Jury Duty in Baltimore City (crime, lawyer, college)

[Woodlands]

I am not complaining (really, Im not) but I find in amazing that I get called for Jury Duty in Baltimore City EVERY year. On the 366th day from the time I last served my summons arrives. What do they use to constitute the jury pool? Driver's License? Voter Registration? No Criminal Record? The later is truly an issue because I have seen half a court room jury pool dismissed because people either had some sort of record or a bias against the Police. I have lived in the City for six years and have been called for the last three(3). I have only have to serve on a trial once as an alternate.. but I got dimissed once they went to deliberate. I just find it ironic because some people I know have lived in the City for years and have NEVER been called. I guess once they find a civilian.. they stick with them...

[sobo16]

They must like you because you showed up. I had the same thing happen to me.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by sobo16

They must like you because you showed up. I had the same thing happen to me.

Maybe.. I was told by one of the clerks that if you didnt show up they would send the Sheriff after you and charge you with contempt of court and lock you up.. Maybe thats why half of the Court Room was dismissed because they had been arrested for not showing up for their last jury summons. So I guess I can not show up once, get arrested, then not have to show up again because now I have a record... I think I have found a way to beat the system

The only problem is that I dont want to have to go to the lock up on Eager Street and get asked the age old question "Yo, what are you in here for??!!" Could you image the look I would get when I tell them why.... I guess I could jazz it up by saying.. 'they wanted me to serve on a jury.. I told the judge to kiss my azz cause I aint no snitch" Maybe I would get a pack of cigarettes and some protection after than...:0

[GunsMass]

Which district do you live in? I never was contacted in my life until I moved to the central district. In the four years I lived there I was notified 3 or 4 times. Since I moved to SE they've died off completely.

[B.K.]

Consider yourself lucky. I'm 48 years old. Except for a few years I spent in college out of state, I've been called to serve jury duty every year since I turned 18, both in MD and GA. I've never once sat on a jury. The vast majority of the times I've never even left the jurors' waiting room. A few times I've been questioned by the judge and made it to the panel box. Once there, after a few questions from either lawyer I've always been dismissed. Thirty years in a row and nothing! Now I really want to serve on a jury!

[P47P47]

From the time I moved into the city from Anne Arundel County in 1988, I've been called for jury duty just about every 18 months, except that since the last time it's been about 3-1/2 years.

I've only made it to a jury once, as "Alternate Juror #1", and after jury selection the defense took a plea bargain.

I noticed that each time I was called, my juror number got higher and higher, to the point where when I called the courthouse the night before, they weren't taking numbers that high, or if I had to go to the courthouse, my number didn't get called that day.

For me, jury duty has usually meant a day spent reading, and having lunch downtown.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by GunsMass

Which district do you live in? I never was contacted in my life until I moved to the central district. In the four years I lived there I was notified 3 or 4 times. Since I moved to SE they've died off completely.

Im in the Northern Police District.. City Council District 6. I cant imagine that I would get dismissed since there is ALWAYS someone going to trial in this town. I remember on the time that I did serve.. the clerk gleefully announced that they would need ALL jurors because of the number of cases. Unfortunately, I sat on a murder trial..in which the best witness they could find was someone who was already in jail. The defense lite into him and painted him as an inmate attempting to get less time by offering information that he obtained second hand..The judge threatened us daily with arrest if we discussed the case during the trial and for us to remove our jury badges when outside of the courtroom for our own safety. There were some holes in the case in terms of how the evidence was handled.. and you got the sense that the BPD and the Crime Lab folks were extremely overworked and thus prone to make mistakes.Fortunately I got dismissed and never got to deliberate. I suspect the defendants got off or some lesser charge.... but have no way on knowing for sure.

One problem that I did have with the whole ordeal was when they dismissed us for lunch.. they put us out into the courtroom with the victims family and other folks that were in the audience. Seems like we should have been able to go through a back door not out into the world with God knows who....I can say it was interesting being in the jury box and looking out into the crowd of "characters" slouched down in their seats steady eye balling you and studying your reaction to the proceedings.. I can see how the "stop snitching" culture has tarnished criminal judicial system in the City and has made getting convictions difficult.

[ToneGrail]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I am not complaining (really, Im not) but I find in amazing that I get called for Jury Duty in Baltimore City EVERY year. On the 366th day from the time I last served my summons arrives. What do they use to constitute the jury pool? Driver's License? Voter Registration? No Criminal Record? The later is truly an issue because I have seen half a court room jury pool dismissed because people either had some sort of record or a bias against the Police. I have lived in the City for six years and have been called for the last three(3). I have only have to serve on a trial once as an alternate.. but I got dimissed once they went to deliberate. I just find it ironic because some people I know have lived in the City for years and have NEVER been called. I guess once they find a civilian.. they stick with them...

Maybe the pool of law-abiding citizens in Baltimore are so few that they need to keep calling on those who qualify?

[EdwardA]

I lived in the Bronx and got called only once and I made it onto the jury for civil case after a few days the plaintive testified and the city settled afterwards. I've lived in PG for two years now and have not been called yet.

[rudy_d]

It is bizarre. I lived in Baltimore for several years, never receiving a jury duty summons, but then I received one like clockwork every January for about 5 years. Much to my surprise, I have not gotten one in 3 years. Nothing significant has changed in my life that I think could affect whether or not I'm considered a potential juror -- I have lived at the same address, have been registered to vote, had a driver's license, and haven't had a criminal record the whole time.