Federal jury duty or reverse psychology works

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Dear Wife was called for Federal Jury duty. This lasts for two weeks and you're on call and have to check your status daily.

She was told to report today. A jury was being selected for a case. When it was DW's turn to answer questions from the judge she said 'I look forward to being a juror'.

Another potential juror said they didn't want to be a juror. They are taking medication for anxiety. Another said his work would make it too difficult for him to serve.

Guess who got selected to be one of the 12 jurors and 2 alternates? It wasn't the wife but the two other persons.

So if you want to get out of jury duty say you're eager to be a juror?

Comments

It is interesting ...

... being on a jury. I've served 3 times but that's it for me as I'm now officially too old.

I can understand someone running or working in a small business finding it difficult but, as I worked for a large company, it wasn't a problem for me. I was even the jury foreman on two occasions which was fun, like running a meeting or herding cats. Once when I served there was a jury sitting on a big fraud/counterfeiting case that lasted for months which would have been very difficult for lots of people.

Robi

not in the know, but

When they are selecting a jury, they are looking for people to fit [profile] for the case that the jury is being selected for. So am not sure that the willingness to serve to be a determent for selection.

Hugs, Fran

They didn't want me either.

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

At the time I was called, I was self-employed an independent contractor (building). When I got the summons, I was near the end of one job and the next job was for a friend who said it didn't matter when I started. The job I was just finishing paid well and I would be set for the month. So I finished up the job three days before I was to report. I spent the day in the jury pool waiting to be called for a case. I was finally called as a potential alternate juror. In the questioning I was asked if serving wouldn't present a financial burden, since I was self-employed.

I explained that I had ample opportunity set my business on hold in order to serve and that I thought it my civic duty to serve on the jury.

I turned out that the case in question was one of land use involving a local business that wanted to expand it's building on to land purchased over a decade before for that express purpose. However since the purchase, the state enacted strict restrictions regarding "green areas" and the building would encroach on a stream on the edge of the property. These regs weren't there when the land was purchased and the business was suing for loss of property value under the state law that was enacted at the same time as the regs. The defense attorney excused me for cause.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt

Doesn't always work. I was

Doesn't always work. I was called for Grand Jury duty back when I worked for the State of NJ. I didn't even try to get out of it since I would be allowed to serve it so I said I could do it and I was picked. lol. But I didn't mind Grand Jury, as I heard a variety of cases.

Doesn't always work. I was

Doesn't always work. I was called for Grand Jury duty back when I worked for the State of NJ. I didn't even try to get out of it since I would be allowed to serve it so I said I could do it and I was picked. lol. But I didn't mind Grand Jury, as I heard a variety of cases.

In canada

If youve been convicted of a crime you are exempted from serving on a jury.

Thank you god for a moment of childish stupidity.

Dayna

I've been called

I've been called many times, been impaneled quite a few, and kicked off by one or the other attorney every time. (All prior to transition.) My wife and eldest have both been called to Jury Duty at the end of the month... We'll see what happens...

A former colleague (back in the early '90s) had Grand Jury in New York City... It was the most booring half month he said he'd ever served (9-1 am Monday-Friday for four weeks). He said every single case was the same... Drugs, and their decision was the same "Remand to trial". Total waste of money and time.

Annette

I'm self employed and the

I'm self employed and the sole provider for my family. I've been pulled in a few times, and I've been honest about it. If it was a one or two day trial, I could get away with it - longer than that, and it would kill my business and my family.

That said, one trial I let the judge (and subsequently the lawyers) know that I had taken an immediate and deep dislike (loathing, frankly) to one of the attorneys - and that was before I knew who was whom. The guy just seemed to -reek-; maybe not of evil, but definitely of something nasty.

Anyone he defended I would be immediately voting for the death penalty, I think - it was that nasty. (preferably for the lawyer)


I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.

If you're looking to...

Get out of jury duty, I've heard they don't like jurists who know about 'jury nullification'. Read up on it if you care. It's pretty interesting.

-- Sleethr

And that's a crock

elrodw's picture

The power of the people since the Magna Carta to essentially use the jury trial to nullify bad laws was a fundamental backstop against government tyranny. The fact that potential jurors who know about, or ask about, jury nullification are almost automatically excluded, and the judge's instructions that very specifically does NOT mention this fundamental principal, is evidence, that the machinery of the government wants only to grow bigger.

Sitting in the jury room pretending to read a large, hardback book by a conservative blowhard while grinning and muttering agreement is a way to get dismissed as well. Defense attorneys hate conservatives, so if you pretend to be one, you're almost automatically out. One has to be careful, though - too much can lead to a contempt citation!

Imagination is more important than knowledge
A. Einstein

They hate Libertarians even

They hate Libertarians even more than conservatives.


I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.