Jury Duty - any one been through the process ?

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 1:39 pm

OMG - pack a lunch.

I was requested to attend a court room way way downtown -arrive by 8 A.M...

Up at 4:30 A.M. - on the freeway by 6:30 A.M... I had my hubby drive me - I don't function that early.. The freeway is packed - bumper to bumper - we're at a crawl..

Still crawling along - it's 7:15 A.M. & I'm not half way there yet - anxiety kicks in - I'm a nervous wreck. My hubby drops me off at 8:15 A.M.. Check in & a Jury badge is issued and you wait & wait for your name to be called..

Bingo @ 11:00 A.M. I'm called - @ 45 of us are handed a 8x10 card that has a number on it. So, from here on out your a number. We enter a full court room - Judge - Attorney - Defendant. We're asked general questions - if that question relates to you - you lift your number. It's a open arena & you can be called on to explain your answer.

Long Long process:-5 :-5 I was exhausted

I'm happy I wasn't chosen for the 5 day court session..

It was quite a process - which I've never been though before.

Patsy

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 2:32 pm

Im not registered to vote, so ill never have to do it.

Sounds like a huge ordeal.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:30 pm

We have a system where you get notified, along with a couple hundred of your closest friends and neighbors, that we are expected to show up for duty on such and such a date. We are assigned a number, and the day before our chosen date, we call the telephone number on the card and they will announce something like "if you number is 734700-734400, you are requested to report to Boulder County Courthouse on Monday. If your number is not in that range, you are excused, and your commitment for the year has been met. Thank you for your service, good day."

So far, each time, I have been in the group of numbers excused from duty.

Wandrin · Post by **Wandrin** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:33 pm

I've been through the process. Jury selection took 4 days, including time on the witness stand answering questions under oath. I groaned inwardly when selected for the jury and the trial date was set. Fortunately, after seeing how the jury stacked up, the defense attorney convinced his client to do a plea bargain before the trial started.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 4:00 pm

Do you guys get monetary compensation?

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 4:06 pm

magentaflame;1512016 wrote: Do you guys get monetary compensation?

If we are selected to be on a jury, I think we get a whole 50 dollars a day. Employers are supposed to pay the first 3 days. Then the state covers the days after that for longer trials.

My employer pays our regular pay, and we give them whatever the state pays us.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 4:14 pm

Ahhh.... so duty to the state is spread around, thats good.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 4:41 pm

This defendant robbed a small convenience store with a gun.

I thought - OMG - you haven't taken a plea yet.??:-5

I'll be very honest here - After our lunch break - I knew I had to do something so I wouldn't be selected. So, in this open arena The attorney asked a question - no one said anything so I asked a question - The attorney answered & stated very good question, and on to his next question..

I thought if I ask - it's some what opposing & hopefully enough to get me the boot.

it worked...:wah:

I don't mind doing my civic duty - not with a 2 plus hour drive both ways I'm sorry but that drive was too much for me.

Your also compensated for mileage.

Patsy

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 5:58 pm

Patsy Warnick;1512028 wrote: This defendant robbed a small convenience store with a gun.

I thought - OMG - you haven't taken a plea yet.??:-5

I'll be very honest here - After our lunch break - I knew I had to do something so I wouldn't be selected. So, in this open arena The attorney asked a question - no one said anything so I asked a question - The attorney answered & stated very good question, and on to his next question..

I thought if I ask - it's some what opposing & hopefully enough to get me the boot.

it worked...:wah:

I don't mind doing my civic duty - not with a 2 plus hour drive both ways I'm sorry but that drive was too much for me.

Your also compensated for mileage.

Patsy

Correction: The defendant was charged with robbing a convenience store with a gun.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:11 pm

Correct - the defendant was charged .

I found a question interesting - one juror asked if the defendant was a illegal?

The judge stated that was not the issue.

Patsy

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Aug 30, 2017 6:53 pm

Patsy Warnick;1512028 wrote: This defendant robbed a small convenience store with a gun.

I thought - OMG - you haven't taken a plea yet.??:-5

I'll be very honest here - After our lunch break - I knew I had to do something so I wouldn't be selected. So, in this open arena The attorney asked a question - no one said anything so I asked a question - The attorney answered & stated very good question, and on to his next question..

I thought if I ask - it's some what opposing & hopefully enough to get me the boot.

it worked...:wah:

I don't mind doing my civic duty - not with a 2 plus hour drive both ways I'm sorry but that drive was too much for me.

Your also compensated for mileage.

Patsy

Patsy Warnick;1512030 wrote: Correct - the defendant was charged .

I found a question interesting - one juror asked if the defendant was a illegal?

