Jury duty sucks

[johnnyc]

Well, got stuck going in for jury duty today. Got called into the courtroom to listen to the judge. Some misdemeanor case (can't talk about it).

We got sent on a 2.5 hour lunch because the judge had something to do. Only good thing is that I'm at the courthouse on Jamboree, and not in Santa Ana.

A couple of people were sent home because they didn't understand enough English. Maybe I should try the same thing. :)

Rant over. :wave:

[Kejtar]

Well, got stuck going in for jury duty today. Got called into the courtroom to listen to the judge. Some misdemeanor case (can't talk about it).

We got sent on a 2.5 hour lunch because the judge had something to do. Only good thing is that I'm at the courthouse on Jamboree, and not in Santa Ana.

A couple of people were sent home because they didn't understand enough English. Maybe I should try the same thing. :)

Rant over. :wave:

Well..... my turn is coming up at the end of the month. I know I'll be wearing my NRA hat with a rebel flag tshirt as I go to the courthouse :D

[chelms27]

Rebel flag shirt and NRA hat, that is funny! You wouldn't be able to claim you don't speak english where I am from, I only saw like 2 hispanic people until I joined the military and came to Cali, let's just say I can't wait to get home!

[karstic]

A couple of people were sent home because they didn't understand enough English. Maybe I should try the same thing. :)

Rant over. :wave:

Don't even go there. I served last summer and 4 people were excused during the jury selection for that same reason. I thought I heard them speaking pretty good English out in the hallway:smsoap:

[5-90]

A major part of the problem with jury duty is the way it is organised. Let's try soemthing different...

Since there are 40 hours in a work week pick a pool of, say, 400 people. 400/40 = 10.

0900 Monday - #1-10 report in.
1000 Monday - #11-20 report in.
1100 Monday - #21-30 report in.
.
.
.
1600 Friday - #391-400 report in.

Now, since you know you're going to get ten people per hour, you should have your jury selected fairly quickly. Make the first call-in 1200 Monday - to find out if you actually have to report in (you already know when, so you're not putting the week "on hold" while you wait to find out.)

Once the jury is selected (twelve primary and six alternates, as I recall,) you call off the rest - just say "Thank you, but we've got everyone. No need to call back, no need to come in."

If you want to mix things up just a bit, then mix up the order in which blocs of 10 report in. Just call in the week-end before to find out when you're supposed to show up, and update the IVR every half-day so you can find out if you're supposed to come in or not (you already know when...)

That would be a good deal easier than what we've got now - which is, essentially, putting your entire life on hold and waiting to find out if you have to drop everything and go in. This is what makes jury duty so onerous and something to be generally avoided - if we simplified the system, it wouldn't be so damn bad, y'know?

5-90

[karstic]

You should have brought in all those pics of you eatin' dogs.

[ruggedjeep]

I was scheduled on Sept 11. in Malibu... Called in and was told not to report. :D

[in2fords]

last time I was called one of the prospective jurors got excused because the defendant ran a red light and hit her car that morning! he was in court to fight a traffic charge that would take away his TAXI lic.!!!!! only good thing about having a felony, gets you out everytime. only problem is its a defferral so I get put back in the system and get called every few months.

[johnnyc]

Well, guess what? After sitting in the courtroom all day, we were instructed to come back in the morning. The selection process is just dragging on and on.

Damn. Good thing I have an understanding boss.

[karstic]

Our jury selection took 3 days.



Have fun!:gee:

[Gerr]

Id like to do jury duty just so I can jump up in the middle of the defence attorneys opening statement and yell Liar liar pants on fire!

[johnnyc]

Yee haw. Just got sprung. The defense attorney didn't like the way I looked.

[Kejtar]

Yee haw. Just got sprung. The defense attorney didn't like the way I looked.
Lemme guess: you brought "lunch" with you :D

[GSequoia]

Yee haw. Just got sprung. The defense attorney didn't like the way I looked.

DISCRIMINATION!

[karstic]

Yee haw. Just got sprung. The defense attorney didn't like the way I looked.

Don't you go back into the jury pool?

[Gerr]

I do believe if you are dismissed from selection then you are done

[johnnyc]

Yup. Done for at least a year.

How often do you guys get summoned? The judge was asking people when they were last summoned. And people were saying 3-4 years. I've gotten a jury summons EVERY year for the past 6-7 years. Like clockwork.

[GSequoia]

I was summoned a lot for awhile, about five times in a three year stint. (forgot about them once so they put me on the really annoying list!).

Served my time about three years ago (sat around for a day) and haven't been called up since.