Poll: Jury Duty
- Thread starter Saelune
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I study law in the UK and I've been in plenty of criminal trials. It's fun to sit at the sidelines and know what's going on and what the jury are and aren't allowed to hear.
I don't get why you _wouldn't_ want to go to jury duty. Or maybe I'm just weird for finding things like that really interesting.
Also, I live in a country without jury duty, so I may just not know what I'm talking about either.
Also, I live in a country without jury duty, so I may just not know what I'm talking about either.
As far as I was concerned, getting the summons from my local Sheriff Court to turn up for jury duty was an excellent oppurtunity to extend my paid holidays from work for several days (civil service job = jury duty paid at normal salary rate, without deducting from my annual leave allocation).
It was also something of an eye-opener to the criminal court system in Scotland, since previously the only courtroom appearances I'd were for civil cases. Watching jurors names being literally picked out of a very big goldfish bowl is a somewhat surreal experience. My only complaints would be: we got summonsed to court, told to go away for an hour 'cause the previous case in that court hadn't finished, returned, sat around in a by now very crowded waiting room for an hour or so and then, after another hour, told to go away and come back again after the court had adjourned for lunch. Oh, and being quite tall, the seats in the jury box were sodding uncomfortable.
Selection process done with, assembled throng told to go home and come back tomorrow. For the record, I did end up getting selected on the second day and spent three days deliberating over a fairly minor theft and assault case that was way less interesting than the other three cases that had been read out by the Clerk of the Court. The guy was up for Drunk and Disorderly, Possession of an Offensive Weapon and Theft and we found him guilty, guilty and not proven (the Scottish legal system has this shiny extra verdict that pretty much says 'we think you're guilty, we just can't prove it').
All in all, five days off work, 3 hotel lunches paid for the Scottish Courts Service and the opportunity to say "We find the defendant...guilty, yer honour." Better than a slap in the face, ne c'est pas?
It was also something of an eye-opener to the criminal court system in Scotland, since previously the only courtroom appearances I'd were for civil cases. Watching jurors names being literally picked out of a very big goldfish bowl is a somewhat surreal experience. My only complaints would be: we got summonsed to court, told to go away for an hour 'cause the previous case in that court hadn't finished, returned, sat around in a by now very crowded waiting room for an hour or so and then, after another hour, told to go away and come back again after the court had adjourned for lunch. Oh, and being quite tall, the seats in the jury box were sodding uncomfortable.
Selection process done with, assembled throng told to go home and come back tomorrow. For the record, I did end up getting selected on the second day and spent three days deliberating over a fairly minor theft and assault case that was way less interesting than the other three cases that had been read out by the Clerk of the Court. The guy was up for Drunk and Disorderly, Possession of an Offensive Weapon and Theft and we found him guilty, guilty and not proven (the Scottish legal system has this shiny extra verdict that pretty much says 'we think you're guilty, we just can't prove it').
All in all, five days off work, 3 hotel lunches paid for the Scottish Courts Service and the opportunity to say "We find the defendant...guilty, yer honour." Better than a slap in the face, ne c'est pas?
lbucyk said:
You're trolling right? Please, please tell me you are. People can occasionally survive being shot, if it doesn't hit anything major, and a dozen other things don't go wrong, like infections etc. However, if a bullet hits a vital organ, or you lose too much blood or whatever, no amount of mind over matter is going to save your life.
Got a letter for Jury duty once... Don't remember what I did with it, but I didn't end up going.
Not been contacted yet although I've only been registered to vote for 2 years.
Both my parents have been requested for jury duty a few times recently although they get off every time for the same reasons. Mum gets off since she works for a large law firm in a role that involves handling pretty much all of their client's documents and all the files on all the work they do. She just mentions that and instantly is allowed off in the case of potential conflict of interest. Dad gets off by being the director and only employee of his consultancy firm. He needs to keep working to keep the money coming in to his company so he can actually pay himself.
Both my parents have been requested for jury duty a few times recently although they get off every time for the same reasons. Mum gets off since she works for a large law firm in a role that involves handling pretty much all of their client's documents and all the files on all the work they do. She just mentions that and instantly is allowed off in the case of potential conflict of interest. Dad gets off by being the director and only employee of his consultancy firm. He needs to keep working to keep the money coming in to his company so he can actually pay himself.
Actually getting called up this Monday. Gives me a three-day weekend from work, so bring it on!
Although, I could just pull a 30 Rock: Dress as a Jedi and say "It's not fair for me to be on a jury, because I can read minds." BAM! Instant dismissal. Alternatively, when the defendant comes in, laugh and say "Oh, he looks guilty!"
Although, I could just pull a 30 Rock: Dress as a Jedi and say "It's not fair for me to be on a jury, because I can read minds." BAM! Instant dismissal. Alternatively, when the defendant comes in, laugh and say "Oh, he looks guilty!"
I've been contacted twice for jury duty. Seeing as how I've been eligible for a grand total of 3 years for the service, I think I'm being targeted. It doesn't matter though since I go to college and have no car and therefore cannot get to the court for jury duty.
I haven't been called up for jury duty.
That might have something to do with me being only 16 and all, but over here in Australia, I don't even know how the courts go about getting the jury together.
That might have something to do with me being only 16 and all, but over here in Australia, I don't even know how the courts go about getting the jury together.
I've never been called, but I assume all I'll need to say to get out of it is either 1. something racist/sexist, like "Hey sorry I was running late my KKK meeting went alittle longer than expected. 2. How I only believe in one supreme authority and his name is Winchester. 3. Be overly religious and say I am not allowed to bring judgement onto others. 4. While in the middle of my jury interview jump up after scribbling some minor calculations on a notebook "OH MY GOD...judgement day is next week. Then go on to explain how I came up with it. and finally five if all of those fail and I don't want to suck it up and do it I'll just charge the judge. In all though I think it might be fun...the first time. I might try and be a douche and if the lawyers bring in a guy that is clearly guilty. He admits and there is video evidence of him commiting the crime and every other jury member says guilty...I might say "Mmmm nah I think he might be innocent. The evidence just doesn't sway me. I think there is more to this case."
Yeah I did jury duty a few years ago. I really don't understand why people get so desperate to avoid it. It wasn't fun as such, but it wasn't so bad. And it's an important responsibility to your country.
I find it interesting about how missing your job is a big factor on people not wanting to do Jury Duty, from what I can tell, you flat out can't be fired for Jury Duty, if you are, its a federal offense. And I'm pretty sure most companies pay you for the time you are gone due to Jury Duty. I've not heard of one that doesn't.
