Jury Duty

[jj]

Interesting. Just got a summons for jury duty from King County.

I wonder ...

[a_unique_person]

If you want to annoy the hell out of the rest of the jurors, just take a contrary stance to everything. Don't try to make a pass at the young women, they don't like it, apparently, and the gossip will get out very quickly. Try to stay awake during the trial, as much as possible.

They don't tell you this, on purpose, but you have the right to ask questions during the trial, of a witness. (If the American system is like the English one). I was suprised at that. You can try to crack them and make them cry, if you are feeling bored and need some amusement.

[jj]

If you want to annoy the hell out of the rest of the jurors, just take a contrary stance to everything. Don't try to make a pass at the young women, they don't like it, apparently, and the gossip will get out very quickly. Try to stay awake during the trial, as much as possible.

They don't tell you this, on purpose, but you have the right to ask questions during the trial, of a witness. (If the American system is like the English one). I was suprised at that. You can try to crack them and make them cry, if you are feeling bored and need some amusement.

No, no, I have no intention of being a rude jerk.

I do wonder how they will cope. You've seen, previously, how a particular system in NJ coped.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Interesting. Just got a summons for jury duty from King County.

I wonder ...

Wonder what?

[jj]

Scrut - See last week's Swift.
ETA:
Sorry, two weeks ago's Swift.

[Mycroft]

Interesting. Just got a summons for jury duty from King County.

I wonder ...

Is that King County Washington?

I've gotten four jury summons from different jurisdictions at various times in my life. Never served on a jury yet despite my best efforts to get on one.

[WildCat]

They don't tell you this, on purpose, but you have the right to ask questions during the trial, of a witness. (If the American system is like the English one). I was suprised at that. You can try to crack them and make them cry, if you are feeling bored and need some amusement.
No, you can't question a witness as a juror in the US.

[NoZed Avenger]

No, you can't question a witness as a juror in the US.

Some judges in my home county allow the jurors to write suggested questions of each witness and present them to the Court. The Judge and attorneys then look them over and ask any that are not objectionable.

[a_unique_person]

Some judges in my home county allow the jurors to write suggested questions of each witness and present them to the Court. The Judge and attorneys then look them over and ask any that are not objectionable.

Since we didn't know till the trial was over, that may be how it works. I still want to see the witness break down and cry.

[headscratcher4]

I once served on a jury for a Rape trial. It was a very humbling experience. Very serious. As a lawyer, I was amazed they let me stay on the jury. I was also quiet impressed with my fellow citizens. They were serious, thoughtful and very much intent on doing the right thing as well as the just thing. It was a very moving experience and one that I would undergo again. I was proud of the group. We voted to convict, but we did so after a thorough discussion of the case and a lengthy review of the evidencen -- even though it seemed pretty clear to all of us that the defendant was guilty. My point, again, was that we took time to really look at the facts and be sure.

Now, I know it isn't always like that...history is full of biased juries, etc. BUt, for me at least, the experience made me proud to be a citizen and made me proud of our system.

I can honestly say that, unless there were a real family or health emergency, I would never try to avoid jury service...

[HarryKeogh]

I've gotten two jury notices in the past year and a half or so. They came at bad times...both came about a month before I had vacations scheduled. So I just threw them in the trash. They didn't come registered mail so there's no way they could prove I ever received them.

So I don't think I'll get in trouble.

Any other time I'd be happy to serve. Just couldn't risk being stuck on a trial while I could be sunning it up on a beach. God Bless America.

[pgwenthold]

You know, they will excuse you from jury duty if you have already made plans to be out of the area.

Whenever I get my jury duty notice and questionarre, the one thing I do is to be sure to indicate times that I know I will be out of town. If I learn of a trip while on the list, I will oftern call the bailiff and let her know that I have another commitment.

If you are out of town for some dates, they can arrange it so you won't be called then.

[toddjh]

How come I never get called for jury duty? :(

Jeremy

[HarryKeogh]

You know, they will excuse you from jury duty if you have already made plans to be out of the area.

Whenever I get my jury duty notice and questionarre, the one thing I do is to be sure to indicate times that I know I will be out of town. If I learn of a trip while on the list, I will oftern call the bailiff and let her know that I have another commitment.

If you are out of town for some dates, they can arrange it so you won't be called then.

true. Here in NYC you're allowed one absence then you have to go the next time they call you.

[Moon-Spinner]

No, you can't question a witness as a juror in the US.

Are you allowed to question the lawyers? :hit:

[jj]

Is that King County Washington?

I've gotten four jury summons from different jurisdictions at various times in my life. Never served on a jury yet despite my best efforts to get on one.

I'm up to 6 or 7. Disqualified by mail except for two, this one and the one I wrote about before.

I don't know if it's the "atheist", the "research scientist", "skeptic", or the "prior law enforcement experience" that gets me.

[jj]

Grr, doubleouble postost.

[jj]

Are you allowed to question the lawyers? :hit:

If wishes were horses ...

[WildCat]

How come I never get called for jury duty? :(

Jeremy
Because you're not registered to vote?

[Mojo]

They don't tell you this, on purpose, but you have the right to ask questions during the trial, of a witness. (If the American system is like the English one). I was suprised at that. You can try to crack them and make them cry, if you are feeling bored and need some amusement.I'd never heard of this happening here, so I asked a lawyer. He thinks ("faily strongly") that jurors can't ask questions directly, but (being a lawyer) qualified this by saying he'd never seen an actual rule against it.

The judge can intervene and ask questions, and the jurors can ask questions of and via the judge, but it doesn't seem that jurors can directly question a witness.

Can they do this in Australia?

[a_unique_person]

The question came up, because when we were going through all the evidence, it appeared that both sides had missed what we thought was an important point. We asked the judge if we could get the witness to answer that particular point. The judge said we could, but that the whole trial would have to restart from that point. Which was just too bizarre to contemplate.