Jury duty is a wonderful thing (3 Viewers)

[UTSaintsFan]

I tried a jury trial in Baton Rouge last month. 12 people plus an alternate gave my client a week of their lives to help determine what he was fairly owed after someone's mistake altered his life in a very bad way.

I told them in thanking them for their service that the three most American things one can do is serve in the military, vote and serve on a jury.

If you live long enough it evens out. You may serve on a jury and give your time. You or a family member may get hurt or be the victim of a crime and a jury gives you their time.

I have been called a couple times for jury duty but never selected. I think I could be a fair juror and hope to take my turn one day.

I have tried many criminal and many civil cases over the years. You read a lot of stories about how messed up the system is. Ours is the best in the world. Every jury I have ever had, win or lose, has taken the responsibility very seriously and has worked very hard to try to do the right thing.

I've served twice in a jury in 5 years (what are the odds?). I didn't like waking up in the morning to go to court and not get paid, but in hindsight, it's probably one of the biggest contributions I've ever made to my community.

There were a few people in the pool that were advising me to seem as partial as possible to be taken out of the jury during the questioning phase before trial. That's really wrong to me. I also remember them saying that attorneys normally don't pick other attorneys or physicians to be jurors. Why is that?

 

[jumpingoff]

Yes, both of your posts capture what I was trying to say. I just didn't realize how seriously important it is until I was in it. I really felt like it was an honor that our society has decided to share that responsibility amongst it's fellow citizens.

 

[st dude]

There were a few people in the pool that were advising me to seem as partial as possible to be taken out of the jury during the questioning phase before trial. That's really wrong to me. I also remember them saying that attorneys normally don't pick other attorneys or physicians to be jurors. Why is that?

Yes, some people try to game the system by answering questions in a way to be excluded from jury service. It's easily spotted by the attys and the judge. In most cases I have been in we all decide to let the juror go, no side typically wants a juror who doesn't care. There are exceptions, a criminal defense atty may strategically want an apathetic juror.

Each side can challenge any juror they want for cause and each side usually has six or so challenges they can use on any juror. Attorneys, physicians and executives can be scary jurors for either side. If selected to a panel they can unduly influence others on the panel during deliberations. One side or the other may not want to take the chance that one juror has to much influence.

 

[St. Widge]

I think Jefferson Parish just sends it by standard mail and if you did not send the card back you were not put on the list for the day you were suppose to serve. Those days may have changed but if you don't want to serve I can't see how they can punish you for not wanting to do it? Anyone ever skip Jury Duty? Do they come and kick your door down if you don't show up? Serve a bench warrant? I would think the D.A. and clerk of court have better things to do than going after people who do not show up for jury duty.

I've seen Judges issue bench warrants and have Sheriff's go out and pick up jurors who did not show up. Doesn't happen often, but I have seen it happen.

 

[Danneaux]

Tell them you're a Conservative and you won't be selected. Lawyers are looking for dumb.

 

[st dude]

Tell them you're a Conservative and you won't be selected. Lawyers are looking for dumb.

Good thread and then this gets thrown in, insulting lawyers, the system and non conservatives all at once.

Awful post. If what you say is true your chances of getting on a jury are excellent.

 

[mb504]

I also remember them saying that attorneys normally don't pick other attorneys or physicians to be jurors. Why is that?

Like st dude said, the main reason is that the other jurors are likely to defer to an attorney (as a legal expert) or a doctor (particularly in an injury case involving medical evidence and testimony from other doctors) so that single juror would almost singlehandedly decide the whole case. A trial lawyer is also possibly biased toward either the plaintiff/prosecution or defense side based on the nature of their own practice.

 

[birdog]

I tried a jury trial in Baton Rouge last month. 12 people plus an alternate gave my client a week of their lives to help determine what he was fairly owed after someone's mistake altered his life in a very bad way.

I told them in thanking them for their service that the three most American things one can do is serve in the military, vote and serve on a jury.

If you live long enough it evens out. You may serve on a jury and give your time. You or a family member may get hurt or be the victim of a crime and a jury gives you their time.

I have been called a couple times for jury duty but never selected. I think I could be a fair juror and hope to take my turn one day.

I have tried many criminal and many civil cases over the years. You read a lot of stories about how messed up the system is. Ours is the best in the world. Every jury I have ever had, win or lose, has taken the responsibility very seriously and has worked very hard to try to do the right thing.

Well, the jury system is broken, and is broken badly. Here's my story, and why I no longer serve as a juror.....ever!

About 10 years ago I was called for jury duty. At that time I was in San Diego, and I called the judge trying to talk to him about not being able to make it. He told me, if I don't show up, an arrest warrant will be issued against me, and he said is up to me to make it back in time. I had to spend about $1200 for the airplane tickets, with the judges assurance that he will guarantee that I get my money back.

