Jury duty

[janswizard]

Last month, I received a summons that I would have to report for jury duty for the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida. I received summons number 0052.

Today was the day I was supposed to call the number to see if I would have to report. The recorded message advised that people who received summons numbers 0001 through 0231 must report at 8am tomorrow morning.

I've never done jury duty before and I'm both excited at the prospect of serving and dreading the experience because I've heard it's extremely boring.

Anyone have any experiences they want to share and/or give me some hints/tips to make this a positive experience?

[weatherluvr]

Bring a book! The three times I went, I never left the jury pool room. I was so bored I was reading Cosmopolitan and Mademoiselle.

[StormCrazyIowan]

LOL!!

I have never done it and I want to!! Just to see what it is like and to use my mind!

Seems everyone who doesn't want to do it always gets called, I swear my mom and my cousin get cards at least once a year!

[stormchazer]

Yeah...I was on jury duty on 9/11/2001. Don't remember much about the duty itself.

[BEER980]

I love Jury Duty. You will be called up to the court room early if it's the same process as here in Ocala, Fl. They bring up groups of 20 to each court room to start with. Then they give some instructions and draw some numbered balls out of a box that corrosponds to the people in the room. Those 10-12 people go into the Jury box to be interviewed by the Lawyers on both sides about the case and general info about you. Then both Lawyers decide what juror's they want and pick the ones to remove. Then they settle on the list and the one picked get to go home for the day. The rest go back into the box for the next ccase and more Juror's are brought up to replace what is picked when needed. I made the jury the first time I had Jury duty. The second time I also got picked and decided to be the Foreman. Third time I never made the jury. When you make the jury they usually give you lunch.

[Miss Mary]

All I can say is I received a postcard years ago, but was never called up. My girls were very little then, my husband working long hours and I was flipping out! I didn't know who would watch the girls Monday-Friday if I had to serve. But it never happened!

Same with my sister-in-law. Her husband had a stroke in 99, she delivered her baby in 2000 and got the postcard. She was flipping out too! We all said it would work out. She works part-time as a nurse too. But again, she never got called to serve.

There are 2 examples for you!

Mary

[Stephanie]

I was selected to serve on a jury back in 1989. It took the whole day just to wait to be shuttled into the courtroom and have your number be called. The case took two days. It was an auto accident case where a guy hit a girl on a bike that had darted in front of him at the last minute. The girl wasn't really injured, the bike wasn't badly damaged, but the parents were looking for a windfall. The insurance company had offered a $10,000 settlement and they thought that they could get more. What stuck out in my mind and I think everyone else's was when the girl (who was about 10) was asked to tell what she said to the driver after he stopped to check on her, "my Daddy will be really mad at you and my Mommy is going to sue". It felt REALLY GOOD to pronounce this guy not guilty and watch the expressions of the parents when they realized that they lost.

[DaylilyDawn]

I was called to serve on a jury quite a few years ago. It was at the point were the lawyers are asking the propective juror the questions about themeolves. They asked me if I belonged to any clubs of any sort and I said yes. I belong to the TampaBay Area Daylily Society, I also belong to the parent Assoc of my club, the American Hemerocallis Society. That fact really caused a fuss. They wanted a lot of detail as to what the Society was about and how many people belonged to it and so on. It really made the lawyers look foolish when I said the the hemerocallis was the Latin name for the flower called daylily. The AHS was just like the American Rose Society that everyone has heard of. The case I served on involved Orkin Pest Control and a homeowner who had a contract with them to protect his house from termites. Orkin failed to fullfill the contract and the house was comtainated with chemicals from Orkin trying to eradicate the termites. House was un-inhabitible and was burglarized as a result of it.
We found for the homeowner and penalized Orkin for their incompetence.

[Stephanie]

Good for you Daylily!!

BTW - I'm glad to see that you're back!

[Lindaloo]

Since I work for a judge, I get to witness first hand on how people try to get out of jury duty. I have heard many a great story. lol.

