All most went to jail for not going to jury duty.

Robert59 said:
Been to jury duty about 40 years ago in Michigan and now here in Tennessee the state waited to the last minute when I had major health problems like Diabetes to want me. If I didn't go to jury duty it's a 500 dollar fine and jail time.
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I have been called twice in the last 10 years. Both times I showed up and waited to be called into the courtroom. Both times they sent us home saying they settled before the trial was to begin. I have not been called since...I too am old and have diabetes, but I like the idea of serving my obligation for jury duties...If I don't show someone else has to.
 

Robert59 said:
Been to jury duty about 40 years ago in Michigan and now here in Tennessee the state waited to the last minute when I had major health problems like Diabetes to want me. If I didn't go to jury duty it's a 500 dollar fine and jail time.
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Do you have hearing loss associated with diabetes? If so, you're audiologist could write you a note stating you would not be a good candidate even with hearing aids, if that's true.
 
win231 said:
I'm all for doing my duty as a citizen - when it's useful & productive.
The jury system is cheap & economical, but it's pathetically useless, as we've seen.
Asking everyday people to make important decisions when they have no legal knowledge is foolish & I refuse to be a part of such foolishness.
If we had educated, trained professionals as jurors (like other countries), I would have made it my career.
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It's not always bad, I have seen some good jury decisions, and some bad ones from judges. The reason we do it is to avoid corruption, one mistake I think we make is to allow the lawyers so much discretion in choosing a jury. Seems to me it would be better to just select names at random, and so long as the selected jurors were sane let them serve.

Where do they have the professional jurors? Its an interesting idea, might work better than ours...
 

BC Flash said:
Robert59: My suggestion: Have your doctor write a letter/note to the Justice Dept (or dept regarding jury duty). Here in Canada age 50 is the upper limit of jury duty.

Apologiest to She DeviI: I was writing this when She Devil posted,
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Are you sure about that "age 50 " ? I checked the Ontario Provincial Ministry of the Attorney General's website, and the only age mentioned was 19 or older to be a juror ? Do you have a link to a site that would confirm what you wrote ? I don't think you are right. JImB.
 
NorthernLight said:
I always thought jury duty would be interesting. Never got called though, maybe because I moved often.

Actually, I've never met a Canadian who mentioned being summoned for jury duty. (And only one American. Plus those who have posted here!)
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In Ontario the jurors are selected from the Ministry of Health data base. I have been called at least 3 times over a period of 30 years. I know you live in B.C. so things may be different there. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
In Ontario the jurors are selected from the Ministry of Health data base. I have been called at least 3 times over a period of 30 years. I know you live in B.C. so things may be different there. JimB.
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Thank you, Jim. I'm originally from Ontario. But I moved around a lot. If my address was in, say, Guelph for one year, Barrie for one year, and Toronto for one year, the likelihood of my being chosen in any of those places might be small.

(I'm not a mathematician, but it seems that way to me.)
 
Robert59 said:
Been to jury duty about 40 years ago in Michigan and now here in Tennessee the state waited to the last minute when I had major health problems like Diabetes to want me. If I didn't go to jury duty it's a 500 dollar fine and jail time.
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Wow! Here in California I have served on several juries, but the last time I was called my wife was recovering from an operation. She doesn‘t drive so I wanted to be available in case she had to see a doctor. I explained this in an email and was excused - no doctors note required.
 
I have served on four juries and was appointed to serve as the head of the jury twice. Two of them were traffic accidents, one was spousal abuse, and one Federal case was against a large employer who cheated employees. The employer figured out that they were not going to win and settled out of court.

After I turned 70, I chose to not serve, and that process was fairly easy.
 
NorthernLight said:
Thank you, Jim. I'm originally from Ontario. But I moved around a lot. If my address was in, say, Guelph for one year, Barrie for one year, and Toronto for one year, the likelihood of my being chosen in any of those places might be small.

(I'm not a mathematician, but it seems that way to me.)
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Your home address would be the deciding factor, so you wouldn't be called for a trial in Barrie, if you were living in Guelph. I would assume the Postal Code would be used also. JImB.
 
I had jury duty once, and actually enjoyed it! It was very rewarding, and I kept thinking, "This is real! I'm not in a movie, I really am sitting here in the jury box, with a real live trial taking place!"

Part of the reason I enjoyed it was probably because it was a very minor case. We found the jerk guilty in about a half hour, and my whole jury duty stint lasted one day. I'm sure if it was a murder or other serious kind of case, it would not have been so enjoyable.
 
The closest I got to serving was on a drunk driving case. It was in a very small North Florida county, pretty redneck place.

Before interviewing the prospective jurors the defense attorney kind of laid out his case. He spent some time telling us we would be hearing from one witness who "wasn't from around here" and may not have ever been to the county. He was an "ex-pert witness" good southern drawl there. I think it was just a guy who would testify as to the calibration and accuracy of the breathalyzer.

When he got to me he asked if I had ever testified in court, I said yes. Then he asked in what capacity, when I told him it was as an expert witness it was all over. I was on my way home a few minutes later...
 
Ah, jury duty. I made it to a civil panel once, but they settled the morning of the trial.

I have no hope of ever making a criminal trial, too much law enforcement in my family. It was fun a couple of times to see the attorney faces when I started answering the voir dire question; both parents, brother, brother-in-law, nephew... That's usually about where I would get cut off - but there's more.
 
Jurors in Canada can NEVER be identified, by name or have their photos taken. They also cannot EVER speak to the media , or write a book about the decisions made in the jury room. There is a section of the Canadian Criminal Code that deals specifically with the conduct/misconduct of jurors. A number of professions are prohibited from being jurors, such as Police officers, Medical Doctors, Dentists, Fire Fighters, Lawyers, correctional officers, active duty members of the Canadian Forces, Members of the Federal or Provincial Legislatures, Coroners, and Paramedics.

IN a recent first degree murder trial here in Toronto, one of the jurors used her I phone to Google the person being tried, while the trial was going on. One of the court security officers learned of this and brought the information to the Justice who was presiding in the case. The Justice questioned the female juror, who admitted to doing the internet search about the man. The Justice fined her $1,000, and sent her to jail for 45 days. She could have gotten up to 5 years, which is the maximum sentence under the law for such an offence here in Canada. A much different system than in the USA. JimB.
 
When I moved to this state I was called for jury duty pretty quickly. I didn't have an in state Drivers License so they passed on me.
The second time I got a call the morning I was to attend jury duty. It was a call telling me I had breast cancer and I needed to come in. I told them I was not going to be in contempt of court so I was going to jury duty!
I was in the waiting room at the courthouse and someone called my name. They said, "Um, you need to go to the hospital. You're excused from duty".
I always say I went to a lot of trouble to get out of jury duty. 🙄
Everything turned out well. That was 20 yrs ago.
 
just happened to me too.....supposed to be 2 months in advance with dates..
it was 3 days...i called...luckily no need to go...but can be called in at anytime...no age limit here...
only exempt by Dr letter..i am going for that
 
Jim: I was called to Jury twice. The Sheriff (or deputy) told me that I will not be called again after age 50. I did not research the age limit as I was told (1) I am on record of "appearing twice" and (2) I will be over 50. Anyways, I am beyond 65 and CANNOT turn the clock back.
 

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