So you got a Jury Summons .... now what? (Boulder: lawyers, move)

[ArthurDaly]

Well that didn't take long. 16 month in CO and I get a Jury Summons!?!?!

So never having any experience with something like this I thought I'd give a quick (well maybe not that quick) run down of what the process is for anyone in the same situation, as most folks that showed up didn't know what was going on either.

This is for Adams County by the way.

So you get your summons in the mail. You have a set amount of time to respond to be relieved of your duties, otherwise it tells you where and when to show up. Don't blow it off, or forget to show up because they check very thoroughly who is and isn't present.

Give yourself plenty of time to get through security on the day you are supposed to be present - there were 5 juries being chosen on the day I went - about 600 people were all due at the Courthouse at 8:00am. The line was out the building at 7:45am. No drinks are allowed through security - and make sure you put your keys in the tray before sending your "stuff" through the scanner. The lines do move pretty quickly. Dress should be neat casual, but it certainly did run the full spectrum.

Once through security you check in with the Jury staff - they take a part of your summons which you should already have filled in. DON'T forget to bring your summons with you! You then go take a seat in the waiting area. They play a short video of whats about to happen next and the importance of being a Juror. They did provide tea and coffee and there is a full cafeteria outside the holding room, however, there are parts of the process where you must stay in the holding room.

Once everyone is accounted for, they begin calling names to fill out brief questionnaires. These were color coded, and they use the colors so that each jury pool know which is which. Some questionnaires were 1 page long, the longest was 3 pages. The questions are easy to answer and somewhat random although they do pertain to what type of case you would be a juror for. If you are called for this process, you have been selected as a potential juror. If you are not called you get to sit in the holding area for another 2 or so hours before being dismissed.

After this process, the questionnaires are checked and then a court clerk comes and gathers up the jury pool for their particular case and courtroom. Out of the holding room to the courtroom we all go.

IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM GO ON THE WAY TO THE COURTROOM!

The lawyers for both sides, the defendant and the court personnel were all in the courtroom going through the previously filled out questionnaires. So far the process had taken about 2 hrs.

After a further wait, the Judge entered the courtroom and jury selection begins. The Judge asks if anyone has any reason to be dismissed before going any further. Two people were dismissed on religious grounds, 3 others tried to get dismissed but failed so they were stuck - for a while longer anyways. This part was actually pretty funny.

After this, the first 25 jurors were called to sit in, and in front of, the Jury Box - if you are selected at this point your odds of not being on the Jury are rapidly diminishing! Yes the courtroom looks like your on Judge Judy.

The next hour or so was pretty painful. The Prosecution, the Defense and then the Judge all get to talk to the Jurors and explain the process, how important their roles are, how they should process information as a Juror etc. The Judge then had 10 points / questions to go over with the Jury before the 13 Jurors were called to sit in the Jury box. This is another opportunity to get dismissed IF you do not agree with the questions, can stage a full on emotional breakdown, or can justify why you should be dismissed - 4 more down! Again, pretty amusing stuff.

Both the Prosecution and the Defense got 20 minutes to question the 25 potential jurors. During this process they are trying to determine who they do and do not want on the Jury. This was interesting because the questions and the responses were ......well ......interesting.

In this case, both the Defense and the Prosecution got to dismiss 6 Jurors each with out any reason.

It's at this point that I was dismissed. I guess the defense didn't like some of my responses to his questions

I left the courtroom at 12:15pm having performed my civil duty (well a little of it anyways)

So there you have it. It's nothing to get freaked out about (unless of course you are called for a high profile case that will last for weeks or months - in which case I would definitely be freaked out)

[Sobe Itsavized]

I'm probably jinxing myself but I got a Boulder county jury summons last year but it turned out they didn't need me. I can't remember what the reason was but I believe I received an automated call or a written letter to advise me I was no longer needed for jury duty.

Bullet dodged... for now. Lol

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by ArthurDaly

Well that didn't take long. 16 month in CO and I get a Jury Summons!?!?!

So never having any experience with something like this I thought I'd give a quick (well maybe not that quick) run down of what the process is for anyone in the same situation, as most folks that showed up didn't know what was going on either.

This is for Adams County by the way.

So you get your summons in the mail. You have a set amount of time to respond to be relieved of your duties, otherwise it tells you where and when to show up. Don't blow it off, or forget to show up because they check very thoroughly who is and isn't present.

