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!

[SunnyUsa]

"Our legal system has evolved into one where a jury trial means that you are being judged by a group of 8 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty."

That is a scarey & (true) thought!

bump to read later!

[falfa]

Isn't that just the point? When sane, rational members of society con their way out of the jury system, it leaves our justice system in the hands of citizens who will produce such atrocities as the O.J. verdict and multimillion dollar settlements for clutzes who spill coffee in their own laps.

It's kind of like voting, if you don't participate, shut up about the outcomes!

[riley1992]

Are you saying you have absolutely no close friends or family you could impose upon for a few days to do what is right?

All of my family and friends work full time. Would you have them take a vacation to do this? Get real.

[Redcloak]

Report for duty in a Star Fleet uniform and insist upon speaking only in Klingon. The courts been through that sort of thing before and I doubt that they're anxious to repeat the experience.

[woollyone]

The one liner that prompted the miss-trail that I sat on was; "I can be a fair and impartial juror, if I can hear both sides of the case".

Of course the defendant isn't required to testify, but this jurors continued stance on the issue prompted teh prosecutor to ask him, during the voir dire process; "So, do you still wan tto hear bot sides of the case?"
Judge promptly declared a mis-trial.

Interesting to note, that when I was there, I didn't meet one conservative in the pool. The system needs conservative voices who know the rights of jurors, the law and are willing to be bold. Do your duty!

...and don't forget to wash your hands afterwards

[cardinal4]

I replied that I not only believed in the death penalty for first degree murderers but that it should be applied for third time felonies as well. I was immediately dismissed from the panel.

Judging by your moniker,Im guessing you come from the same state that gave Willie Horton a furlough from Walpole.

[cardinal4]

I replied that I not only believed in the death penalty for first degree murderers but that it should be applied for third time felonies as well. I was immediately dismissed from the panel.

Judging by your moniker,Im guessing you come from the same state that gave Willie Horton a furlough from Walpole.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Any good one liners?

Sure:

I've been on jury duty and I never need an excuse to get off!

Yeaaaaaaah, Baybee! Yeaaaaaaah!

Shagadelic!

[jrg]

I own a "Kill 'em All, Let God Sort 'em Out" t-shirt. Wear it to the jury selection, you won't be picked.

[Unbeliever]

Never again. I will do anything necessary to avoid serving on jury duty again.

I hope for your sake you are never the victim of mistaken identity.

[SamAdams76]

Therefore I also came from the state that helped get George Bush elected president (the elder) in 1988. It was the Willie Horton thing that helped Bush beat Dukakis. I'm still breathing a sigh of relief that Dukakis never became president. It would have been disasterous. Even more so then Bill Clinton because unlike Clinton, Dukakis actually believed in all that liberal crap.

[wtc911]

With all the people who complained about the results of the jury trial of Junta, the hockey dad and the results of the jury trial in the OJ case you come up with calling someone who sees societal duty as important a goody-two-shoes.

The typical, and usually correct, conservative complaint is against those in society who take but don't give back. Jury duty is one way to give back.

If the original poster has legitimate cause for excusal then it will be given. If he is simply lazy then screw him.

[calmseas]

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

My first impulse is "What does getting off have to do with jury duty?" (Sorry, bad pun.)

[Zon]

I am not convinced that what you describe is the proper mode of conduct for jurors.

What I described was that jurors should judge the facts and the law -- jury nullification being one option. Do you think jurors should judge the facts and the law?

"The bottom line is: if the jury agrees with you/plaintiff you're right and win the case. If the jury disagree with you/plaintiff you're wrong and lose the case." 209

[cardinal4]

Willie Horton had a lot to do with Dukakis's failure in 1988,however I feel he was doomed the second he put that tank helmet on.

[BuckeyeOhio]

Ok, here is what happened to me. First of all, hope you have some college education. They don't want anyone smart on juries. Secondly, if you are in the insurance business, they don't want you on a jury. They were going to put me on a criminal case (shooting) and I asked if they were going to show pictures of blood. They said yes, I said no way, I would pass out (have severe vegal reflux). The judge asked me if I couldn't do it and I said an unconscious person in jury box wouldn't be good for trial. I was excused. Next time I was served, I told them I was in insurance business and couldn't stand the sight of blood. Never been called since. However, I still had to SIT thru one week at court in the selection room even tho I was not chosen.

[Saundra Duffy]

I was on a jury once but I got full pay from my employer so it wasn't a hardship. It was a wrongful death suit against doctors and a hospital. See this young man (26) was having simple eye surgery and the anesthesiologist caused his death. Turns out the anesthesiologist was a spaced out drug addict who before the trial had killed himself. Anyway, we ended up awarding almost a million dollars to the widow. It took a few weeks. It's our duty. Now that I think of it, this case would have made a great story for a book and/or movie. For victory & freedom!!!