OT: Jury Duty

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Got selected to be on a jury today, criminal trial will last longer than a week.

Anyone else been on been on a jury?

Other than not talking about/reading about the case...any advice?

 

[CL82]

Pull an all-nighter and drink the night before so that you will get that nonsense out of your system. Carb load at breakfast so you will have plenty of energy, say a double order stack of pancakes with plenty of syrup. Oh and no coffee, you don't want to be jittery. Court rooms can be cool so dress warmly, perhaps a nice sweater. Finally, focus on the testimony by closing your eyes so that you can savor every word.

Hope that helps.

 

[UCDaveD]

I'm jealous. I'd love to serve on a jury. Surprisingly, I've never once been called to jury duty.

 

[TheRogers]

Was selected as an alternate on a 23 year old murder trial. Almost vomited when they presented the graphic picture of the teen. No parent should be subjected to seeing their daughter like that. Just awful.

On the flip side, I missed the breakfast truck when it was all over.

 

[CTBasketball]

I usually act very radical and give radical opinions during briefing. One time they let me go and said we're not looking for a juror of your type.

 

[8893]

For starters, avoid posting, tweeting, messaging, FBing or any other conversation about it. Best bet is not to tell anyone who doesn't need to know until after it is over. The judge and courthouse staff will tell you everything you need to know in order to serve.

Seriously, nothing good can come of reading the comments you'll get in this thread (except this post, of course). You are supposed to decide the case based only on what you hear in the courtroom, and you are bound to have all sorts of improper outside influences if you invite conversation about even just the fact that you are serving on a criminal jury. The parties have a right to try the case to the jurors they selected, and not have them influenced by things outside the courtroom.

Good luck, and thank you. The system depends on people like you taking it seriously.

 

[Poe]

Bring some plenty of reading material because you won't be in the court room the whole time, you will likely spend a lot of time waiting to be called into the court room. Also, its possible you won't have to go to the court house every day, might have to go three days, then not go one day, then go the following day, etc.

 

[TXHuskyFan]

He's guilty, right? C'mon you can tell us. We are like family here on the boneyard.

 

[SallyH]

I was on a murder trial jury in CT in1988. It was gory, but I later ran into one of the cops who testified, and he thanked me for convicting the guy. He said there was evidence they could not present. I'm not anxious to do that anytime soon. They summoned me twice more after I moved out of state.

 

[Northbound]

So I've been called a few times in NYC and I've never been selected and this might be why.

When the attorney's screen jurors they ask questions of each potential juror. They asked what I like to do and I said hunt and fish. While this would cause no alarm in my native upstate NY, in NYC the court went quiet as a church after the audible gasp. Then the follow-up question on gun ownership.....when I said I had 6 long guns (shotguns, I'm a bird hunter), that was it. They couldn't escort me our of the courtroom quick enough.

Would be interested to hear your experience after the fact.

 

[CL82]

Seriously, nothing good can come of reading the comments you'll get in this thread (except this post, of course). You are supposed to decide the case based only on what you hear in the courtroom, and you are bound to have all sorts of improper outside influences if you invite conversation about even just the fact that you are serving on a criminal jury. The parties have a right to try the case to the jurors they selected, and not have them influenced by things outside the courtroom.

Good luck, and thank you. The system depends on people like you taking it seriously.

I find your comments hurtful. I mean we are all just trying our best.

 

[sdhusky]

I find your comments hurtful. I mean we are all just trying our best.

Shouldn't being a member of the boneyard automatically disqualify you for life?

I'd hate to think of all you idiots deciding my fate.

 

[James]

Interestingly enough,I've been summoned for a case next week.

 

[Breen1313]

Was lucky enough to have been on a jury, its really a eye opener. Nothing like you see or hear on tv,wait till you are deliberating! I was a alternate so when that time came the judge called myself and the other alternate in, thanked us for our service and we left. On our way back to our cars we talked and both of us agreed guilty without a doubt. Got home message on phone the jury found him not guilty. Still wonder if we saw the same case. Enjoy your chance, I would like to do it again.

 

[Danzz]

Got selected to be on a jury today, criminal trial will last longer than a week.

Anyone else been on been on a jury?

Other than not talking about/reading about the case...any advice?

If you are lucky the defendant's lawyer will plead out his client and you will go home early. Drink plenty of coffee in the morning as judges frown upon snoring jurors.

 

[Deepster]

It's your civic duty to give everything you can towards a fair trial. It's part of what makes our country great. Always remember that, no matter how bored or tired you are.

#formercriminaljusticemajor
#currentboneyardjudge

 

[temery]

Shouldn't being a member of the boneyard automatically disqualify you for life?

I'd hate to think of all you idiots deciding my fate.

If the murder involved a wood chipper or a college football coach, most 'yarders would have to disqualify themselves as potential jurors.

 

[ctchamps]

If the murder involved a wood chipper or a college football coach, most 'yarders would have to disqualify themselves as potential jurors.

It seems like you "moidered" some threads on the football forum. Three HFD threads are deceased.

 

[dsturdy5]

I've been on two juries, both civil cases. They were boring as hell but it was kind of cool to be a part of the justice system.

As others have said, you will be sitting around quite a bit. Some courts will not allow electronic devices into the building any more so bring a book, newspaper, magazine, something...

If it seems like it is going to be a longer case, get to know the people on the jury. Eat lunch together, whatever. You will notice there are all kinds with you and it is good to know each other's personality a bit before deliberations start. Having broken the ice before that point can potentially help avoid awkward and contentious situations.

Lastly, pay attention. You don't want to be the fool in deliberation who says something that is a## backwards from what was actually said.

 

[sledog]

When you are picked, tell them you've had experience with a similar case and thought the bastard should be hanged. The D will let you go.

 

[HuskyNan]

I got selected for a jury but the case kept getting delayed until it was finally scheduled to begin in the middle of a week we had scheduled to go on vacation in Florida. As we'd had tickets for months, the judge dismissed me and an alternate took my place. Thank goodness. It was a child abuse case that would probably have haunted me.