Jury duty

Macfanforever · #1 08-11-2011, 05:21 PM

Hi all.Everybodies got to do it.Its a part being a citizen of this great country.I was summons to appear for the 12th of august.Which is tomorrow.Anyway I just checked online also called the courthouse earlier tonight and check the recording to see if I have to appear.Will I got good news.I dont have to appear.I geuss the case was settled out of court.I did not mind if I had to go.I would feel like I'm in the middle of a Perry Mason episode or LA Law.The only thing that got me worried .If they put me on a major case like a murder trial.It would go forever.Will that will kill off the little Stevie tour that I'd planned already.I probably had to forfeit the whole thing.Will the good news Stevie summons me to be in that audience for 5 shows.pun intended.Heheheehehehe.

I wonder if Stevie or Lindsey ever gets called for JD.They got to put something down to get off it.

DavidMn · #2 08-11-2011, 05:28 PM

I was called for jury duty when I was 18. AS I remember it was nothing special. Just waiting in a room with other people to get called for a case for a weeks time. I got called on one case but it was also settled out of court.

Silver Springs · #3 08-11-2011, 05:30 PM

We have obligatory jury service in the UK too. My Mother was summoned once, but being classed as disabled she had a good enough get out clause to avoid the whole thing. I couldn't imagine myself being on a jury, really. I tend to get the giggles whenever expected to stay silent or behave with more decorum than you would in everyday society. I wouldn't want to burst out laughing on impulse whilst evidence of a murder or something is being given. Could. Be. Awkward.

ButterCookie · #4 08-11-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

We have obligatory jury service in the UK too.

Seriously?

Man that sucks, can't be assed with that, I'd get way too opinionated and make a tit out of myself.

Silver Springs · #5 08-11-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

Seriously?

Man that sucks, can't be assed with that, I'd get way too opinionated and make a tit out of myself.

Yup. Check on Directgov website

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CrimeJus...vice/DG_072707

It runs pretty much the same policy as the US service.

I would probably be the same. I tend to see too much good in people and it doesn't bode well for me a lot of the time.

Macfanforever · #6 08-11-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

Yup. Check on Directgov website

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CrimeJus...vice/DG_072707

It runs pretty much the same policy as the US service.

I would probably be the same. I tend to see too much good in people and it doesn't bode well for me a lot of the time.

Thanks .Wow I'd learn something tonight.I did not know Jury Duty is the same abroad too.

Ghost_Tracker · #7 08-11-2011, 09:35 PM

Something I experienced this past winter that I feel is worth mentioning - I was sent a Notice to appear for Jury Duty last winter - ended up not being selected but I was there for the first day of jury selection. In the waiting area downstairs, everyone was asked to closely watch a video - you can imagine the schpiel - "The history of juries," etc. - they showed how way back in the day, in England, suspects were thrown into a river with all their clothes on - if they didn't drown, they were innocent.

And then the rest of the history, up to present day, making clear the IMPORTANCE of it; how it's crucial to the survival of Democracy, etc. And - *everyone* ignored it. People were talking loudly, etc. Whole thing turned into a big party.

I was thinking to myself, "Wow, maybe America really *is* in bad shape here!"

Well . . . then we got upstairs. And it turned out to be a murder case! - And -

Instantaneous, complete, utter, total turnaround. Everyone was *completely* Professional, serious, paid *very* close attention, etc. I was VERY proud of each and every one of them.

By the way, oh MY was that Judge not messing around either - the guy was found Guilty as Charged and he sentenced him to "Life in prison followed by 35 years to life." He was waaaay unhappy with this guy, because when he was initially in jail he tried to arrange for the kidnapping of the one-year-old daughter of one of his co-conspirators, in order to intimidate her into keeping her mouth shut. Turned out his cell mate was an under-cover cop!

McTrouble · #8 08-12-2011, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

We have obligatory jury service in the UK too. My Mother was summoned once, but being classed as disabled she had a good enough get out clause to avoid the whole thing. I couldn't imagine myself being on a jury, really. I tend to get the giggles whenever expected to stay silent or behave with more decorum than you would in everyday society. I wouldn't want to burst out laughing on impulse whilst evidence of a murder or something is being given. Could. Be. Awkward.

Me too!!!! I always get uncontrollable giggles at funerals - the more I know I shouldn't be giggling, the worse I get! I have had to get up and leave crematoriums on a couple of occasions so I don't offend anyone.

ButterCookie · #9 08-12-2011, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

they showed how way back in the day, in England, suspects were thrown into a river with all their clothes on - if they didn't drown, they were innocent.

Isn't that how they used to put witches on trial? Didn't know they did it to murderers and thieves etc.

McTrouble · #10 08-12-2011, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

Isn't that how they used to put witches on trial? Didn't know they did it to murderers and thieves etc.

Yes, I thought this was just for suspected witchcraft practice only!

Silver Springs · #11 08-12-2011, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McTrouble

Me too!!!! I always get uncontrollable giggles at funerals - the more I know I shouldn't be giggling, the worse I get! I have had to get up and leave crematoriums on a couple of occasions so I don't offend anyone.

I have funeral giggles too! When I was at my Nan's funeral service, I can't remember what, but the Vicar said something that tickled me for all the wrong reasons. And I released something that could only be described as a bark (I sounded like one of those big, oafish Dogs that bark with elongated "boooows") and I had to try (and inevitably fail) to mask it with a sneeze, which only made things worse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McTrouble

Yes, I thought this was just for suspected witchcraft practice only!

So did I. But I suppose there's no getting away from the fact that people of yore years were mental.

vivfox · #12 08-12-2011, 07:06 AM

I have been summoned for a day in September. I plan on weasling my way out of it.

chriskisn · #13 08-12-2011, 09:40 AM

I've been called twice and served on a fraud case (guilty) and a rape case (not guilty). Probably the most boring days of my life, and really I can't believe the justice system is reliant on such a pathetic way of judging someone's guilt or innocence. Seriously most people do not want to be there, get paid a pathetic amount to attend (which my employer then deducted from the wages they had to pay me - bastards!).

When we were on the fraud case, it was plainly obvious that he was guilty, and the court kind of expected us to be back out very quickly. However someone had the smart idea that if we stretched out the deliberations a little we would get free lunch, so we sat there and talked about random stuff until lunch came, and came back with the verdict after lunch.

I am not in favour of the system. Oh and as I was walking in on the second morning of the fraud case I walked right past the defendant who was standing outside the courthouse. Good thing he wasn't violent or some such!

Silver Springs · #14 08-12-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivfox

I have been summoned for a day in September. I plan on weasling my way out of it.

Call in dead

"Hi...Yeah. I'm dead at the minute. Ah can't do ya service...."

Lee · #15 08-12-2011, 10:03 AM

As I recall, I've gotten called twice & once was for Superior Court in Wilmington. Now I live about 2 hours away from Wilmington, so I was not happy. Well, I didn't serve because the case was settled & I never had to report. And the other time was for a local civil case & I got my employer to write an excuse that I was needed as work.

Well, I was.... You could try that one if you wanted to weasel your way out.

Lee