Queens Jury Duty: telephone standby with a high juror number (Islip: lawyers, houses)
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I got the yellow summons from queens county and just made it thru the first day without getting called in to serve - it seems like I have a very high juror number - my question to those in the know - on an average week how many jurors does queens county go through? Bonus points if you can share any personal experience with waiting in the summons phone queue.
Was able to keep deferring for many years in my 20s/30s. Then in my 40s, about 10 yrs ago, I got called and couldn't get out of it. Process was interesting. Yep, had my number called and reported that Monday morning. Even then, figured I'd still get out of it at the courhouse since so many people were there and we sat around all day never called into a case. But suddenly my name was called (the educated white collar white professional). Just like life, jury duty has unspoken quotas. Sat for questioning by the lawyers in front of the judge on a gun possession case of a young black man and his 2 buddies in a car driving on the Grand Central. No doubt they were guilty. Cops found the gun in the car, but I guess this young man in particular was trying to get out of it. What struck me was when you actually sit there in person and have to stare the perp in the face, it's hard to grasp that you are now in control of their life And there were SO MANY idiot potential jurors being questioned that didn't know up from down. I felt bad for this kid becuase the jury was going to be a bunch of idiots.
Unfortunately for the defendant, the lawyers, knowing that I'm a white guy from Queens and probably know a bunch of cops, kicked me off the jury pool and sent me on my way home. While I was relieved to be going home and not having the burden to possibly put a young kid in jail, I knew that the morons who were being selected for the case would never understand how to interpret evidence or the defendant's legal argument and likely was going to be found guilty. Not sure how it turned out. But I was going to likely let the kid go! Sometimes you need a break in life.
Slightly off topic but connected how long does it usually take to get a summons after filling out a juror duty questionnaire?
Could be weeks or months, all depends upon number of cases calendared and what court (criminal, civil, or grand jury). Also some boroughs have busier civil or criminal courts than others.
I once got a very high number and by Thursday evening, never reached my number. Even though I was not used or had to report, it counted as if I did serve. The next cycle, I did have to report. Was never called for a case and was released after 2 days.
I got the yellow summons from queens county and just made it thru the first day without getting called in to serve - it seems like I have a very high juror number - my question to those in the know - on an average week how many jurors does queens county go through? Bonus points if you can share any personal experience with waiting in the summons phone queue.
No rhyme or reason. I was called one year. Showed up for the day and told to leave midday. Next time I had to serve and could not get out of it.
lol This is a joke in NYC. How many people actually show up to jury duty? The only people who show up for these things are city workers.
It's not optional. I went the first time they asked me and didn't have to serve, as they didn't need me. The second time I was summoned, I postponed it until I couldn't anymore and if you don't show up, they can issue a bench warrant for your arrest. They also make sure that you can't pretend you don't understand because you don't speak English. Sounds like they've heard that excuse before and are ready.
That wasn't my excuse, but that's one that the immigrant population tries to use. Anywho, I tried to get excused and the judge was having none of it. I was screened by the lawyers and selected. What is ridiculous is they only pay $40 a day. That is nothing. Thank God I was paid my regular salary for the time I was there. No one you can live off of that for weeks. That barely covered getting there and lunch for the weeks I served, let alone my other monthly expenses.
lol This is a joke in NYC. How many people actually show up to jury duty? The only people who show up for these things are city workers.
Many decades ago now they removed virtually all exemptions for jury duty service. As such everyone and their mother from high to low must serve when called. Press makes huge deal when Mike Bloomberg and Anna Wintour were called to serve showing that indeed no one is exempt.
At same time state upped the ante in that people who ignore jury duty questionnaires or summons can or will face consequences and repercussions.
Those who don't answer questionnaires or summons for jury duty risk being held in contempt of court. A judge can issue a bench warrant hauling offending person before him/her to explain why they didn't respond. In theory a said judge can send offender to jail for number of days, impose fines *and* they still must serve on jury duty. Usually latter will then be at once period and no more excuses.
Now yes, some say they ignore both questionnaires and summons for jury duty and "nothing happens". That may be so, but know of and have read about persons who indeed had LE show up at their door and haul them down to court.
Someone living in building next door years ago ignored all jury notices (summons and questionnaires). While in college she was given routine exemptions but they long since expired and also rules changed. She arrived home one day from work to find a giant a$$ed legal notice in her mailbox basically saying she had several days to report to county clerk's office and explain her actions or else.
Long story short she waited until last day until going down to Centre Street just before offices closed (about 4PM). Strike one was she had an attitude and treated county clerk officer as if he was something she scrapped off bottom of her shoes. Strike two came after clerk asked her to explain herself (why she ignored all those notices). Her response was she was "too busy" between her primary and second job and thus couldn't be bothered as serving on jury duty would "cost her money". Clerk wasn't having any of it.
Basically clerk gave her two options; either commit to serving jury duty *now*, or go before judge and explain her reasonings to him. To emphasize latter point clerk pointed to court officer standing not far away indicating "today is not the day and I'm not the one...".
I got a Federal notice and if selected I would have had to report in Central Islip..Ugh. Called in for five days straight and never had to report. That would have been a hardship..
So far I have reported for all three court houses in Queens. Only sat on a jury just once.
Not a City Worker.
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Anywho, I tried to get excused and the judge was having none of it. I was screened by the lawyers and selected. 
What is ridiculous is they only pay $40 a day. That is nothing. Thank God I was paid my regular salary for the time I was there. No one you can live off of that for weeks. That barely covered getting there and lunch for the weeks I served, let alone my other monthly expenses.