[george_r_1961]

Twice I have recieved mail from The Newport News Circuit Court containing a questionaire to fill out; twice I have returned it yet I still havent been called. I would love to serve. .Its easy enough to get out of jury duty here, even if serving would create a financial hardship. That excuse wont work in a lot of areas. I feel all who are able to serve should serve though, as it is a basic duty of all Americans.

[janswizard]

I'm not opposed to doing jury duty - I just don't know what to expect.....lots of people have told me to bring a book (a long long book). I think it's the anticipation of not knowing what is going to happen and how I will be spending my time and what kind of questions they will be asking me that makes me antsy.

[Stephanie]

Yes, definately bring a book, work or a few magazines, because you'll probably be there the whole day the first day. It's an interesting process, but don't let it overwhelm you. You'll be directed as to what you need to do (usually as a group) so there's really nothing you have to prepare for.

[Skywatch_NC]

I've been summoned once so far (in 1991)...and after an accident at my workplace (impending hand surgery) before have receiving the notice...I got an excuse from the judge to be dismissed...otherwise would have served on a jury.

Eric

[mf_dolphin]

I've never even been called. Maybe it's the "Hang them all" sign I have in my front yard!

[CajunMama]

I've been summoned 4 or 5 times and have served once.

The case was a woman suing State Farm Insurance for an accident she was involved in.

At the jury i served on i knew:

the judge
the law clerk
the baliff
the prosecuting attorney (made signs for him)
the defending attorney (went to school with him)

plus i had State Farm Insurance!

The plaintiff was suing for damages around $750,000. Claimed she got tmj when the cell phone she was talking on hit her jaw when the car behind her hit her. Her first call??? To her brother, the attorney! No mention of her jaw getting hit in any police or doctors reports. Wanted damages for loss of income (her business income tripled in the year she claimed to be hurt). Visited 6 doctors and never followed a prescribed treatment plan.

What did we award her???? A measly $500. Ahhh, justice felt good!

[Lindaloo]

I've been summoned 4 or 5 times and have served once.

The case was a woman suing State Farm Insurance for an accident she was involved in.

At the jury i served on i knew:

the judge
the law clerk
the baliff
the prosecuting attorney (made signs for him)
the defending attorney (went to school with him)

plus i had State Farm Insurance!

The plaintiff was suing for damages around $750,000. Claimed she got tmj when the cell phone she was talking on hit her jaw when the car behind her hit her. Her first call??? To her brother, the attorney! No mention of her jaw getting hit in any police or doctors reports. Wanted damages for loss of income (her business income tripled in the year she claimed to be hurt). Visited 6 doctors and never followed a prescribed treatment plan.

What did we award her???? A measly $500. Ahhh, justice felt good!

You sound like me!! lol. And it is lawsuits like this that cause our insurance rates to go through the roof. Good for you CM!!!

[azsnowman]

Yup....and for SOME reason, I was picked as FOREMAN *sigh* It was a open and shut case of DUI, needless to say, "Get the rope boys and find the tallest tree!" Actually in my book, they're ALL guilty until proven otherwise (heck of an attitude for a peace occifer ain't it LOL!"

Now that I'm a part time (8 hours per month) Reserve Peace Officer, I'm in court ALL the time now it seems like.

Dennis

[coriolis]

I was called in last year but got weeded out in the selection process. It was a DUI case and I was once the victim of a DUI crime. For some reason the defense didn't want me.

One person was excused because he had poor hearing - or else it was a good act. He kept asking everyone to repeat what they said.

janswizard, it will be interesting what kind of case you're on. In federal court it could be a very technical case of white collar crime, or a big time drug case, or an internet pornography ring. There's a lot of possibilities. County court is usually garden variety crimes and misdemeanors.

Good luck!

[streetsoldier]

I have been called, and recused several times over the years...because, at various times,

a) I used to be a law-enforcement officer

b) I have been a victim of violent crime, and

c) I now have a "history of mental illness or emotional distress", and am under a doctor's care for DSS, SAD and dysthemia.

So much for serving...