Have you ever served on Jury duty?

[Irwin]

I was called in for jury duty maybe 15 years ago. I told them I suffered from severe insomnia and wouldn't be able to concentrate, which was the truth. It's tough to function when you're sleep deprived. So after a few meetings and filling out various forms, they let me out of it.

The case involved this dirt-poor Black kid who from what I remember, committed a robbery or something... he might have been armed. I actually would have liked to have served, but it wasn't possible. It wouldn't have been a good experience for me or anyone who had to work with me.

 

[JimBob1952]

Given my obstreperous, opinionated personality, I can't believe anyone would want me on a jury. But I've never been asked, either.

 

[Butterfly]

The employed must also serve.
Their employers must pay their wages during jury duty.

True here,too. In this jurisdiction they are very strict about not letting anybody off of jury service except for verified medical or other serious verifiable reasons.

 

[Butterfly]

The people that hate jury trials are judges.

When a case hits the courthouse no one knows if a jury trial will occur.
The court coordinator assigns an equal number of cases to the various courts (not true, but it is supposed to be true).
The DA assigns Assistant DA,'s to cases, the defense consist of private attorney or court appointed attorneys.

The judge prays no trial will occur, the DA prays no trial will occur; the court appointed attorney prays no trial will occur
The Private Attorney prays a Jury Trial WILL Occur

Remember the court coordinator, the person who assigns the various cases to the courts (Dockets).
That person does not care how long jury cases take, they assign cases by numbers rather than possibility of trials by juries.
A judge trapped in a month long trial, as his docket continues to grow, makes for a very angry judge.

Here if the defendant requests a jury trial, he/she gets one. That's the way i is supposed to work.

 

[Butterfly]

Twice -- once on a grand jury and once for a trial court jury. I served on the grand jury, but got dismissed from the petit jury because I worked in a law office.