So I made it back in time, just to hear that the court had let the accused free the evening before the trial, and he ran away, all the way back to Mehiko! I asked the judge....where's my money? The judge said, that b/c the accused ran away, I'm out of luck, and I will not get my money back.

Fast forward to this year, and in April I received another letter from the court, asking me for jury duty again. This time I told them that I'm a biased individual, and will certainly vote guilty, no matter if the accused is or isn't guilty. I told them they better reconsider b/c I won't change my mind no matter what. That answer did not sit well with the clerk, so when I told her the reason why I feel this way, she agreed to take me off jury duty forever. That was exactly what I wanted. As far as I'm concerned the court still owns me the money I spent and the judge assured me that I will be reimbursed..... Which was a lie.

I no longer believe in this court system. I think they release criminals at will, and when they run away, they wash their hands of the matter, like nothing happened. It stinks, and I want no part of it.

 

[Domefan504]

I've seen Judges issue bench warrants and have Sheriff's go out and pick up jurors who did not show up. Doesn't happen often, but I have seen it happen.

Harry Lee put an end to that quick when the judges refused to give him gas money to pick up these individuals. Also threatened to move his officers out the courthouse over pay several times. Don't know if is the same under Noodle Normand now.

 

[Dre]

I really liked the lady who was working there. Before she gave us our diplomas, she said we were good for 2 years, but then smirked as she said they would take volunteers. The whole jury pool simultaneously erupted with laughter.

 

[boutrous]

I was on a jury in a civil trial in Jefferson in November. I enjoyed the process and took it very seriously. I ended up being the jury foreman. I was the very last juror interviewed during selection and pretty much knew I would be picked because most people were just trying to get out of it. We ended up with a jury with a lawyer (succession planning), a dentist, two retired military officers, two computer engineers, and me who is an IT Director. It was a bad break for the plantiff team, I think, ending up with a group of fairly smart people because most of his case was BS and smoke and mirrors. I felt bad for the lady who got hurt, because she was genuinally hurt, but they offered no evidence that the accident was not her fault.

Anyway, it was a lot like trials I have seen on TV and movies in a lot of ways and they tried to take care of us as much as possible. The bailiff said we got along very well and was one of the best behaved juries. We all left with a sense that we made the correct decision and all commented that we enjoyed the experience. I certainly had a greater appreciation of our legal process after.

I would have loved to pick the brain of the defense attorney after the trial because I was so interested and wanted to get his point of view about the decision we made. I see him in my building from time to time (I had no idea who he was before the trail), but didn't know if he would think it was innappropriate to talk about.

 

[geoffspins]

St Dude - I have to disagree with your assertion that "ours is the best in the world". I assume you are referring specifically to your jury system rather than the wider legal system.

The jury system here is merely a money making machine for attorneys and municipalities. The principle of a jury trial is that the defendant is tried by a jury of his/her peers not by 12 people deemed to be the most likely to vote in a particular direction as determined by voire dire. If you have a couple of million to throw at a great attorney then good for you. If you're a regular Joe accused of something heinous and saddled with a public defender vs a gung ho DA all I can say is good luck. The odds are already against you and the chances the PD's office are going to do much research into the jury pool are, I imagine, slim at best.

In England 14 people are selected for duty at each trial. It is random and is truly a jury of your peers (12 regular plus 2 alternates). The attorneys involved have absolutely no say in the matter. Being excused from jury duty is almost unheard of.

 

[OutlawSaint]

What's the penalty for not showing up? I sort of want to see how long I can evade it if chosen.

 

[AARPSaint]

What I see in this thread is a wildly inconsistent system. I have been called several times up here in two different counties--and even there, procedures have varied. Recently, I was on the list for Albany but with a very high number and so didn't even have to report. In Albany, it's pretty much impossible to park, so you have to get on a sloooooow moving bus to get to the downtown court houses. In Colonie, where I live, no problem: free parking and plenty of it. Right there is a serious discrepancy. In Troy, I had to park blocks away. It would have literally taken me hours to get to that courthouse by bus. Sometimes, you can bring a book or a smart phone. (I was tempted to bring "The Runaway Jury" if I had had to report this time. ) In Troy years ago, I had a lot of papers to grade and was prevented from doing so. Given the echo-chamber acoustics in that room, I could hear very little of the questioning.

I would have been interesting in serving, but now I'm off for six years. I'm not sure that the attorneys will be very interested in a 73-year-old.

People would be much more willing to serve if some of these issues were to get resolved. Provide parking for downtown courthouses. Don't call teachers during the school year. Have consistent policies for what you can and cannot bring to the courtroom. Above all, don't waste potential jurors' time.

 

[St. Widge]

Harry Lee put an end to that quick when the judges refused to give him gas money to pick up these individuals. Also threatened to move his officers out the courthouse over pay several times. Don't know if is the same under Noodle Normand now.

Yeah, isn't it great that Harry Lee could get away with refusing to do his job?