How To Avoid Getting on a Jury
 

Seems like I get a summons every two years, while others in my county never get called. I need to report again in a few weeks.

I've served on two juries. I'd do it again, but not now. Too busy. So what convincing tactics do some here employ to make themselves really "unattractive" as a juror to either side?

edit: not federal - Superior Court

If this is federal, you are SOL. Federal judges don't buy many excuses and will punish those who try with extended cases.

If this is local, look up the term "jury nullification". Talk about it as much as possible during the interview. Lawyers and judges hate being overruled by a jury.

When I was being questioned I looked at the perp and told them that guy looks like a perv and guilty as hell. I was outta there in a heartbeat. And he was guilty and a perv.

you can have it postponed to a more convenient time. the last time i was able to get a written excuse mailed in from work and they havent bothered me since.

Thanks. I request the one-time postponement each time I get summoned. I always get assigned a new date.

Search the subject "fully informed jury." This was discussed here a few years ago. Find that too. It worked for me and so far I haven't been called back, but my wife has. I wonder if what I said put me on a "list." Anyway, I nailed the subject while being interviewed. The judge called the prosecutor and the defense to the stand and after less than 30 seconds I was gone. The P and D didn't even get a chance to vote on me.

I really read a lot about the subject and I do believe no court wants anyone around that talks about being a fully informed juror. Goes all the way back to England when we were colonies.

I saw people in the court room trying all kinds of things. When one guy answered that he probably couldn't be non partial in a murder case involving an AfricanAm, the judge said fine, we have a business trial interviewing in the next court. Report there....NOW!

Be careful what you say, they have really good ways of turning it all around in their favor and not yours.

Just tell them you think the guy is guilty, that will work!

be canadian.

http://www.fija.org/ :D

Excellent, thx

Wear a T shirt that says:

"Rehabilitation through reincarnation"

usually does the trick. :-)

?????

Got a summons, myself, for September. I'm all for serving on a jury as a public responsibility. But it sure is an incovenience. What am I supposed to tell my patients: "Well, I might be around to do your surgery on Thursday, or I might not. I'll let you know Thursday morning when you show up."

saw people in the court room trying all kinds of things. When one guy answered that he probably couldn't be non partial in a murder case involving an AfricanAm, the judge said fine, we have a business trial interviewing in the next court. Report there....NOW!

Be careful what you say, they have really good ways of turning it all around in their favor and not yours.
__________________
My dad and brother are lawyers. They said tell the truth when they ask you. I did. That was about 10 years ago. I hope I'm on a blacklist still

Exactly. I mean I'm for contributing to society as well, but damn, I have enough trouble paying the bills self employed. Especially in this economy. But they won't listen to the fact that I might have a job going on and completion dates. So, you use what you can.

Oh, I and I know about the postponement. Just when is a contractor not hustling a job? Should I set aside a week and call them for an appointment? I think not.

When I worked for my dad I always wrote "self employed" in the area they give you to explain why you can't serve and mailed it back... it seemed to work at the time.

I think they had a finacial hardship check box too?

Yep, that used to work about 10 years ago, but not any more. I've tried repeatedly.

I was panelled two years ago in Norwalk Ca on a double murder trial that "could last 3 weeks". Hell that could mean 3 months if there's a snag. I told them I couldn't serve because my business would suffer and I would not be able to give the trial my full attention. There were students with exams, people with plane tickets, people with new jobs, and other semi good excuses that weren't excused while I was there. I was thanked and excused.

Last week I got another jury summons for Compton! Jeez Louise! There are several court houses between my home and the gangbangers. Probably get shot pulling into court parking lot. Odds are 50/50 of seeing murder defendants.

I made it to voir dire and was asked about my death penalty answer on the questionnaire. I answered on a scale of 1 to 10, that I was about a 6 if the evidence was even slightly questionable, and became a full 10 in the case of a defendant whose crime met the death penalty criteria, and the evidence was overwhelming or irrefutable. The judge asked me what I meant by that. I said, "Well, your honor, we have laws, and a Legislature that writes those laws. If we don't like the death penalty, we should take our case to them. The jury box isn't the place to legislate." He said, "That's the best answer I've ever heard to that question. Unfortunately, the defense has asked me to drop you for cause. Thanks for coming."

And I have not seen a summons since.

The irony is that I'd actually love to serve on a jury, and I think I'd be impartial. I'm a Fed, and would receive my full salary while serving.

I got out of showing up, as I was working out of state running a construction project, which would have had to have been shut down in its entirety had I spent a week in the jury pool, I thought they could do without me and the lady running the show thought so too.

My wife was in a jury pool this week and got picked for a trial on the first day. The trial lasted a day and a half, after which we thought she was done but, no, she just went back to the pool in case they needed another jury. After sitting there for a couple of days they figured they had enough for the week and let her go. She thought the trial was vastly more interesting than sitting in a room with 400 "peers" waiting to be called, so be careful what you ask for.

