Jury Duty

Well, next week I start Jury Duty.

What can I expect?

Pros?
Cons?

What can I bring to entertain myself?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Unless you already know you've been assigned a case, you can expect to go down to the court house, sit around for hours, and likely be sent home without working on a case.

Srsly.

 

Say you hate cops. You won't have to serve.

 

You'll expect to sit in a large room with lots of people.

You then will be called with a group of others to sit in a court room, with a packet to fill out. The packet is about 30 pages of personal info questions. Then your done for that day.

Then you will get a call the next day or two to sit in front of a lawyer team. You will be drilled with REALLY personal questions. To see if your good enough to sit in on a trial.

Then you get accepted or not in front of a judge and lawyers. They tell you when the trail starts. Then you come back and your apart of it.

Thats how my Jury Duty went. It could be different for you or others... My first time doing it was a Murder trail. It was intense and we had to come back the next day and still debate the verdict. They put us up in the Hilton thought which was AWESOME!

 

I Also have to do jury duty coming up november 16... on my summons it says to call some hotline the friday before and then go from there.... Mine is in Anoka county...

 

I was supposed to be in the selection pool for November nad December, but got out of it since I am a full time student.

 

Bring a PSP or other handheld gaming device. I beat a couple of games when I had Jury Duty a few summers ago.

 

The only time i was called in for jury duty was awhile ago when i was in college and i just sent a copy of my school schedule and got out of it. I know it depends on your company some have paid time off for jury duty some don't... What the state pays for your time is really ridicules its like not even min wadge. At least that was what ohio was like. I figure its the same for every state.

 

I just got off jury duty about a week ago. I had to call in every night to see if my number had been called, and then I went in when they told me to. I lasted the whole first week without getting called in. The second week I was on a trial that started monday, and ended tuesday and that was it. Its really hit or miss.

 

I never get father than about an hour into jury selection. Just tell them you don't believe the Criminal Justice system in a america is remotely useful.

 

and use a lot of swear words! use bad grammer! maybe don't shower (that is just for everyone else in the room with you :biggrin

 

What if you don't want to answer the questions?

I've never done it, but most people I've talked to say that they were never chosen for a trial.

 

Make sure you show up haha had a bad experience once but I didn't even know I had jury duty since it was in a county I had not lived in for almost 4 years

 

I have never been called for Jury duty, I hope to one day

 

I'm pretty sure you have to fill out the questions in the packet. I dont think you have to answer questions from lawyers and such.

I know one question for the packet was. "Do you enjoy watching crime shows? eg: CSI, Law & Order Etc..."

I anwsered yes, then while i was answering questions from the lawyers they asked me "If i know the differences between television and real life."

 

The first time I was called (2 years ago), I got picked for the first case. Despite my best efforts to get thrown out, I was selected and had to sit thru a trial for FIVE WEEKS. Although I learned a lot, it was terrible.

 

I'm not trying to get out of it by any means. A lot of people told me that it was a really interesting experience just to get in. It is our civil duty to participate in this.

Also, My work is paying me the difference from what the court pays me as if I was working a full week! I guess it would be like taking a weeks vacation. PAID! WOO!

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll probably be bring in my laptop.. maybe hitting up Counter Strike while I sit there.