Have you done Jury Duty before?

[Parasondox]

Unity NOT Division

Been there and done that at the age of 21. Depending on where you are in the world, you must do jury duty at least once in your adult life as a citizen of your nation. Has anyone here done it yet? Has anyone not done it yet? What stories can you tell... Legally. Well, once again depending on nation, any court case would be public.

And of course the question, what are the flaws of jury duty? Depending on nation. Some nations don't even have a jury just several judges.

Are juries even needed?

 

[Zykon TheLich_v1legacy]

No. They tried to get me to do it. Then I pointed out that I was a terrible ne'er-do-well, so I was not allowed to do jury duty. Problem solved.

 

[Saelune]

I did, but it sucked, and not for why you think. I was...an extra juror, just in case. So I had all the effort of showing up and sitting through the trial, but sat in a different room alone and did not get to confer with the others. I might have enjoyed the experience if I could actually be involved. All I did was get first hand experience why our legal system is stupid. I did take it for a learning experience though, even listened to when the losing lawyers asked the jurors why they decided how they did.

What I know of juror selection really makes me wonder why they picked me as a spare.

 

[Cycloptomese]

I was on a jury in the US. It was a fairly high profile copyright infringement trial. It was two weeks long. It was actually pretty interesting for 3 or 4 days. After that, the lawyers just started repeating the same questions ad infinitum and it got really boring really fast. Deliberation was a bit unnerving, though. There was one guy in there that I thought was going to get violent. We ended up awarding a guy 9.8 million dollars, but it was a small victory for the guy, as he was facing years of appeals. This was fifteen years ago (I think) and I wouldn't be shocked if the guy still hasn't seen a dime.

 

[Namehere]

Due to my economic status I was permitted to skip jury duty. And by that I don't mean rich. The rich are likely screwed unless their job is exceptionally time sensitive. But if you're being on a jury runs a strong chance, or even a reasonable one I suppose, of denying you your livelihood the courts can't impose it on you. Baring something like a truck driver getting a DUI or a school teacher getting charged with paedophilia and the like, the courts aren't allowed to infringe on your ability to make a living.

I was frankly relieved to be taken out of the pool of eligible jurors. I've never been fond of the idea of 'juries.' I understand the concept I just can't fully embrace it, especially when one sees the sorts of levels lawyers will go to to manipulate a jury, even in its fundamental formation. I mean there are professional jury consultants you can hire, it's an industry. That to my mind doesn't imply impartiality on any level. I also can't agree with the notion of 'peers.' What is a peer? Who is a peer? What constitutes peer? Merely being in the same city? Country? Profession? Economic status? Class? The language is far too lose for my satisfaction and I was pleased not to have to sit in judgement over someone or some circumstance. I'd be hard pressed to believe that at the end of the trial I would be 'satisfied' with my verdict. Which is to say that I wouldn't consider my verdict to have been properly informed and fairly considered.

Besides which, I'm unusual. My nature is uncommon. I can't think of many people I'd call a peer and suspect fewer still would visit such a tittle on me in general context, particularly that of a jury. So it seemed unreasonable to be presented as a peer much as a jury trial would seem unreasonable to me. I prefer trial by judge where I am concerned and must assume anyone else would prefer I not be on their jury as I would not likely be seen as a peer.

 

[madwarper]

I came close once. We were marched from the jury pool to outside a courtroom, but by the time we got to the door, the defendant plead guilty.

All other times was me just sitting in the jury pool, then being let go at lunch.

 

[Worgen]

I got called in for a simple traffic case but wasn't chosen to be on the jury. I decided to hang out anyway and watch since work said I didn't need to go in and I would still be payed for the day. It didn't take too long and I got a paid day off, bonus.

 

[Satinavian]

We don't have juries.

I would trust one or several judges more anyway, so i don't miss them.

 

[MysticSlayer]

I once got a letter to do it. Problem is that I had changed my address recently and was able to put off accepting until the change of address got me out of it.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

Besides which, I'm unusual. My nature is uncommon. I can't think of many people I'd call a peer and suspect fewer still would visit such a tittle on me in general context, particularly that of a jury. So it seemed unreasonable to be presented as a peer much as a jury trial would seem unreasonable to me. I prefer trial by judge where I am concerned and must assume anyone else would prefer I not be on their jury as I would not likely be seen as a peer.

