Seeing as I have to report for jury duty tomorrow, I thought I would solicit everyones opinion on what jury duty means to them.

Is it a pain-in-the-ass?

An duty we owe our country?

A great way to get out of work?

[smash]

Do it, only you can stop the stupidity!

Don't think people should be forced to sit for jury duty.

Why?

I think it should be considered a privlege {sp} not a duty. People who are forced to do something have funny ways of showing resentment.

I think that it is a part of your duty as a citizen to serve in its military as well on a jury when you'r called to serve.

7th

it is your responsibility.  the thing that pisses me off atleast in my county is the way its set up.  last time i went i had to sit there all day.  there wasnt a big case load that day so they only needed a couple juries.  i didnt get picked.  i would have liked to since i was there anyways.  after they had picked everyone they needed they still made us sit there till 3:30.  even the people that got called up and didnt get picked for a jury had to stay.  if they were not picked for whatever reason why the hell couldnt they go home?  i have nothing against it i just dont think i should have to sit at the court house all day if im not on a jury.  my .02.  [:)]

I think we are splitting hairs here.  To some a "duty" is a priviledge.  

Forcing people to perform jury duty is the only way.  Hell, last month we had a judge get so fed up with no shows for jury duty he issued warrants for everyone who didn't show.  Then half of them didn't show up.

I am an attorney.
Jury duty as set up now is a joke. So many times the parties settle just before jury selection.
That's why you sit there for hours in the room waiting.
I say we need a change in the law to say if you don't settle the week before the jurors report then both parties must do the entire trial and take the verdict. That would stop all the games with citizens' time.

So am I.  In criminal defense, it is rare to have a settlement on the day of trial.  It would be silly to have a trial if the parties settle on the day of the trial.  And there are *far* more criminal trials than there are civil trials.

I used to respect the "intelligence of the combined 12" or eight or six, the conventional wisdom that you can fool some people, but not all of them.  Now I realize that's B.S.  Ya sure can!

I would vote for "all of the above"!

I have severed several times and when I was an employee it was a better income for me.  Now, as self employed, one man operation I just can't and I miss it.  It is a PIA for sure to get up early, dress to the courts expectations, listen to a bunch of crap from lawyers, witnesses and cops.  Trying to sift through all that is not easy but necessary.  It will give you a different perspective on the court system.

If you don't want to do it, consider this:  If you were accused of a crime that you did not commit, who would you want on YOUR jury??

I recently pulled jury duty. One case all month(rural area,etc) and guess who fucking gets selected?
Anyway the case was over a disturbing the peace violation where the plaintiff was a guy who complained about the wife's ex-husband making too much noise on his bike while driving by at night. Wife happens to be employee of Sheriff's Dept...Anyway, prior to trial one of the Bailiffs, a middle age busy body from what I could tell, comes in and gathers up the female jurors, then proceeds to give a five minute talk on how she has been a bailiff in numerous towns. Worked the "Burning Bed" case. 'Guy deserved what he got, they should stop these guys before it comes to that, etc,etc,etc.' Guy was making a pest of himself, no doubt, but their case was shaky("I saw the back of his head as he went past.."). The whole thing was about using this case to screw the guy over in family court. I could see through that right from the start.
I end up being the lone dissenting juror. One of the other guys was a total wuss and the other didn't care what happened as long as he could get it over with so he could have a cigarette. I ended up talking to the judge after the case. Lots of fun being the bearer of bad news to the only fucking judge in my county. He wasn't pleased to say the least and I couldn't really tell if he was pissed at me or the bailiffs.
Shit like this follows me every fucking where I go. I shit you not. If there is an asshole within a mile he'll end up in front of me waiting to be told to fuck off. I'm like a magnet for this kind of shit.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat, though.

However, I'd think really hard about a jury trial after this little experience. Think I'd pack my shit, grab a few guns and head into the woods. Plenty of that up here and I'd pity the sorry SOB's they'd send after me-If anyone was dumb enough.

I see it as my duty and resposibility to serve when summoned.  My wife got a jury summons in the mail about a month ago but she was still in school when she was supposed to go.  Then they rescheduled her for this coming week.  Then about 2 weeks ago he gets another one in the mail saying that her summons was cancelled.  Then the next day, the news reported that all civil jury trails in Alabama were postponed until October.

I'm reporting for jury duty today as well, I'm wondering if they'll reject me from service for being a police officer even though I want to do it.

I got one jury duty summons when I was stationed in Okinawa. I didn't turn up for that one. [;)]

I got one when I lived in California and went to the courthouse. I sat in a room with about eighty other people and not one of us was called for a jury all day. Just a monumental waste of our time.

Now I just got not a summons but a jury questionnaire for our county court. I guess I can expect a summons any day now.

***Edited to add: I consider it a duty and responsibility.

[b]Aimless:[/b] Did it at all seem like a dirty trick to you to waste the time of the people called for jury duty just to get the other party to settle?

