Jury Duty: How seriously do you take it?

**Pudge** · 07-05-11, 07:07 PM

Due to today's hot topic nationwide, what are your thoughts on Jury Duty? Have you served? Would you serve? Or would you attempt to get excused so that you're not inconvienced?

If you have served, what was your experience?

**Cidp24** · 07-05-11, 07:20 PM

I would serve but it's pretty pointless. I just cant see me getting picked because of my job. I know or know of just about everybody in 3 counties in law enforcement.

**pac201** · 07-05-11, 09:05 PM

I have been called on several occasions, never been picked due to the job I guess...

**Jks9199** · 07-05-11, 09:25 PM

Virginia exempts cops, so I'm not serving on a jury anytime in the next decade.

If I wasn't exempted, I'd be willing to serve -- but doubt I'd be selected for most trials, civil or criminal. I'd be a nightmare for either side, because I actually WOULD listen to the evidence, and decide based on the evidence.

**Ducky** · 07-05-11, 09:42 PM

If I got called and could afford to miss work, I'd be willing. As is, my family's background in LE might get me dismissed.

**jmur5074** · 07-05-11, 10:05 PM

I would do anything and everything to get out of it.

Knowing the ins and outs of our local justice system, II know how pointless it is to serve on a jury here. It's borderline embarrassing to be involved in the justice process locally. The only way it could be worse is if I worked for the county attorney's office.

**Buttercup** · 07-05-11, 11:02 PM

I was called several times when I lived in Michigan. I was dismissed from some because of my family's LE background and dismissed from one because I'd taken a genetics class.

I served on one jury, it was a murder trial that lasted for roughly a week. Most of the jury members treated the process seriously and appropriately. The thing that annoyed and frustrated me about being on that jury is that during deliberations a couple of the jurors were basing their opinions on things other than the facts of the case and the law. I remember one woman - she initially voted not guilty because she said of the defendant, "how can we send that boy to prison for the rest of his life, he's too young." Another juror who also initially voted not guilty questioned the medical examiner's testimony - I don't remember exactly what his issue was, it had something to do with the shotgun pellets or pattern and he didn't believe the medical examiner's testimony (the victim was killed with a shotgun to the back as he went down a flight of stairs). Yet another juror, a city firefighter, said that he just wanted to get out of there.

I haven't been called since I've lived in NJ, but I would be willing to serve.

**Willowdared** · 07-05-11, 11:34 PM

I served on a jury for a murder trial, and I was not the only person that had a law enforcement background. I thought it was a fascinating process, and consider it my civic duty to serve.

We were a hung jury, I have no idea if they ever had a retrial.

**MacLean** · 07-06-11, 01:31 AM

I went in the last time (fourth time) just knowing I would not be seated again and to bring a book.

I was seated on and chosen as the foreman for a civil jury for a vehicle accident claim.

I even told them I had investigated traffic accidents. Shrug.

It was fun, and I learned quite a bit about what goes on in the room we always wonder about.

**kjlaw** · 07-06-11, 06:37 AM

I have only been called once. Oddly I was excused after they discovered I was the arresting officer in one of the top cases on the tral docket.

**pgg** · 07-06-11, 10:09 AM

Never have. Was exempted in CA being LE.

**lewisipso** · 07-06-11, 12:49 PM

Never been chosen for a trial jury but I would serve without complaint. I was chosen and did serve on a Grand Jury. Surprisingly myself and a State Trooper were chosen and he was the foreman. I enjoyed the experience although I did note several people were apparently annoyed at having to be there and were a distraction that had to be dealt with several times.

**MacLean** · 07-06-11, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by pgg

Never have. Was exempted in CA being LE.

No exemption here - they'll get you sooner or later.

**Motorwaycop** · 07-06-11, 04:23 PM

We used to be excluded, not anymore, although the defence always object once they find out you are the "po po".
However I would be happy to find all defendants guilty.. I mean carefully consider the evidence..

**Reca** · 07-06-11, 04:26 PM

No thank you. I have been picked before but did everything I could to get out of it.

**Jenna** · 07-06-11, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by kjlaw

I have only been called once. Oddly I was excused after they discovered I was the arresting officer in one of the top cases on the tral docket.

It would have been awesome if they let you stay!

**Car 4** · 07-06-11, 09:57 PM

Been called several times but since I know all the judges and prosecutors.....and many of the suspects, I get passed in the first round. I did serve on a civil trial that was interesting but that is it for me.

Car 4

**sgtbear111** · 07-07-11, 03:59 AM

I was picked from the jury pool to sit as juror on a misdemeanor assault case (bar fight), arrest by the city PD. I was gone elsewhere on the King's shilling for years but came to my home here to retire. New faces at the PD, District Court and courthouse. My working time in this county was mostly passing thru undercover driving a ratty car and wearing a beard, supporting other agency UC activities. During the questioning of the jurors, the defense attorney remembered me, and began to address me as "Trooper", "Detective", & "Sergeant" and the Prosecutor finally woke up. The PA wanted me off the jury, the defense wanted me there for my overall LE experience and not having any recent LE contacts. The lawyers argued a bit, the PA used their wild card challenge, and the Judge said I could go. Never got another jury summons. The only grand jury system in this state is the Federal Courts. It would be a good experience... but not likely.

While working detectives in the early 1990's, my partner got seated on a civil jury on a real estate case, totally unrelated to LE. He was made the jury foreman. The Court and both sides commended him for organizing a complex case to an understandable level while the jury was out. He whined about the inconvenience but the dept paid him and his company car expenses. He admitted it was a great experience, after the case was over.

The system is cumbersome, but it works better than more 'enlightened' countries. I'll gladly do it again.

**CTR man** · 07-10-11, 10:11 PM

I've been summoned about 5 or 6 times in my adult life. I would gladly serve if appointed, but there seems to be this pesky little question that the attorneys ask that seems to get me off every time. "Have you, or are you related to anyone who has served in law enforcement?" or "Do you know anyone in law enforcement?" and I explain that my father was a deputy sheriff reserve in the early 1960's. Works every time. My mother never had to serve, either.

pgg is right. If you serve, or have served in any capacity in law enforcement, you are automatically exempted from having to do jury duty in the state of California. My dad never had to serve either.

**Jks9199** · 07-10-11, 11:50 PM

I do have a problem with the way jury duty ends up working... Way too often, the jury pool is made up of those who couldn't come up with an excus that the court would buy.

A couple years back, I ended up sitting through voir dire for a jury trial while waiting for my case to be called. One of the first prospective jurors was an Asian girl, who clearly didn't speak enough English to get to the jury room without help, let alone follow a trial. No problem with her dismissal. BUT every one else in that pool that could fake a foreign language suddenly couldn't speak English... They ended up pulling a second pool up to get enough jurors.

You get called, you don't have an exemption in law, and there's not a reason you shouldn't serve (language, intelligence, etc.) -- you should at least have to sit through voir dire. If the you get kicked, you get kicked. But there should be damn few "excuses" and most of them should be more like deferrals. Going in for medical treatment -- OK. You're excused this month -- but you're up next month.