Ugh the other day I got a summons for jury duty. And not even a local courthouse, the federal courthouse for the eastern district out in Long Island. Right away I got an anxiety attack over the whole idea. Has anyone else ever been summoned for jury duty? Have you gotten out of it? How? Or have you ever actually served on a jury? I wouldn't mind serving on a jury, but this court was over an hour's drive away, and I don't drive anywhere except locally, I don't do highway driving, no way could I commute back and forth to this place. And then go there and go through the grueling jury selection process. My anxiety could not handle the whole situation. And the ridiculous arrogance of it all, even though the jury summons wasn't until the end of the month, demanding I show up at a certain time on May 27, they also demanded I send in this form they sent me within 5 freaking days. If I were to seek a medical excuse, I had to include a doctor's note with the form within the 5 days. 5 days? WTF? Hello, I have a job, and a life. I don't just drop everything I'm doing so I can go feed the prison industry in the nation that incarcerates a greater percentage of its population than any nation on earth, including China. So of course I had to set up an emergency meeting with my psychiatrist to get a note certifying me as not medically fit for jury duty. I mailed it out today, and hopefully that's the end of it. I do not exist to serve the State and its laws. I think most of the State's laws are stupid and/or evil. Why would I want to take part in the sick charade that is our "justice" system? If the doctor's note doesn't get me out of it and they still demand to interview me, I will tell them the truth, that I am an anarchist and I do not believe in the State's laws, and I will vote to acquit people charged under its laws. Anyone else ever dealt with jury duty summons?
I've never had to, naturally because of my age, but I believe in the abolition of juries and the implementation of an inquisitorial board (where judges play an active part in objective investigation and you can't buy the quality of your advocates, with no prosecution or defence). Juries, apart from being pathetically hopeless in legal terms much of the time, also are so prone to personal biases that I can't see them as anything but an archaic vestige of Mediaevalism.
*Scratches her head.* I thought you weren't a radical anymore, Erik. I have never been on a jury, but I would love to be on one, and I would specially craft my answers to make sure I got on the jury. Queers should want to get on juries. How else are we going to unfuck the bias in the legal system?
Never been summoned, but I really wouldn't mind serving on a jury, though I'd probably be disqualified because I know too much about the law and the Constitution, and that I think both prosecutors and defense attorneys are both equally full of shit and most trials tend to be verbal diarrhea fests.
I am and always have been a radical. When did I ever deny being a radical? "Radical" is from Latin "radix", meaning "root", I am rooted, and change needs to come from the root. However my goal at this point is to do whatever it takes to avoid having to commute back and forth to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Central Islip for stupid jury duty. ---------- Post added 4th May 2014 at 02:13 AM ---------- Lol I've never heard not one, but two people say they want to be on a jury. Pretty much the universal reaction of anyone I know who's been summoned for jury duty has been "how do I get out of it?" "Tell them you're a racist" is a common tactic. Luckily I'm treating with a psychiatrist and on psych meds so I hopefully can get a "medical excuse" due to medical infirmity. I like how they even term it "excuse", because they know everyone who gets this crap in the mail will be digging for an excuse to get the hell out of it. And this is already the 2nd time I've dealt with jury duty problems. Previously I had to fill out a preliminary form to be a potential juror at the courthouse in Brooklyn, but nothing came of that. Brooklyn, maybe I'd consider it. Long Island, no way in hell.
I served in the supreme court late last year. Possibly the most boring experience ever. I couldn't even bring my Kindle in because it was equipped with WiFi. If you get chosen for a jury, make sure you're equipped with books, lots of books, because without them, it will be a long case.
I got out of it because I didn't live in the county that the court case was in. If you live in a different county than the court is in, you might be able to get out that way.
I told them I had finals and a required project coming up (in college) and they excused me. Was living in a different state, haven't been called again yet in my current location despite being a registered voter. I'm not saying I agree with it, but someone once said, "When you face a jury, your fate is being decided by twelve people that were too stupid to get out of jury duty."
If this is federal jury duty it might seem like it sucks, but this is the best on to get summoned for. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to get out of federal jury duty. However, they pay you $40-50 a day, gas, and lodging if required. As much as it might suck to be jury duty, federal jury duty is the way to go. Here is some information on it.
Coincidentally, my dad just got a jury summons today. I've never been summoned even though my name is on the rolls of the Department of Public Safety (DMV) and voter registration (two places where they get the jury pool). My dad served on one a few years ago but for a DWI but ended up acquitting the guy because the evidence wasn't there. I think it'd be an interesting civic experience.
I have been summoned twice. Once I was summoned by my home state, Michigan, while serving in the US Army in Germany. As soon as I told them that on the phone, I was excused. The 2nd time I was summoned by California, right after I moved to Pennsylvania. I was no longer a CA resident, and had my PA drivers license already, so I was excused from that one too. I wouldn't mind sitting on a jury, and my employer will in fact pay me while I serve. I think it might be fun.
I've never had jury duty. I guess I wouldn't mind doing jury duty if I didn't have shit to do, but that's far from the case right now.
I do live in a different county than the court case is in. But this is a United States District Court for the "Eastern District", which includes a bunch of counties in the New York area, including mine.
I've never been summoned. If I ever am, I'll do it, unless there is a legitimate reason for my not being able to. It isn't the ideal system of justice, I admit, but given that it's currently all we have, better it's done properly by people who believe in justice, rather than people too stupid to get out of it.
I make more money going to work and doing my job each day than making a measly $40 a day having to travel an hour-and-a-half to some stupid courthouse for some stupid bullshit case. I submitted my application form with the "Do you have a physical or mental infirmity that would prevent you from serving on a jury?" box checked, and enclosed a letter from my psychiatrist attesting that I am not mentally fit to serve on a jury. If the shitheads want to press the issue, let them call my psychiatrist- or me- and I'll let them know how crazy I am. As of right now, I have no intention of ever setting foot in the "United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York", and I sure as hell don't want to go to Central Islip. Trial by jury is a crock of shit any way. If I were ever charged with a crime, the last thing I would want is to have my fate in the hands of the booboisie.
I've been summoned to jury duty 3 times now and I wish there get through their heads by now I have a disability that excludes me the first time why would it disappears second or third time what worse is I live with two others that have no issues and are yet to be called to jury duty once
Yup yup! Been there, done that. Actually, my first (and only) go-around at jury selection, I was called to serve. I spent two weeks listening to a criminal case. I felt uncomfortable during the whole thing. There were a lot of sensitive issues being brought up and it wasn't being handled well by the court.
Got mine delayed for school a couple times. Finally had to appear for selection eventually, but I didn't get picked in time for the next semester of college and got it delayed again that way. Now they'll probably be trying to get me again this Summer, but I'm moving out of state for grad school in two months! Take that New Hampshire court system! :eusa_danc
I've never been called up for jury duty. I don't understand it--in the sixteen years we've been together my partner has been called up three times and served twice. Me... nothing. Actually one of the times he served it sounded awful. It was a week long trial on a murder/rape where the substance of the deliberation was whether or not the sex was consensual before he killed her. Can you imagine discussing that with eleven strangers for a week?! If they ever got around to calling me up I would definitely do it--I'm pretty big on the whole civic duty thing, I guess.