GOSH DARN JURY DUTY! HELP?

[cow pollinater]

I get a summons every year. This year is the first time I haven't had to go in but I still had to free up a day because you don't know until 6PM the night before. I always just go as myself and the defense attorny thanks me for my time and excuses me after I answer all the questions about who I am and what I do. :roll:
The one time that I sat on a jury it was with two beginning lawyers with the judge giving them advise after the fact. Once the jury was selected the judge asked the defense if he was nuts for letting ME sit on a jury. :lol:

 

[Dave]

I have sat on juries and got out depending on the timing. Once my son was playing in the state basketball tournament. I explained that it was sort of a once in a lifetime experience, the judge excused me. One that I got kicked by the lawyers was priceless. It was a slander case where a small news paper was being sued over what it printed about some guy. They asked if any potential jurors had ever felt they had been slandered. I raised my hand. One of the lawyers asked if I wished I would have had my day in court. I said "No, I am not much on suing people. But I would have liked to have had a minute or two in the back alley to work things out." The look on the faces of both lawyers and the judge was absolutely priceless....... they didn't seat me on that jury.

 

[I luv herfrds]

I have only been called in once. Got dismissed. they did not like my answers. Poor hubby keeps getting the letters but I haven't gotten one in years. He just tells them he farms and ranches, has 2 kids at home and a wife with a full time town job and his stock; especially in winter need him; or his crop or hay needs him.
They have released him.

 

[TexasBred]

Jury duty is a privilege.
I have been called in on many pools from capital murder to common theft.
Accepting our responsibility is what makes the system work.

Was on grand jury for 6 months and have to report for county court jury next Monday. Heck I need the six bucks a day that it pays. Will cover about half my gas that day but I'll have to skip lunch.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Jury duty is a privilege.
I have been called in on many pools from capital murder to common theft.
Accepting our responsibility is what makes the system work.

Was on grand jury for 6 months and have to report for county court jury next Monday. Heck I need the six bucks a day that it pays. Will cover about half my gas that day but I'll have to skip lunch.

The court clerk is going to ask you if you want to donate that six bucks to one tree hugger group or another.

 

[TexasBred]

Jury duty is a privilege.
I have been called in on many pools from capital murder to common theft.
Accepting our responsibility is what makes the system work.

Was on grand jury for 6 months and have to report for county court jury next Monday. Heck I need the six bucks a day that it pays. Will cover about half my gas that day but I'll have to skip lunch.

The court clerk is going to ask you if you want to donate that six bucks to one tree hugger group or another.

Yep...and nope. ;-)

 

[Commercialfarmer]

There have been times that if called, it would have been very difficult. But a story when I was much younger sticks with me.

My mother was called for jury duty. She didn't consider trying to get out of it, but she said when the judge asked those that felt they couldn't serve please come forward. She said if felt like at least a 1/4 of the people got up to stand in line. A little old man was about 3rd in line. When the judge asked him, why he felt he couldn't serve. With a solemn look on his face, the man told the judge how he's always felt it an honor to be a part of our great system and have wanted to perform his duty his entire life. He's served his country and community in other means, and he actually always wanted to sit on a jury, but had never been called. Now that he was finally called, it is not possible for him to do the job that will be asked of him. That he was 85 years old now, and he can't hear and he can't see. He was very sad that he must ask to not be placed on a jury, but felt that it wouldn't be right.

She said that by the time he finished talking, all but 2 people had sat back down and they didn't look comfortable standing there.

 

[backhoeboogie]

That was worthy of reading a few times.

 

[crimsoncrazy]

Just tell them you can if someone is guilty or not just by looking at them. Or get really excited and say you should be picked because you watch a lot of CSI.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I got called on this one, had 400 in the pool took almost a month to go through the pool.
I didn't get picked after being questioned, had sat in the court for three weeks waiting to be put on the stand.
When asked if I had a problem with death penalty and replied no as well did I think inmates have rights again replied no they gave that up when they committed the crime. For some reason I think the defense struck me from the pool.
http://www.texasobserver.org/the-trials-of-eroy-brown/

 

[M5farm]

I got called on this one, had 400 in the pool took almost a month to go through the pool.
I didn't get picked after being questioned, had sat in the court for three weeks waiting to be put on the stand.
When asked if I had a problem with death penalty and replied no as well did I think inmates have rights again replied no they gave that up when they committed the crime. For some reason I think the defense struck me from the pool.
http://www.texasobserver.org/the-trials-of-eroy-brown/

bad bad eroy brown
badest man in the whole dam town

 

[Caustic Burno]

He was pretty bad.

"According to Grits for Breakfast, a parole board panel recently voted to grant parole to Eroy Brown, a black inmate who killed two high-ranking white Texas prison officials and whose 30 yearlong saga was the subject of a book by Michael Berryhill.

Eroy Brown, a burglar and armed robber, was serving a 90-year prison sentence as a habitual criminal when, in 1981, while serving his time at the Ellis Unit of the Texas prison system, he drowned Ellis Unit Warden Wallace Pack and fatally shot Billy Moore, the unit's farm manager. Those murders led to three high-profile trials that exposed outrageous – as Grits puts it – brutality in the state's prison system. Brown was acquitted separately in each murder on grounds of self-defense.

Brown has been serving time for his prior burglary and robbery offenses in South Carolina because of the risk of retaliation by Texas prison officials. Brown will move to a reentry facility run by the Catholic church in Los Angeles when he's released, said one of his attorneys, Bill Habern.

Congratulations California, you're getting a real winner!"

 

[Anonymous]

Well, let me tell you I certainly appreciate the men and women that took the 3 days time out of their lives when my daughters molester was on trial. For dam sure I wouldn't have wanted a bunch of unemployed, do nothin, slackers with no better excuse to have served on his trial.
Same goes if you're ever accused of a crime and on trial. Do you want a bunch of slackers determining your guilt or innocence or do you want people that have some common sense, drive, responsibilities?
Jury duty isn't supposed to be convenient. Because it sure as heck isn't convenient for the accused,the victim, the judge, the lawyers, the staff.the jury is the last and most important piece of the puzzle if you ask me

 

[john250]

I've been called twice, in some 50 yrs of eligibility.
The first time jury selection was on a Monday and the coming Saturday I was scheduled to drive an F-150 600 miles to D.C. to pick up my brides furniture. The case was a murder trial and could easily have lasted into the weekend. I was dismissed. I think the guy was convicted, but he got less time than I did (with the bride).
More recently, I was called and again I passed on my duty. The case was a lot less serious than murder, but I don't really remember. My excuse was that we were in the short daylight time of year and I had only an 80 yr old father to help me. The DA didn't want to let me go, but he did.
Now that I'm retired and have time on my hands, I doubt I'll ever be called again.

 

[jasonleonard]

Commercial Farmer...I really enjoyed your story of your mom's experience!
Also thank you to Hook, Greybeard and some of you other guys....I think I will put my jury time in without complaint. It is going to be in January anyway!

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Commercial Farmer...I really enjoyed your story of your mom's experience!
Also thank you to Hook, Greybeard and some of you other guys....I think I will put my jury time in without complaint. It is going to be in January anyway!

Wow, someone asked a question, got sevarel good responses, and then changed his mind and respectfully thanked them :clap: :clap:

 

[farmguy]

Jury duty is just that, a duty that comes with living in this country. Reminds me one time when I was talking to a daughter-in-law's uncle. We are the same age. I was drafted and went to Viet Nam. He was not, high lottery number, but he said he had a lot of things going on in his life and opportunities at that time so it would have been a real inconvenience for him. Need I say more?