D&R

Jury duty has lost me two houses I was moving into.  First one my girl friend was not allowed visitors and was not able to return paper work for closing.  the second one the same jury duty screwed up income to secure loan.  I guess interuption of income due to doing your duty still counts againsts you for big cororations such as banks.

mmhhmmmmm.. should we be worried? humping a rucksack.. you need help my friend.

Waverunner, cops are routinely released.  Pre-emptive challenge by defense most of the time.  As for civil trial I don't know - never sat on one.  Guess it would depend on the nature of the case.

No doubt some cops would make excellent jurors.  Trained to observe people and such.  OTOH many are prejudiced against the accused due to what they are exposed to everyday and may not fairly evaluate the evidence as presented.  Just as prosecuters often reject clergy or social workers.

I served in Federal Court last year. I think my jury duty ran 2-3 months. This was in Alexandria, Virginia. Personally I felt the jury system there was very well run.

Kinda funny though, some jurors though it might be OK to not show up..ha ha ha. Surprise! The Marshalls come get you. Then you get to explain to the judge why its such a great idea for you  to skip out.

I ended up on 2 trials. The judges there keep things moving, not much bullshit allowed from either side.

I always go to jury duty when I get a summons. Basically it is an easy way to get out of work.

Seriousl, it is the basic building part of our way of government. If you don't have juries, how are you going to judge the plaintiff/defendants? Are we going to have trial by fire?

Many times, people(those in the news media whine the most) don't under stand why a jury rendered such and such a decision, that is because these folks have never served on a jury, and don't understand the trials and tribulations behind closed doors. In Los Angeles County, people that used to be routinely excused, such as doctors, lawyers, and even judges are required to served.

I'd love to serve on a jury but both times that I've been summoned it was for a jurisdiction in which I no longer resided.

From what I hear about jury duty, it's not surprising that many people try to avoid it.  Consider:

1) Even though jurors are supposed to be performing an important function, they're herded through the system like cattle.  

2) The pay stinks.

3) There's a great deal of uncertainty.  Will you be selected for a jury?  How long will the trial last?  Will you be sequestered?  At least draftees in the military knew when their enlistments were supposed to end.

4) Judges exercise a great deal of power with little oversight or accountability.  When you're in their courtroom, you're effectively the subject of a dictatorship.

5) Jurors are expected to play a very passive role in a trial.  They only get to hear a small portion of the truth and they have hardly any lattitude (as far as they're told, at least) in executing the judge's instructions.

6) Jurors get little protection from criminals with an interest in influencing the verdict.

7) Because both sides get to influence jury selection, and because screening potential jurors has been refined to a near science, many potential jurors have a reasonable fear that they'll be rejected in favor of someone more malleable.

8) There's a widely-held suspicion that the well-connected can get out of jury duty.

As a practicing trial attorney (civil) I would have to come down hard on the side of jury service being a duty as a citizen.  One of the fundamental rights provided by our judicial system is a trial by a jury of your peers.  If we do not have responsible, sensible people who are contributing members of society serving on our juries, we will be denied trial by a jury of our peers and some of these ridiculous jury results which get an undue amount of press attention will only be perpetuated.  As I have told many juries in closing argument, their service is as valuable to our country and our way of life as is military service.  It may be an inconvenience, but it is your duty as a citizen and you should do it proudly!

It is a duty and a responsibility that is made a pain in the ass by the people working with the jury pool. I live in Atlanta and was called for jury duty. The apathy and bad attitude of the people working at the court house made me want to pull my hair out. It might not be as bad in other cities and states. Just because it sucked does not mean I will try to avoid jury duty in the future. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but there should be at least one person on a jury with some brain cells and common sense.

ARH

I report in on the 17th.

D&R

Actually serving on a petit jury was kinda fun.
But I didn't have to travel far or anything.  I got picked for the first case and it turned out that was the best, because then I wasn't likely to be called the rest of the week and wasn't.  I couldn't believe the amount of jerks trying to get out of it while they were picking for my case.  Old people faking bad hearing, people playing dumb when asked questions by the defense and prosecution.

Serving on a federal jury would be a bitch because all those federal courthouses seem to be in the big cities like Chicago that I like to avoid.  Parking is a hassle.  But if duty calls....I'll be there.

Well, I reported as ordered today but I did not get to serve.  The process was painless and I was in and out in 3 hours or so.

The funny part came during the questioning of the jurors by the prosecution.  The panel was asked if anyone knew the arresting officer.  Oops, dang if I didn't.  The attorney asked how I knew him and I told him he was a personal friend.  I was watching the defense attorney as I answered and he marked my name off his list faster than I could finish the rest of my answer.

As I left the courtroom my buddy was sitting in the hall, he looked at me, grinned and asked what I was doing there.  I just laughed and said you just got me out of the jury panel.

Oh well, maybe next time.

Never been called (that I'm aware of). The Florida legal system doesn't keep very good track of us military guys who are out of state.
But when I get out in June and move to VA, I hope I do get called.

Well, didn't get Disqual'ed yet. Going back in for day #2!