OT: jury duty today

[The Marshal]

Jason,

Statistically, they do nothing! I seem to recall that the Rockwall response was so poor to the summons just awhile back, that they closed the place up for the day due to no jurors.

But, statistics shamistics.
I ignor this, you can bet money I will get the fine/jail time.

You can't get a summons every other year, and think that you are gonna beat it.
My wife of 19 years has been called twice.

Ah well, maybe it will be a good one.

~Bill

[barres]

I, too, am a magnet for jury summons. I can be seated 15th for a jury pool and be selected to a 6 person jury. At 30 years young, I have served on 2 criminal cases, once as foreman. I have been summoned for grand jury duty, but not selected.

BTW, in Walker County, Sherrif's deputies have been known to find people who do not show up for jury duty. I see jury duty as a small price to pay to secure my rights. My jury duty upholds someone's right to trial by a jury of his/her peers.

In case you're curious, in both cases, we acquitted. Both times, I felt that the defendant was guilty, but the prosecution failed to prove so beyond a reasonable doubt. Try to keep a straight face when the defendant is on trial for assault with a deadly weapon. He shot the victim in the rear with a .22. And succesfully used self-defense as his defense strategy. (And no, the bullet did not enter the victim from the rear, but from the side.)

[Kalrog]

Both my wife and I are 29 and have lived in the same county almost all of our adult lives. Neither of us have ever gotten a summons, but with her last job she did receive many supoenas - one of wich she is still getting every month because it just might happen this month. Started in October of 2005...

[wrt45]

I'm in my 50's, and up until 6 years ago I had never been called. Then it started. I've been called a dozen times,some of which were dismissed because I had just served previously. I have served on 3 juries for misdemeanor offences, plus a six-month stint on the grand jury. Thats what was most interesting. Not only did I learn more than I wanted to know about what was going on in our community; I also had my opinions change (both good & bad) about several of the LEO's I knew and worked with previously.

On one of the juries, we waited while the judge sent officers to "recruit" a few volunteers from the school administration office across the street. Not enough people showed up to fill the 2 juries they needed.

My wife, 57, has been called twice in her life. Once when she was in college, and had to give up several days of her Christmas break, and once when she was pregnant with our oldest son. She sat through a miserable four days on that one. That was 30 years ago and she's never been called since.

It is an obligation to serve, and our system of justice is built around such service. I have no sympathy for the people who dodge their jury summons.

[KBCraig]

I get state jury notices in spurts. Every 3-4 years, I'll get them 3-4 times a year. And then, nothing until the next spurt.

Today was the first time I've ever had to actually show up. Every other time, I've hit, and hit, and hit, and hit... the redial button for the phone number you're supposed to call to see if you have to show up. Until this week, I've always gotten through late at night, only to be told, "Numbers xxx through yyy, do not report."

Now that I've gotten a notice, I expect to get several more in the coming months. And then I'll be cleared for a few years.

I've served on two juries: a medical malpractice case in federal court, and Nash, TX, municpal court. Some bozo demanded a jury trial for a traffic ticket, then didn't bother showing up. *bang*... guilty in absentia. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your time. Go around back to get your excuses for work, and your six dollars.

At the time, I was shocked, because I didn't know that Nash even had a court. Sho 'nuff, and the city judge happens to be the preacher at the church right down the street from me. Good guy. His son is doing well in a contemporary Christian group called Pocket Full of Rocks.

Kevin

[mrvmax]

I never get picked for jury duty. I never even get a summons. I'm one of those freaks that would actually like it.

I've had it a couple times, I always want to get picked but usually do not.

[phddan]

Have only been called on twice. Once on Austin, me and couple thousand
other people. Judge in the middle of the arena asked if anyone had an excuse, told him I was in a bad motorcycle accident with my wife, and
I needed to nurse her back to health. Judge said he understood, since he
was just in a motorcycle accident himself.
Second time in Burnet, about 50 of us potentials in the courtroom, and the
prosecutor asked if anybody new the arresting officer. I raised my hand,
the officer was my chl instrustor.
I really would like to serve on a jury, but doubt I'll ever get picked, I'm 6'4",
long beard, and long hair. Got the "biker look". Maybe someday.

Dan

[charlie]

I'm continually amazed by what I see in the courthouse where I work. I used to have an office 2 doors down from a County Court at Law Judge and court room. We call Fridays "DWI Friday" becasue the hallways fill up with folks waiting to go to trial for DWI, DUI, possesion etc.

