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SWB, why not do research to see what type of case(s) you are going to go before? If it's a simple case that's just been appealed, it might actually do you some good to do this. Check the docket - they are public knowledge.
Please, please ignore that advice! Our jury system is based on the jury mulling over the evidence which is submitted in court. If you do that type of thing while you are on the jury you may be found in contempt of court and the judge will surely declare a mistrial. Before a trial, every defendant (even in civil matters) is not guilty. Don't go looking into the case!
As to the pay, what kind of folks do you think the courts get for $17 a day? They get the halt and the lame. Basically, retired folks and others who view that amount of money as a plus. The jury system is based on people having a good level of understanding (and on EVERYONE serving) so college students need to be included in the pool. As you are an intelligent person I would respectfully ask you to do this volunteer duty for the good of your community.
Finally, professional juries are only in existence, to my knowledge, in Japan. We have a jury of one's peers in this country and having professionals would be unconstitutional.
Sorry I went on so long. I'm a lawyer and I would love a college student on a jury.
Location: Oklahoma(formerly SoCalif) Originally Mich,
13,387 posts, read 19,432,243 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lisak64
How about this? In order to get a jury trial, one has to have served jury duty? We all can come up excuses as to why serving jury isn't convenient for us at any given time to...small kids at home, school, work, etc. Some people have valid reasons why they can't serve on a jury. Like they're in the hospital. Or they're attending a wake and funeral of a family member, etc. Many of us take our judicial system for granted. Sure, it's not perfect, but there are places in this world that don't provide its citizens with jury trials. Many people have died in wars for our freedoms and in my opinion, we should gladly serve as jurors.
If you want to be dismissed from a jury onto which you have been empaneled (there is a good chance you will show up and simply not be empaneled at all, but rather dismissed), say something subtly prejudiced during the 'voir dire' process of jury selection. For example, if the defendant doesn't speak English, and the defense attorney asks you if you would have any trouble giving a fair hearing to such a person, respond "well, let me think about that," followed by a pregnant pause, followed by an "okay, sure, why not?"
Bam! You are off that jury, without actually having lied or done anything untoward.
If you want to be dismissed from a jury onto which you have been empaneled (there is a good chance you will show up and simply not be empaneled at all, but rather dismissed), say something subtly prejudiced during the 'voir dire' process of jury selection. For example, if the defendant doesn't speak English, and the defense attorney asks you if you would have any trouble giving a fair hearing to such a person, respond "well, let me think about that," followed by a pregnant pause, followed by an "okay, sure, why not?"
Bam! You are off that jury, without actually having lied or done anything untoward.
Don't do this. Be honest. In many cases the trial will last no more than a day.
It should only be done if the person absolutely cannot serve on a jury. Jury duty is one of those civic obligations you ought to carry out, in any case.
Serving on a jury is no different than voting, it is the civic duty of every US citizen. I have been summoned twice for jury duty. The first time I was not selected. The second time I was selected to serve on a jury and the trial lasted one day. In both cases I lost several hundred dollars and had to explain to my clients about the delay. Serving on a jury is a hardship for everyone, some more than others, but it is also an obligation if we want to live in a nation with a participatory government.
Its not the civic duty if you have a prior commitment to hourly working or school.
I dont believe the state owns my time or my body, and how does stuff like this impact students who don't get excused by professors (which happens often) or those who work an hourly wage?
For me to serve on a jury you better compensate me for my time at a reasonable wage.
I would think that full time student would be a good excuse to get off jury duty. I mean, it is a hardship. A BIG one. College tuition is expensive!
At the time we moved here, they sent out a questionnaire asking if anything would possibly be a problem or hardship if you were asked to serve. At the time my only job was freelance work. Thus, if I got called and had to serve on some super-lengthy trial. It would severly impact my income level.
Never got called in. DH, however, gets called in constantly.
Neither of us will ever be asked to serve on a murder trial though, because a family member of mine was murdered.
When I lived in Athens, GA there was a judge in town who would not excuse students for class (and professors likewise really couldn't, you cannot miss 3-4 days of class) and I knew most kids ignored a jury summons in favor of class and had to make that decision knowing they'd get a few days in jail for it.
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Please serve!
