Undesirable juror. How do I make myself into such?

[Big Green]

They may ask you about divorce, your thoughts or your experiences. Could always say something like the man always gets screwed, it's unfair. His lawyer will want you, her's will want you gone. I would suspect you wouldn't be chosen.

Disclaimer: I have only been on jury duty once and then summoned twice since then. As much as I didn't want to be there I did answer questions correctly and appropriately, I couldn't bring myself to not fullfil my duty.

 

[benenglish]

It wasn't interesting, it was horrific.

My last voir dire was for aggravated sexual assault of a child. I wasn't picked. That was lucky for everyone; I don't think I could have been objective.

 

[pronstar]

In all of my 47 years, I’ve had to report in-person just once.

Got the summons, was directed to call a few Mondays in the future.

Monday comes so I called, they stated no need to report, but call back Tuesday.

Lather, rinse, repeat until Thursday. Called, they stated I needed to report on Friday.

So I show up, waited in a room for about 30 minutes. They make an announcement, the following Monday was a federal holiday, court is closing early. We are free to go, have a nice three-day weekend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[candcallen]

The last jury I served on was a case about a grandfather sexually abusing his granddaughter. It wasn't interesting, it was horrific. Two weeks ago, I got passed over on a trial over a road rage incident. Regardless, it's a privilege. Would you rather have a single non-omnicient judge deciding right or wrong?

Many times yes.

 

[p99guy]

Amen. Why would you shirk that priveledge? If you go to trial, would you only want disinterested people who don't want to be there judging you?

But that’s exactly what you get.... it’s certainly not your peers.
Yes, I have worked as a Bailiff, and
Had jury summons myself

 

[AustinN4]

It used to be that the conventional wisdom was to skip the jury and take a directed verdict, but with today's activist judges I am not sure that is true anymore.

As to jury duty, when I was younger it seems like I got called once every year or so, but I don't believe I have been called once in the last 20 years or so. Age discrimination? Or possibly exceeded a lifetime cap on the number of times? Beats me!

 

[majormadmax]

As many have said, it's a citizen's civic duty to serve the justice system. I would do nothing to avoid it. Put yourself on the other side of the table, being a defendant. Would you want the jurors who are considering the facts and evidence of your case to not have the full capacity to weigh them and rule accordingly?

That said, I have never been selected by a civilian court to serve (although I had plenty of experience during so while in the military). Here is some of the reasons I believe that is...

1. Education - I have three college degrees and I don't think defense attorneys like that (some prosecutors as well!). They prefer someone to listen to and believe what they say, and those with academic critical thinking skills tend to analyze details at a far greater level than the average person.

2. Current job - I am not allowed to discuss in detail what I do for a living. All I can really say is that I am defense contractor. The secrecy that surrounds what I do is suspicious to many lawyers.

3. Law enforcement involvement - This probably is what gets me released the vast majority of the time. I have been involved in citizen law enforcement programs at the Federal and municipal levels, and am an active volunteer at the latter. That shows a potential bias towards the justice system that defense attorneys prefer to avoid.

Again, I do absolutely nothing to prevent my being selected as I firmly believe in one's duty to serve; but the above circumstances have prevented me from being on a jury (so far).

My only other recommendations are to dress semi-professionally (a collared shirt and jeans are OK), be respectful and politeful to everyone involved in the process but don't offer any more information than what has been requested. I have seen people get selected because they either a) were overly abundant in answering questions above and beyond what was required or b) were obviously trying to get out of jury duty. One potential juror went into detail on how his father, brother, uncle and several other relatives were currently serving time on the taxpayer's dollar. He got picked anyway and wasn't to happy about it.

By the way, seeing who does get selected is a good motivator to staying out of trouble!

Cheers! M2

 

[baboon]

Ask why it's called the criminal justice system rather the victims justice system.

 

[Younggun]

But that’s exactly what you get.... it’s certainly not your peers.
Yes, I have worked as a Bailiff, and
Had jury summons myself

I'm currently reading a book which covers in deprh what it can be to have a trial in which your "peers" are not involved, and would venture to say you are mistaken.

You're being judged by peers who are subject to the same laws and courts as yiurself, which is a priceless safeguard in an imperfect system.

 

[Shady]

not that I try to avoid my duty, The 4 times I have had to go to the court house and wait to be picked I never have been.

I lost most of my hair starting around 18 and have had shaved my head from then on. I am not going with racing stripes. I tend to wear white shirts or tee's and black boots and jeans. Being a 6'2 white male dressed like that I get labeled a "Skin Head" all the time.

 

[Byrd666]

Simply put, I'd say to show up, answer whatever questions are asked honestly and wait to see what happens.

I've been called about six or seven times and at least three of those times I've been sent to the 20-30 something pool. It was then we got an idea of what the trial was about and asked a few more direct questions and if we had a bias for/against (X). On one of those occasions I sorta wish I hadn't had an opinion. Could have been an interesting experience.

 

[oldag]

I will say that for small business owners (especially where they are the sole employee), getting stuck on an extended trial can be devastating to the business and the owner's financial situation.

 

[BRD@66]

I've never even been called for j duty -since I joined TGT. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[AustinN4]

I've never even been called for j duty -since I joined TGT. Coincidence? I think not.

Clearly you are being monitored.

 

[diesel1959]

My last voir dire was for aggravated sexual assault of a child. I wasn't picked. That was lucky for everyone; I don't think I could have been objective.

No, I'm certain that you could have been . . . right up to the point (if it came) that you became convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offense. After that, objectivity loses its luster . . .

 

[Charlie]

In Kerr county, if one is over 70 years of age, one does not get called for jury duty.

 

[diesel1959]

In Kerr county, if one is over 70 years of age, one does not get called for jury duty.

. . . and they don't take illiterates. :flipoff:

 

[Charlie]

Unfortunately, they do, from what I've seen!

 

[AustinN4]

In Kerr county, if one is over 70 years of age, one does not get called for jury duty.

Same for Travis (IDK, maybe it is statewide?) I have only been exempt for a couple of years and haven't been called in over 20. Maybe I pissed somebody off? I hope so.

 

[Charlie]

I don't mind jury duty since I've been retired.