Who here has served on jury duty and has a good excuse to get off?

me ^ | Feb. 6, 2002 | me

[Nachum]

The county of Los Angeles refused to accept the excuses I put down. As in the days of the military draft, I have been called into service. Worse yet, the judge won't let me off after I explained my financial duress in a possible two week criminal trial. Now we come to JURY SELECTOION. I have to think of a good line to tell the prosecuting and defense attorney to convice them that I would be a poor choice to sit on their jury.

So- I am asking my fellow FReepers if they have had similar experience and can give guidance, a good retort, or tactic. I am counting on you!

[TOMH1]

The county I live in has a "1 Day-1 Trial" system. That is. Unless you are put into a jury the first day, that's it. Go Home.

If you get on a jury, you get to go home when it is completed, regardless of how long it lasts.

I don't think the Feds do that.

Anyone have opinions on Grand Juries, Fed, State, or county? I think some of them can last a year.

I am over sixty years old and have only been called twice. Other people I know have been called a whole bunch of times.

[JavaTheHutt]

I was truly excited to be called for jury duty. I felt patriotic going down to serve, and even masked my enthusiasm as much as possible because I was afraid of being dismissed for appearing too eager.
I don't think I would be allowed to serve on a jury now though. I served active duty in the Army during the Gulf War, serve in the National Guard now, and because of various right wing/conservative/christian groups that I belong to, I would probably be dismissed at the first opportunity.

[cmsgop]

I didn't say I believe that, I was saying that's what people can tell the lawyers to get out of jury duty. Hence, I surrounded the statement with quotation marks.

Ooops!

LOL!!!!

[1Old Pro]

Any good one liners?

1) Rush Limbaugh is God (during attorney interviews of the jury)
2) I believe in jury nullification

[TK21]

just serve- chances are they won't pick you anyway- will it really kill you to give something back?

[connectthedots]

I would say without hesitation in open court, "Your Honor, I have personal knowledge that you and the prosecutor are corrupt to the core. Neither of you can be trusted because you are both racketeers." In my county, this is true and I can prove it, and all the judges know it. They would never dare hold me in contempt for making such a statement.

[connectthedots]

Always remember that Prosecutors and Defense Attorney's want morons as jurors as they are much easier to manipulate.

Actually they want morons as jurors because it is easier to explain things to people with their same level of intelligence.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

My wife returns the notification letter and states that she's the primary caregiver for our kids and can't afford to pay someone to watch them. She gets out of jury duty every time without having to go down to the courthouse.

I always go because I find it fascinating. I've been on two juries and I'm frightened by some of the people who are allowed to walk around and drive cars in this country.

[coloradan]

Slavery is a good example because it's one of the last in which the institution was ended because of jury nullification. (More specifically, not slavery but the practice of charging people who had helped escaped slaves reach freedom.)

It might also be towards the end of the era in which the general population was famailiar with the concept of jury nullification.

If you insist on a more contemporary example, I wouldn't convict someone who illegally sat at the front of a bus, despite her skin color.

[Poohbah]

It's very simple. Bring in some literature from the Fully Informed Jury Association (I'm sure they have stuff you can download) and make certain the lawyers and/or judge are aware that you have it. Let them see it, or if necessary ask them about it. I guarantee you, you'll have zero chance of being allowed on a jury.

Better yet, just wear a t-shirt with "FIJA" on it in big letters. Just don't tell the judge that it stands for "Frickin' Idiots Join AOL."

[E Rocc]

As a citizen, you have an obligation to serve on a jury if called. Is two weeks of your life to much to ask?

This ties into my suggestion, a reference to the 13th Amendment.

I saw something similar to this work once. >:)

-Eric

[E Rocc]

All you have to be is too opinionated and the plaintiff or criminal's atty will ask that you be dropped from jury selection. If you have legal experience definitely you know too much at least here in Fla. If you have ever been sued or sued anyone, that can excuse you. Depends upon your knowledge and life experience.

I managed to get kicked off by both prosecutors and defense attorneys (different cases) in a week. The first was probably because of my Metallica hockey jersey :snicker:. The second because I said I knew a lot of cops well and would believe them over and above their client.

-Eric

[E Rocc]

If the judge rejected your financial duress argument, maybe that's because it wasn't good enough.

I got stuck on federal once (almost impossible to get out of). They were talking about a possible reschedule and one of the other people told a clerk they had surgery scheduled soon.

He very arrogantly said "This is more important!". I told him that :deleted:holes like him were the reason so many people hated lawyers. Haven't been called again in 10 years >:).

-Eric

[gunnedah]

Tell them you would have a tendacy to believe the prosecution and could not be impartial. That you are fed up with crime and tired of the crooks being released.If they make you stay after that no Defense Attorney would let you be seated, but I think they would have to release you then.

[Unbeliever]

How about "I'm moving to cuba, because I prefer a police state that won't waste my time with trifling little civil responsibilities."