JR

I had fed. jury duty and nothing but nothing was making this judge let folks out. NOTHING. You could have worn a KKK hood and he wouldn't have cared. Sure, the def. and pros. would have tossed you, but the judge was hearing NO excuses. I told him I worked for a news agency and was familiar with the case. Too bad.

If you read up on the "fully informed jury," you will find that a jury can do just that, override any law. In effect, they are legislating or at least vetoing existing legislation.

Let's take one example in point: During the civil War era, slaves were escaping west. They ended up Mid Western "free states." Laws were vague at best about harboring slaves, etc. When the issue did come up and was treated as a crime, sympathetic jurors refused to convict even if evidence was solid. They did this because overall the most of these states could not agree to the fact that slavery was legal in other states. Using examples from Ben Franklin and before, the jurors knew they could not be forced to convict against their own moralistic stand. A jury cannot be tried for any crime or offense if they rule against existing law for whatever reason or belief. A jury is in essence, above the law.

That is the best I can do at the moment to explain the concept. You bring this up in a court and you will be excused. I suppose the more ignorant you appear about all this, the scarier you are to the judge and attorneys. That would be my tact.

Here is some good reading: http://www.levellers.org/jrp/orig/jrp.jurquotes.htm

depending on what kind of case, just show bias for one side or the other...then the opposing side will most likely excuse you.
before we would have to wait in a room and they would call people in alphabetical order. since my last name is near the end, i would always be there all day. now they give you a # and you call in the day before, and they tell you if you need to come in or not. last couple of times i called, i never had to go in. :)

Are you saying that a jury is "above the law" due to the fact that most of our laws are derived from "common laws" brought about simply through people practicing them? So, in essence, an opinion of the jury is likened to that of society on small matters and, because society itself is responsible for our laws the jury can set the cart on a different path, to a certain degree . . . makes sense to me. I was called to jury duty several years ago in Fulton County. I told them I was in school (I had gone back to business school) and they sent me home. Haven't heard from them again, but I'm growing the nastiest goatee possible just in case they call . . .

Interesting stuff, Milt. I suppose I suspected that was the case, and my reply to the judge was almost my way of getting on a soapbox. I actually didn't realize it would turn the defense attorney off until after I said it. Makes perfect sense, tho. A juror willing to legislate would be a defense lawyer's dream, while an emotionless stickler for rules would benefit the prosecution.

I was summoned once when I worked in California. My boss told me to tell them that I worked on straight commission and that missing any work would cost me a lot of money. It worked. In California. In 1995.

You gotta think "simple". Want to be excused from jury duty forever?


Commit a felony.

No more jury duty.

Next question.

o.j. simpson t-shirt

Even simpler: Arrive to court without pants.

Every citizen has a duty to appear when summoned, but:

If you're not personally served or via registered mail, you could blow it off and nothing will happen!!!

the l.a. county court house is disturbing enough without me wandering around in my skivvies.


print this up on a shirt, problem solved.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1219469599.jpg

Depends on your State/County. Not accurate for all jurisdictions.

Be a friend of the defense attny. In one case, this was true...and I told the Judge so. I was outathere...

On the dress code: You can be advised to return another day or face contempt. These folks can and will be serious. You'd be better off to take a serious position in this if you want out and out fast.

An attorney friend of mine who works for the LA Department of Water and Power once told me you just have to say "I vote my conscience". He said both sides will want to dismiss you.

True story, I got pulled into a jury pool once with about 50 prospective jurors. When they came to questioning me I told the judge that I couldn't serve on that jury because I had sold my house to the plaintiffs counsel, who then turned around and sued me for every little nit picky thing wrong with the house, and that every single item he sued me for had been either disclosed, monies paid into escrow to remedy, or we agreed to disagree and he sued anyway. I also pointed out that the lawyer had sued the guy who sold him his previous house under the exact same circumstances.

The judge dismissed all 50 of us and ordered up a new batch of prospective jurors.

Just remember the little diddy about being sent to another courtroom if you just don't happen to agree with the court you're in. Man, I saw more than one person cornered and trapped by the judge. I think he was setting an example of "no BS." I mean he could sit there all day while jurors came and jurors went. I have to believe the man had a lot of cases on his docket and wasn't about to waste any time on BS.

Well, it is a civic duty. You are supposed to be selected at random, but most places use driver's licenses. So if you turn that back in and don't =drive you may never get called.

If you get called too often you can ask to get out for xx years -- in some places.

You are right about J's taking no BS, and imposing penalties.

Each attorney (side) will have about 5 strikes - they can toss 5 jurors out (of that rial) - you'd just go back in the pool tho. Again that's how most places work.