Bugger - just been called for Jury Service

bikerbill · MIP Old Timer

Bugger - just been called for Jury Service

louisa · Senior Member

Oh Bill!
Have always wanted to be called for that!!!
How exciting!!!! I wonder what the case will be????
Oh I am envious !!!!
Louisa aww

xx

jj · MIP Old Timer

LOL Bill,
must be time for a wrench in the monkey-works. short lived or long haul, keep your heart open to old and new lessons.
big hugs
jj

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

I've only been summoned once, by the federal court of appeals in Tampa. I sent their letter back, filled the form out on the back on why I couldn't attend. I wrote that I was not qualified to be a jurist because of my many prejudices toward the legal system, couldn't bring myself to convict anyone, and went on to say that I didn't much like or trust anyone. Never heard from them again. But when i watch the news, I'm typically yelling "that s.o.b. needs the death penalty"

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Thursday 5th of August 2010 03:05:34 PM

Lexie · Senior Member

Heh, Dean, you're MY kinda juror (closet convictor).

I'll probably never get picked for a jury--at least not while I've got this job. I'd love to have the experience someday, though.

I don't know how things work in the UK, but here, they summon WAY more jurors than they are ever gonna need, so most people who are summoned just have to show up and go through the drill for the one day. OTOH, you might get picked and find it very interesting.

happycamper · MIP Old Timer

Ive been summoned for jury duty and they didnt send it registered mail, so I threw it in the trash.

Dave Harm · Senior Member

I look at people who committed felonies while under the influence and lost these rights... and I look at myself and see that I still have that right. I would gladly serve and be honored to serve on a jury.

I am not a bleeding heart liberal, but I know that with the power of a second chance I was given a new life... and I find it hard to condemn anyone to death... I don't have that much power to forget where I came from...

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

Dave Harm wrote:

I look at people who committed felonies while under the influence and lost these rights... and I look at myself and see that I still have that right. I would gladly serve and be honored to serve on a jury.

I am not a bleeding heart liberal, but I know that with the power of a second chance I was given a new life... and I find it hard to condemn anyone to death... I don't have that much power to forget where I came from...

" anybody that doesn't know how to get out of jury duty can't be one of my peers" smile

bikerbill · MIP Old Timer

apparantly, having just watched the video on 'how to be a juror' (it's not really called that) you turn up on day one at 0915, register and wait to be called.

all the names are written on a deck of cards which are shuffled. When a jury is needed, 15 names are dealt from the top of the pack and taken into the court. The fifteen cards are shuffled again and the top 12 are dealt.

I'm expected to be available for 10 working days but could be released at any time after 10:30 in the morning, so I can go back to work. But just to project, I could be called to a case that lasts for months (I think the longest case in the UK took over 2 years - fraud case), the information you get suggests that it is rare for a case to last more than 200 days(!).

Could be sent to a neighbouring court in a neighbouring town or county or to a higher court - hey, hey - old bailey here we come!

louisa · Senior Member

I prefer this aww

Lexie · Senior Member

Wow, they keep you "on the hook" for a long time, there! Here, it's one day/one trial. If you don't get picked for a trial your first day, you are done (for the next three years).

Bring some good reading material--that's a lot of sitting around.

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

I'm wondering if the PO box address on my driver's license is keeping me out of the pool of potential jurors?

Lexie · Senior Member

I doubt it--most places, I think, use a combo of DL info, voter registration (which HAS to have your actual address because it determines where you vote), tax records, etc.

I've gone over a decade at times without being summoned--because it's random.

jonijoni1 · MIP Old Timer

LOL..... enjoy!!

Last time I was called up for jury duty, once we got into the courtroom, I realized that the defendant (accused of robbery) was someone I knew from "drinking/drugging days", and I already knew him to be a thief. (He even WAVED at me from the defendant's table!!!! LOL) So I could not be un-biased, and I told the judge and prosecutor in private that I had been exposed to this person before in such a way that I would not feel comfortable or "fair" sitting on the jury. They sent me home and my "tour of duty" was considered finished.

Never know who you will run into in the court house! (Just glad I'm no longer running into ME and "John Barleycorn" there!!!)

-- Edited by jonijoni1 on Friday 6th of August 2010 09:24:54 AM

barisax · Senior Member

I guy I used to know ran for mayor when he was less than a year sober. And won.

I've never served on a jury. I got notified one time, when I was self employed, and got excused.

Barisax

Lexie · Senior Member

Is starting a new relationship with a whole CITY a good idea the first year of sobriety???

barisax · Senior Member

Lexie wrote:

Is starting a new relationship with a whole CITY a good idea the first year of sobriety???

I guess it worked for him. I don't know how many terms he had as mayor, but he was popular. So popular that he received quite a few write-in votes even after he had declined to run again, and moved out of state.

Makes me think of Bill D., AA number three - the attorney who walked out of the hospital and ran for office shortly after... although IIRC he didn't win. Some people do have "walk off" sobriety. For most of us, it's a more gradual process even if we don't relapse, it takes a while to really get on our feet.

Barisax

Larry_H · MIP Old Timer

Bill,

You may want to look at this

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTDhgR3p12w
Larry,
-------------------
Before we can pray, "Lord, Thy Kingdom come," we must be willing to pray, "My Kingdom go." ~Alan Redpath

-- Edited by StPeteDean on Friday 6th of August 2010 09:18:33 PM

Lexie · Senior Member

I miss juries...

I work in the appellate section right now. Nobody would pay money to go to a movie called "Twelve Angry Proofreaders," would they?

Oh, well, I will get a jury trial in October. My last trial pled out the morning of jury selection. Three weeks before I got sober. I was too scared to try to quit drinking until the trial was over, so I kept it on a VERY short leash (thanks to my ability to do short-term controlled drinking). Kinda like Dr. Bob needing the beer for his last operation before he quit. When the boomerang effect hit me after the plea, that was when I was ready to quit.