportation was no excuse” since we have a “greyhound” and wasn’t going to excuse me. I told her that I didn’t have the money to get there. She let me out, but said that I would have no excuse the next time. Guess what? I did…they called me again just before I went in to the hospital for my cancer surgeries. The woman had the nerve to ask me if I could reschedule my surgeries. I told her no. She let me out but required a doctors statement. I was not happy about that. Jury duty sucks. I hate it. I don’t want to do it. I will never want to do it.

  17. I was called and picked and when we deliberated we all had a hard time keeping a straight face because of the stupidity of the so called victim. There was an elderly black lady on the jury with me and when we closed the door to the jury room she had us all laughing when she said that we didn’t need to give her a damn thing on her lawsuit. They probably heard us laughing in the courtroom. Deliberations only took 10 minutes and I’ve never been called again.

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