The bailiff has to put out a sign saying "cutoffs and tanktops not allowed in court". Even so, people show in in all manner of strange attire. Some have heavy metal t shirts with obscene 4 letter words, ripped jeans or sandals. Some don't shave, comb their hair or attend to hygene. Some wear revealing clothes.

Sometimes people bring their children, hoping to elicit sympathy from the judge (It doesn't, it just makes him mad that they brought their screaming unruly little yard apes.). Sometimes, they're drunk or stoned. Usually, the waiting crowd gets too loud and has to be quited by the security deputies.

Sometimes they bring only a tooth brush because they know they're going to jail.

All and all, it can be a real circus.

If it was me in trouble, I would want to make the best impression I could, after all, the judge and jury have your future in their hands.


Whenever they run out of jurors, the judges may send the courthouse baliffs and deputies on a "recruiting mission". They go from county department to department asking for volunteers and volunteering folks.

I'll usually send an employee or go myself because the courts are backed up and they need the help. These instances usually involve things like mental illness hearings or misdeameanors.

Our prosecutors are very careful during jury selection to explain the importance of the defendant's assumption of innocence and the imporance of reasonable doubt in a jury's decision.

All in all, if folks could see how many people are awaiting trial, they might be more willing to serve on a jury. However, I live and work in a rural county and we have nowhere near the parking and commute hassle that Houston or Dallas residents have.

[jbirds1210]

Sometimes they bring only a tooth brush because they know they're going to jail.

That has to be a long walk from the parking garage........walki'n the mile. What a way to live.
Jason

[KBCraig]

The bailiff has to put out a sign saying "cutoffs and tanktops not allowed in court". Even so, people show in in all manner of strange attire. Some have heavy metal t shirts with obscene 4 letter words, ripped jeans or sandals. Some don't shave, comb their hair or attend to hygene. Some wear revealing clothes.

If it makes you feel any better, they'd go dressed the same way for a wedding or a funeral.

[charlie]

If it makes you feel any better, they'd go dressed the same way for a wedding or a funeral. [/quote]


Yeah, their own wedding, or funeral for that matter.

[The Marshal]

Grrr!

I just walked in and found a Federal Jury summons in the mail.
Reading this thread makes me even more mad, as I am some kinda target for the Court System....I get a summons every other year!

Y'all pony up. I've taken my swim in the Jury Pool.

Oh, and I have to have it filled out by tomorrow, else I go to jail. Doh.

~Bill

HAHAHHAHA!!!

Guess what?
Yesterday I got a Rockwall County Summons in the mail for the same dates.

I guess honest, upstanding people of good character are in high demand.



Can't wait to hear what they have to say on Monday when I call them.

~Bill

[HankB]

I've been called 5 or 6 times to jury duty. The first couple of times, I was released early because the people settled or plea bargained. Twice more, I was excused because one side or the other really, really didn't like my answers during voir dire.

One case I served on revolved around a man ticketed for doing 40 in a 35 school zone. Now, this school zone is on a highway were kiddies don't cross, it's basically set up for "revenue enhancement." The guy - acting as his own lawyer - was headed for acquittal until his closing statements.

First, he claimed he had a perfect driving record . . . not quite, it turned out he had a deferred judgement, where a speeding charge would go away if he kept his nose clean for a year. (11 months down, one to go . . . uh oh.)

He then mentioned that he respected the ticketing officer - even though he was wrong - as he respected police . . .

Then he pointed to an officer standing in the back of the courtroom (remember, this is the defendant!) and said "I even respect that officer there, even though he's been out to my home FIVE TIMES to arrest me for domestic abuse"

Nobody could keep a straight face - the judge had to swivel his chair around and put his back to the courtroom for a bit until he could compose himself.

He was proof that "The man who defends himself has a fool for a client."

[kw5kw]

<snip>
He then mentioned that he respected the ticketing officer - even though he was wrong - as he respected police . . .

Then he pointed to an officer standing in the back of the courtroom (remember, this is the defendant!) and said "I even respect that officer there, even though he's been out to my home FIVE TIMES to arrest me for domestic abuse"

Nobody could keep a straight face - the judge had to swivel his chair around and put his back to the courtroom for a bit until he could compose himself.

He was proof that "The man who defends himself has a fool for a client."

Guilty!