The judge stated that was not the issue.

Patsy

Many years back, in a past life, I had a fellow who worked for me that was charged with just such a crime. Thing is, he was actually working late helping me do inventory when the crime took place.

Even after I went to speak with his Defense attorney and told him that fact, they continually tried to talk him into a plea deal.

He refused, and pled Not guilty. It was not until I testified, and showed the hotel security camera pic of him at the time clock checking out 4 hours after the robbery - Did I mention that the hotel and his house were on opposite side of town by 20 miles, and he rode a bicycle to work? - that the jury decided that he was innocent.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:31 am

I was on a jury for a murder case about 15 years ago, I ended up the jury foreman and we convicted him of 2nd degree murder. He was a gang banger that went through a window and shot a guy who sold illegal alcohol. It was pretty much an open and shut case (he actually admitted to it to the arresting officer). We had a lady on the jury that fought us nail and tooth to convict because she hated the fact that one little mistake was going to ruin this guys life (he killed a guy). She said if it was her grandson she would hope someone felt the same way and would not convict over one mistake. It took us three days to get her to finally vote for 2nd degree. We got paid $11.00 a day for our service.

Since being on that jury that convicted him I am never considered when called to be on another jury because the defense doesn't want a juror who has convicted someone.

magentaflame · Post by **magentaflame** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 2:09 pm

Patsy He was trying to get himself excused by showing bias.....old trick....

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Sep 09, 2017 8:22 pm

To my knowledge we don't have Jury Vetting in the UK. They are chosen entirely at random & you take what you get.

minks · Post by **minks** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 1:55 pm

not I but my mother has been asked twice, both times after interviews they turned her away. Probably because she is old, and also because she can't hear worth beans lol.

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:31 pm

minks;1512416 wrote: not I but my mother has been asked twice, both times after interviews they turned her away. Probably because she is old, and also because she can't hear worth beans lol.
k

Over the years I have been called for jury duty at least 15 to 16 times or even more, I can't remember exactly.

They use our voter registration rolls, and or as well as our driver's licence info to form their jury call lists here in USA.

My info must have been on top of their rolls, as every 12 to 14 months I would get called for jury duty!

Most times I was questioned by prosecuting and or defending attorneys, sometimes for 20 minutes, to see if they wanted me on their jury panel. Each time I guess I said the things they didn't want to hear, and I was dismissed, they didn't want me.

A few times I sat in the jury pool waiting room from 8am to 5 pm and never was called upon, and was dismissed. But I got a big "thank you" from the judge for doing my civic duty, and for being in the room all day giving them a jury pool to show to the defendants. As many of the defendants saw the large jury pool, and got scared and then took a plea deal, and didn't go to trial.

Ah, the good ole days!

xfrodobagginsx · Post by **xfrodobagginsx** » Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:30 pm

I sat on a case where a guy smoked crack in his front yard at a picnic table in front of 2 police officers and told them that whatever he does in the privacy of his own home is his business.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:30 am

xfrodobagginsx;1512734 wrote: I sat on a case where a guy smoked crack in his front yard at a picnic table in front of 2 police officers and told them that whatever he does in the privacy of his own home is his business.
I would totally agree with him. Not Guilty.

cars · Post by **cars** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:38 am

FourPart;1512762 wrote: I would totally agree with him. Not Guilty.

s

Agree, if I was ever picked to be on a jury, I too would say: Not Guilty.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:38 pm

Lars & Cars

Sound like you both had a similar experience.

I suppose at the immediate time I was exhausted from the long long day. I suppose listening to all the evidence against this man was the video - witness's - cops etc.

I also thought this young man looks like several other dark skin individuals so perhaps the I.D. could be difficult.

I was exhausted from the whole experience.

I won't be called for another 18 months. woo hoo !!:wah:

Congrats to you both for stepping up & supporting your friends.

Patsy

Post by **LarsMac** » Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:58 pm

xfrodobagginsx;1512734 wrote: I sat on a case where a guy smoked crack in his front yard at a picnic table in front of 2 police officers and told them that whatever he does in the privacy of his own home is his business.

FourPart;1512762 wrote: I would totally agree with him. Not Guilty.

cars;1512777 wrote: s

Agree, if I was ever picked to be on a jury, I too would say: Not Guilty.

In his own home is one thing. Out in front of the whole neighborhood may be a different story, entirely.

cars · Post by **cars** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 1:12 pm

LarsMac;1512795 wrote: In his own home is one thing. Out in front of the whole neighborhood may be a different story, entirely.

Why would that be, it's still his own private property?

Some guys smoke "god awful stinky" cigars outside on their property, they can't do that either?