Also, as pointed out to me, I'm a lazy asshole. Incidentally, that trait got me out of the one jury summons I've gotten. I forgot to update my voter registration when I moved, so when the old county I lived in summoned me, I got to use the highly effective excuse of I don't live there anymore.
When I was called a few months ago, the judge showed us his own jury summons from a couple of years ago, and told us that he'd actually gotten picked (for a civil trial). The day was no burden for me, since I work for the county and would be getting paid the same, just showing up for work down the street. The trial for which they were selecting was a criminal one. Oh, and not only do I work for the county, I push papers for the police department. Obviously, I didn't get picked.
I got called to jury duty once in my life. I got there at about 8 in the morning and read the majority of "Just After Sunset" before I was even called into the court room. There, I read the rest of the book while everyone else answered questions about their affiliation with the local police and alcoholism. There were no interesting characters, but I did meet a kid who was in a bunch of my classes who later became the kid in class everyone fucking hates.
Ive been called once before, thankfully my employer at the time had a policy of paying full wage while you were on jury duty, despite only getting a fraction of what they paid back in compensation. I could have come up with any number of excuses to get out of it but I figured it would be at worst a few paid days off work, where i could catch up on some reading, or at best id get an interesting case. So in i went. I had just settled in expecting a long wait when i got called up for my first jury interview, i was selected for that jury right away. The rest is spoilered for length: Spoiler The case was a sexual assault, essentially this guy and his girlfriend went out for a big night on the town. At some point they met up with a bunch of strangers and ended up kicking on with them at their hotel suite all night long. Lots of booze and drugs were involved and eventually this girl passed out and woke up to find one of their new friends had his tongue in her vagina... She was not happy with that situation and neither was the boyfriend. I was the youngest guy on the jury by about 10 years, despite this i was the only person willing to put my hand up to be lead juror. I figured someone older and wiser would put up their hand, but we sat in uncomfortable silence for 10 minutes while everyone stared at their hands until finally i said fuck it ill be the lead juror... Useless pricks. The age gap between me and my fellow jurors also had some other unforeseen consequences, namely all but one of the other jurors had never tried any of the drugs that were used on the night in question. This ended with what i felt was a rather awkward conversation during deliberation wherein i explained the various effects of Meth, Coke and Ecstasy to what felt like a PTA meeting... The case was really a matter of his word against hers, there was no DNA evidence or anything like that. At the end of the day it was down to the individual testimonies. The girl and her boyfriend came across as honest; their stories matched up, they both seemed genuinely outraged/disgusted/violated, cross examination was a breeze and they didn't get tripped up once despite a very aggressive cross examination (particularly the girl, this fucking lawyer got really stuck in and had to be told a couple of times by the judge to tone it the fuck down). The accused came across as a shifty fucking rapist; him and his friends stories didn't quite match up, he contradicted himself a number of times during cross examination and just seemed really fucking strange... the kinda guy that would go sticking his tongue in the vagina of sleeping girls and then go "what?" when she wakes up and starts freaking out. We ended up convicting the accused of sexual assault, it wasn't easy though and i had to argue my point to a couple of jurors who weren't quite sure (we needed a unanimous decision). Deliberation took about 4 hours, most of which was me arguing with the people who hadn't already made up their mind (and giving an impromptu recreational drug lecture). Shifty rapist guy got 5 years with a min. of 2. A week later i get in the lift at work and there's one of the jurors who i had explained the effects of recreational drugs to in great detail... yeah that was a really fucking awkward lift ride.
I once got called in to a county in which I was not a resident. It was my first year of college, and I was still registered at my house in Los Angeles, but was called in in Santa Cruz county because for some reason they sent it in to my college mailbox. I went in and they looked at all of my information. I tried to get on a jury because they pay you something like 28 cents per mile from your registered address in addition to the 5 dollars per day. They would have had to pay me about 100 bucks a day in mileage. Alas they sent me home. My wife got called right before we left, so she just said "my father got a new kidney, and I might have to take care of him". No questions asked.
I spent plenty of time in court during my early twenties for dumb dumb shit so I avoid and get a deferment for jury duty whenever possible. Yeah I know it's my civic duty but I's got shit to do aight.
The only experience I have with the justice system was during my DUI trial. After a lengthly delayed trail and eventual acquittal I am still shocked that Night Court has been the only notable comedy series about an area of human life that is filled with hilarity. Some highlights: -Woman being arraigned calling the black judge a bitch ass nigger. After being advised by the public defender of her right to remain silent she again call the judge a bitch. -A visibly high defendant demands to go to trail that day representing himself for drug charges (cocaine). Proceeds to win his case because the state prosecutor hadn't given the defendant his drug screenings to refute the findings and didn't have any physical copies of the test in court at the time. -During Juror selection we find out the man wearing the intricately stitched leather Obama jacket had a criminal record but was still in contention because the police actually were looking for his twin brother. (my lawyer wanted him but the prosecution dismissed him) Also during jury selection my lawyer had gone over the jury pool and wanted to dismiss a late 20's attorney because he worked for a law firm that was notoriously super conservative. When he questioned him about his drinking and driving habits the guy admitted to a past of drinking and driving that any respectable college aged person in this day and age does. My lawyer changed his mind but again the prosecutor had him dismissed.