Jury trials were originally meant as a way for landowners (i.e. the rich) to prevent the King form simply declaring you guilty via a judge and taking your land. Your "peers" were people who were citizens not directly beholden to the King. The word has morphed into meaning "someone just like you" or "your equal" in far more modern times, but that isn't what the word is really referring to.

OT: Have gotten the letter and had to check in with the county courthouse for a week to check if a trial was immanent, but never actually had to go in and serve.

 

[Kolby Jack]

Once, during my prior stint at college. It was some case about a guy with like a dozen charges of sexual assault, I think on kids or something. I wasn't selected, thankfully. Being 19 at the time, I really could not imagine finding value in it.

I haven't been summoned since joining the military. Now that I'm out, I suppose it could happen. Apparently in Texas though you can request an exemption if you're actively attending a University, so unless I get summoned in the summer time, I'll probably just ask to be excused.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I've been selected to do jury duty a few times, and the furthest I've gotten was waiting for my number to get called while I was at the court house.

My number wasn't called, and so I was excused after waiting three hours.

My mom, however, has some stories. The last jury she sat on was two lawyers suing each other, and I guess it was hilarious.

 

[Remus]

Due to my economic status I was permitted to skip jury duty. And by that I don't mean rich. The rich are likely screwed unless their job is exceptionally time sensitive. But if you're being on a jury runs a strong chance, or even a reasonable one I suppose, of denying you your livelihood the courts can't impose it on you. Baring something like a truck driver getting a DUI or a school teacher getting charged with paedophilia and the like, the courts aren't allowed to infringe on your ability to make a living.

This was my explanation when I was up for jury duty 2 years ago. "I just started a new job and my parents would like me out of their house." Everyone kinda laughed but it was the truth and it got me out of serving.

 

[Ryallen]

I was called to Jury Duty once, but what ended up happening was that after the second day of meetings, I was told to go home and to call them and see what groups were supposed to come back for the trial. After calling back for two days and not being selected for the trial, on the third day they just said that the trial was over, so I made $50 on my days off. Overall, a win, even if my dad screamed at me for not bringing out the garbage the night before and driving me to tears like he always does.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I was actually chosen for a jury earlier this year, but I have a body condition where, if I'm sitting in an enclosed room without air flowing over me, I start to bake in my own body heat and sweat all over myself (to the point where I start feeling sunburned). Very distracting and not at all conducive to paying attention during a trial.

 

[TechNoFear]

I did jury duty this year.

What appeared to be a dedicated and loving father got very drunk, crawled into bed with his 9 year old daughter (I think by mistake) and tried to have sex with her.

He can't remember anything, but turned himself in to get his daughter / family counselling.

Being drunk is not a legal excuse, so we had no choice but to find him guilty.

So he lost his family, job, friends and we took away his liberty and labelled him a child sex offender for the rest of his life.

Left me feeling justice was not served. No one was helped by the verdict, it just put the final nails in the ruins of this poor dickheads life.

 

[Wakey87]

Nope, But I just found out If I am called I have to get my boss say I can't attend, have an operation or book a holiday =/ either that or get a 1000 pound fine.

 

[Parasondox]

I did jury duty this year.

What appeared to be a dedicated and loving father got very drunk, crawled into bed with his 9 year old daughter (I think by mistake) and tried to have sex with her.

He can't remember anything, but turned himself in to get his daughter / family counselling.

Being drunk is not a legal excuse, so we had no choice but to find him guilty.

So he lost his family, job, friends and we took away his liberty and labelled him a child sex offender for the rest of his life.

Left me feeling justice was not served. No one was helped by the verdict, it just put the final nails in the ruins of this poor dickheads life.

Justice is meant to be unbiased (dont laugh) and blind. If a citizen committed a crime, they must be met with a punishment to fit the crime. However, Punishments, prison, are meant to rehabilitate people. I do not know the full case detail but from what you have put across so far is the person needed help with his drinking and family counselling. Of course what he did wasn't right but when something involves alcohol, linked in with millions of other cases involving alcohol, we need to look more deeply into the matter and find a way to fix so less incidences like this happen again.

Punish a person for the crime committed, yes, but we also need to find ways of preventing them from happening again and get down to the real reasons for said crime being committed, repeatedly.