I Got Jury Duty Tommorrow

InformationGeek · June 08, 2010, 06:51:31 PM

Yippie skippy!

I really do not know what to expect with this at all. I've seen some court room cases on TV, the version presented in Law & Order, and in movies; but in general, I have no clue what is going to happen. For those of you who have had jury duty before, what is it like? Is it as boring as everyone made it out to be? Is there any trick to getting through out? I need advice and help!

Rev. Powell · June 08, 2010, 08:56:30 PM

From my experience I'd say there's less than a 1/4 chance you'll actually serve. Don't know the procedures in your state, but mostly being summoned (and even serving) is a matter of waiting around. They summon many times the number of jurors they actually need. You will probably be dismissed without even going into the courtroom, and without being asked a single question.

If you are called into the courtroom, they will ask you questions to try to find out if you're likely to be biased one way or the other: if you know any of the people involved on either side of the case, or if you have a strong opinion or personal experience that would prejudice you and disqualify you from serving.

In the unlikely event you're actually picked to serve, it can be extremely boring, but it's very important that you do your best to pay attention, take notes, and follow the instructions the judge gives you exactly.

Best trick is to bring a book with you because you will have lots of time to read.

Paquita · June 08, 2010, 10:23:29 PM

I have also been summoned! I have to call on Sunday to see if I have to go in on Monday for Jury Duty. Yay! Jury Duty buddies!

This is the second time I've received a summoning letter, and the first time I didn't have to go when I called. From what I hear, if I call and I do go Monday, I still might not have to serve.

I hope you have a fun time! I'm really nervous about going!

Ash · June 09, 2010, 02:54:21 AM

I've been called for jury duty twice.
Both times I made it through their "filter" and got into the courtroom to be questioned by both the prosecutor and the defense attorney.

The first case was a multi-million dollar civil suit between two local businesses.
I wasn't chosen to serve.

The second time I was called for jury duty was for a criminal case involving an older woman (in her late 50's or early 60's) who was a health care provider at one of the local hospitals. She was in some serious trouble for something she had done on the job. Her actual crime was not revealed to us potential jurors.
They asked me general questions about how I felt about hospitals. I told them that both my mother and sister work at one of the nearby hospitals.

Dismissed.

I didn't have to serve.

Jack · June 09, 2010, 06:10:43 AM

I had to call up once a week for a month or two and listen to a bunch of numbers on a pre-recorded message. If my number came up, I was supposed to go in. But it never did. Thankfully

The Burgomaster · June 09, 2010, 06:11:09 AM

I've been summoned 3 times but never had to serve. From my experience, they make you hang around in a big room for at least half the day (you get a lunch break if it goes past noon) then they send you home. Bring a book or something otherwise you'll probably be bored senseless.

The closest I ever came to actually serving on a jury was several years ago. It was a murder trial, which I thought would be really interesting. They brought us into the courtroom for jury selection. They asked the group if there were reasons why they should not serve (e.g., could not render an impartial verdict). A bunch of people were eliminated based on these questions. The rest of us got called into the judge's chambers one-by-one for a question-and-answer session with the attorneys. I got excused on a technicality . . . I had recently moved to a different county and it was outside the jurisdiction or something so the judge said I could leave. I was disappointed because I thought it would be an interesting trial and I wanted to serve.

Flick James · June 09, 2010, 09:09:30 AM

I only got summoned once, years ago in California. For me it was a full week of hanging out in a big room with about a hundred other people, all day long. They had tables and chairs, jigsaw puzzles, a tv and VCR, that was about it. Not a good time, and I was working part time as a waiter and couldn't get compensated. Sucked.

Mr. DS · June 09, 2010, 11:10:39 AM

I filled out my questionaire a few months ago and haven't heard back yet. I'm on standby I guess until the end of the year.

Paquita · June 15, 2010, 09:34:00 PM

Did you get to do the doodie? I went yesterday, but I didn't get called on to get interviewed. I got to watch the others though! It was pretty interesting and wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I got to read Dawn of the Dreadfuls cover to cover!

When we were in the courtroom for the interviews, someone's stomach was growling really loud the entire time and it seemed like the wooden benches amplified the sound and I think I even heard a faint echo from some of the really loud growls.

InformationGeek · June 16, 2010, 12:18:20 PM

Well, here's what happened people. I forgot to bring it up. I show up, check in, sit around for a few minutes, and I am then excused. Seriously, I am only there for less than 5 minutes and they say they don't require my services. Well, that was different.

BoyScoutKevin · July 01, 2010, 06:48:36 PM

In 29 years, I've lived in the same city, I've faced possible jury duty seven times. Never made it all the way though.

First five times was with the county.

(1) Too many people called. Go on home.

(2) Case settled, before jury questioning.

(3) Jury questioning for a drunken driver trial. Never made it to the final jury..

(4) Jury questioning for a spousal abuse case. Never made it to the final jury,
probably because spousal abuse runs in my family. Also the defense lawyer and I didn't hit it off, and I was something of a smarta## to his questions.

(5) Automobile accident. People couldn't settle out of court, so the case went to court.
Never made it to the final jury. Maybe because I thought I knew the plaintiff in the case. Or, at least, I'd thought I'd seen him around town.

The next or 6th time was for city court.

Went down there. None of the cases that day went to trial. All cases settled out of court.

The last time or the 7th time was for federal court. Each week for three weeks called a phone number I got. Never called.

indianasmith · July 01, 2010, 07:52:30 PM

I actually spent 6 months onthe Grand Jury in Hunt County, TX back in the fall of 1996. It was very educational. We met once a month and heard multiple cases, having to decide (a) whether or not a crime had been committed; and (b) was there enough evidence to warrant a trial. We voted to indict most of the time; twice I remember we no-billed a case.

Derf · July 01, 2010, 11:02:15 PM

I just got a summons today. I've been summoned twice before: Once, I was dismissed because I was a student; the next time, I was chosen, but all the cases settled out of court, so the judge asked us to go to another court, which we did. And all the cases there settled out of court also. I don't know what will happen this time, except that I'll get to keep that $10 you get for serving; the last time, I was employed full time, and I had to give the check to my employer, for which they paid me my regular wages. Woohoo! Ten buckaroos!

Couchtr26 · July 02, 2010, 12:50:26 AM

I've actually received two questionnaires. One for Oklahoma County, OK and one for Clayton County, GA. Had to send an affidavit to Clayton County as I don't live there any longer. Other then that have yet to be called or anything of that nature. It struck me as odd as both came at about the same time and I thought I had covered everything about my move out of GA.