In Orleans Parish, at least, that's not the case anymore. Of course no attorney in their right mind would put a lawyer on a jury, but we do have to sit there and waste time and pretend like we might make it on. Oddly, most lawyers I know, at least trial lawyers, would give up a finger or two to sit on a jury so they could educate themselves on what goes on during deliberations.
I really don't know. Dude might have been a tax attorney for all I know. My lawyer was initially worried that he'd become the defacto expert in the deliberations room and basically take over the jury. He also dismissed a retired EMT driver for similar reasons as that EMT professionals usually have very negative views of drinking and driving.
In New Jersey, lawyers and judges USED to be exempt. That rule changed about 10 years ago (yet again becoming a lawyer when I did manages to fuck me!). It's rare that lawyers and judges actually make it to a jury, but I do know of several lawyers, and one judge, that did serve.
I've been called a couple times, but never picked. But, the last time I was called up - I had only been back at work for about a month or so after being off for 3.5 months of maternity leave. It was a malpractice trial and was going to last at least 2 weeks - I didn't really have an issue with that & I didn't think my work would either (I work for the federal courts). But, when they called me into a back room to interview me, they asked if there was anything that would keep me from participating & I got to tell them that I would need a 30 minute break (at least) twice a day and a refrigerator because I had a newborn and I was nursing, so I needed to pump. It was hilarious - I was in a room full of men and they barely had to look at each other before I was told I could go sit out in the courtroom & they didn't think they'd need me. About an hour or so later they called a bunch of juror numbers, including mine, for re-interviewing. As soon as I stood up the guy pointed at me and said, "Oh. No. Not you, you can sit back down." Ladies, if you need a reason to get out of jury duty - this really does work!
At least in my state, Jury Summons are sent via regular mail, not Certified. Thus, there is no way for them to prove you ever received the summons. So the last 3 summons I received, I just ignored. I had been twice before and each time, I just sat around all day before they sent me home. I haven't gotten a summons in like 7 years. A good friend of mine has worked as a DA in my county for the last 10 years and has heard of exactly 0 cases of failure to show up actually ocurring.
I'd really like to serve on a grand jury. I think it would be an interesting experience. Haven't been called for any type since we've been in TX. I think they just use the same 12 in all capital murder cases. Someone's gotta lead the nation in executions.
I got a jury summons the day after I turned 18. I thought it was a joke from my parents or something, but it turned out to be real. Needless to say I was a little confused as to why I got picked and what the whole ordeal was about. When I read the card I was shocked when I read that I had to stay with a bunch of strangers in a hotel and I'd be getting paid less for the whole experience than I could in just one of my "felony transactions" that I'd much rather commit than commit to convicting someone who is possibly innocent, and I don't really have that much invested in the case. I break the law on an almost daily basis, so it seemed somewhat hypocritical of me to go and possibly condemn someone for some crime I don't really care about when I probably committed at least 4 felonies earlier that day alone. I ended up using the jury card to start a bon-fire for a party at my place... I was just going to deny ever receiving it, and if they ever did do anything about it, I didn't really care. My friends are all like "Oooo, you know you can't purchase a hand-gun legally anymore right?". Which I could care less about... because 1.) I don't ever plan on shooting anyone, and 2.) If I WAS going to shoot someone, or my life was in danger, I know a guy who will get me a gun that ISN'T attached to my name, which simplifies matters significantly anyways... I mean, if I'm already going as far as breaking the law to kill someone, I might as well go all the way and buy a stolen gun. So, fuck jury duty. Also, I'd have a hard time not just getting up and leaving the courtroom just because I hate bullshitting and lying. I mean, I'm perfectly honest about what I do, and I hide nothing from anyone. Lying and catching liars takes so much energy that its just ridiculous to pursue that course. Also, I have nothing but contempt for our courts and justice system. If they worked correctly, efficiently, and weren't able to be bought with money or media/religious/lobby pressure... then maybe, just MAYBE, I'd have some faith in our justice system. Until then, all bets are off, and I'm breaking the law as fast as I possibly can and up until they fix the bullshit or I get caught... oh and if I DO get caught... heres a preeminent fuck all y'all if you're on my jury and convict me! Spoiler ...and a very mighty kind thank y'all if you find me innocent and let me go... just sayin'