Give yourself plenty of time to get through security on the day you are supposed to be present - there were 5 juries being chosen on the day I went - about 600 people were all due at the Courthouse at 8:00am. The line was out the building at 7:45am. No drinks are allowed through security - and make sure you put your keys in the tray before sending your "stuff" through the scanner. The lines do move pretty quickly. Dress should be neat casual, but it certainly did run the full spectrum.

Once through security you check in with the Jury staff - they take a part of your summons which you should already have filled in. DON'T forget to bring your summons with you! You then go take a seat in the waiting area. They play a short video of whats about to happen next and the importance of being a Juror. They did provide tea and coffee and there is a full cafeteria outside the holding room, however, there are parts of the process where you must stay in the holding room.

Once everyone is accounted for, they begin calling names to fill out brief questionnaires. These were color coded, and they use the colors so that each jury pool know which is which. Some questionnaires were 1 page long, the longest was 3 pages. The questions are easy to answer and somewhat random although they do pertain to what type of case you would be a juror for. If you are called for this process, you have been selected as a potential juror. If you are not called you get to sit in the holding area for another 2 or so hours before being dismissed.

After this process, the questionnaires are checked and then a court clerk comes and gathers up the jury pool for their particular case and courtroom. Out of the holding room to the courtroom we all go.

IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM GO ON THE WAY TO THE COURTROOM!

The lawyers for both sides, the defendant and the court personnel were all in the courtroom going through the previously filled out questionnaires. So far the process had taken about 2 hrs.

After a further wait, the Judge entered the courtroom and jury selection begins. The Judge asks if anyone has any reason to be dismissed before going any further. Two people were dismissed on religious grounds, 3 others tried to get dismissed but failed so they were stuck - for a while longer anyways. This part was actually pretty funny.

After this, the first 25 jurors were called to sit in, and in front of, the Jury Box - if you are selected at this point your odds of not being on the Jury are rapidly diminishing! Yes the courtroom looks like your on Judge Judy.

The next hour or so was pretty painful. The Prosecution, the Defense and then the Judge all get to talk to the Jurors and explain the process, how important their roles are, how they should process information as a Juror etc. The Judge then had 10 points / questions to go over with the Jury before the 13 Jurors were called to sit in the Jury box. This is another opportunity to get dismissed IF you do not agree with the questions, can stage a full on emotional breakdown, or can justify why you should be dismissed - 4 more down! Again, pretty amusing stuff.

Both the Prosecution and the Defense got 20 minutes to question the 25 potential jurors. During this process they are trying to determine who they do and do not want on the Jury. This was interesting because the questions and the responses were ......well ......interesting.

In this case, both the Defense and the Prosecution got to dismiss 6 Jurors each with out any reason.

It's at this point that I was dismissed. I guess the defense didn't like some of my responses to his questions

I left the courtroom at 12:15pm having performed my civil duty (well a little of it anyways)

So there you have it. It's nothing to get freaked out about (unless of course you are called for a high profile case that will last for weeks or months - in which case I would definitely be freaked out)

Thanks for the detailed report. Now, I know what I missed out on, the dozens of times when I ignored Jury Summonses.

[Willy702]

Amazing this was almost exactly what happened to me. It was about 18 months after getting to Colorado and I too got out at around 12:30. My case was made pretty clear when the plaintiffs attorney asked did any of us have a philosophical objection to personal injury lawyers "otherwise known as ambulance chasers?" His exact words. The door to get out of there was wide open and I took it.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by Willy702

Amazing this was almost exactly what happened to me. It was about 18 months after getting to Colorado and I too got out at around 12:30. My case was made pretty clear when the plaintiffs attorney asked did any of us have a philosophical objection to personal injury lawyers "otherwise known as ambulance chasers?" His exact words. The door to get out of there was wide open and I took it.

Questions like that are why our jury system sucks.

Defense lawyer: How do you feel about cops who brutally beat an unarmed man to death?

Juror #1: That sounds terrible.

Defense lawyer: Dismissed.

Juror #2. That doesn't sound very nice.

Defense lawyer: Dismissed.

Juror #3. The guy probably had it coming.

Defense lawyer: Excellent, I want you on the jury.

[Sobe Itsavized]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Questions like that are why our jury system sucks.

Defense lawyer: How do you feel about cops who brutally beat an unarmed man to death?

Juror #1: That sounds terrible.

Defense lawyer: Dismissed.

Juror #2. That doesn't sound very nice.

Defense lawyer: Dismissed.

Juror #3. The guy probably had it coming.

Defense lawyer: Excellent, I want you on the jury.

If only it was that easy to read contract agreements instead of the trash that is stuffed in to make sure the important parts are glazed over by 90% of the people signing it.