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I had a similar experience when I was called for jury duty for a murder trial.  It sucked, I was one of the last few called, but luckily wasn't selected to sit on the jury (by a narrow, narrow margin).  Total waste of a day.

Oregon is kind of unhappy with me these days.  Every time I get called for jury duty I am down in California at school.

When I was called for jury duty, I was part of the last group called up. We were introduced to the case, then it was getting late, so they waited until the next day to actually pick the jury. I think my group consisted of the rest of the people waiting to be selected, which was maybe around 30 people, and I was near the front. I was fortunate, since the defense lawyer decided to remove me from the jury, (I said something that I knew he wouldn't like, but I was truthful) and this would have taken a good portion of my winter break. It's funny, though, since at least half of the people there (including myself) were affiliated with UCSD, either as students or faculty.

I've been called 4 times (in Santa Barbara), but never went up front to tell everyone about myself.  They choose their juries and sent the rest of us home.  One year, they called me in March, and then again in September.

I am being called again, this time April 23 in Denver.  By then I'll have moved to the Capital Hill area and won't have so far to walk.

justine wrote:

Oh, i'm sorry. I guess i just figured everyone over 18 had been at least once.

45 years old, never called.

My wife was on a 4 week murder trial. Thankfully I can afford to pay the mortgage on my own or we would have wound up homeless, or at least very hungry. The day she was done I got MY jury notice and they tried to sit me on a 4-6 week malpractice case. The judge said he didn't want to hear any sob stories about no being able to afford it or not being able to get time off work. He actually said the only acceptable excuse was non-elective surgery. WTF? Anyhooz, I went up anyway and said there was no way I could afford to not work for a month, especially after my wife just served for a month. He gave me some tude but let me go back and sit in the waiting room for another 6 hours.

I really would love to experience jury duty but I can't see how that would be possible for more than the 3 days my employer would be required to pay. Sorry to any of my peers who were hoping to have me hear their case.

I've gotten 3 summonses in the last 4.5 years.

First time was civil court. Slow week, only one group called (out of a 200+ pool).
They dismissed us the next day before 3pm.
Given a slip of paper that was to excempt us from serving for 4 years.

Well 2 years later I get a summons again. Federal. They don't recognise your state/local exemption.

Luckily this was the end of December, so I imagine courts are tied up with stuff not needing juries. I'm on standby (Call in). Don't need to appear.

Then a little over 2 years later another summons (this past february). Queens criminal court. They don't recognise the federal stand-by as servinng, so I have to go.

There are about 250 people in the pool, and my name is called before 10am.
A group of 40 of us go to get screened.

From the charges it sounded like a mugging.
This part was tedious, as several people are trying to be cagey, some are attempting to play dumb. (many have been victims to violent crimes and theft several other are either retired detectives, work in corrections or as civilians in Law enforcement).

Things go slow, but judge assures us that the next day should go quickly and she'd like to dismiss us by 12pm the next day because of concern about weather.
The snow came early the next day -basically a blizzard, but the courts are still open (trying to find that out from home was impossible).
However one lawyer couldn't make it.
The judge had us waiting about an hour and a half -though this was so shhe could give us infor for new procedure on Monday.

For some reason we needed to meet at central jury on Monday and get escorted to courthouse.
Instead of the usual rout, we needed to walk around back, through another building and around the other side of the courthouse.

When we saw why, we all breathed a sigh of relief:
Protesters for the Sean Bell trial (high profile case involving cops shooting an unarmed black man on the night before his wedding). Thank God we weren't called on that. A several month long trial (still ongoing)compared to ours which would be over inside a week.

I was one of 4 people that never got questioned. (Had I gotten questioned they would have definitely picked me, judging from the line of questioning)

i was at least 20 before I was ever called.

heh
walk in.. go straight to clerk....
Me: "good morning ma'am, I am in the medical profession and currently the only employee licensed at the facility to perform the nuclear studies.. and currently on call as there are no other to cover for me.."
Clerk: "thank you for showing up sir, may I have your jury summons and i will get you excused"


3x in the last 6 years.

I don't think I would ever vote to convict someone on drug charges.

user wrote:

I don't think I would ever vote to convict someone on drug charges.

As a juror, it is not your job to decide if the law is worthy, but (assuming criminal case) whether or not the defendant did what he or she was accused of doing beyond a reasonable doubt. It is important to keep legislative and judicial processes separate.

If you can't do that, then you should be rejected as a juror.

resedit wrote:

Here in Redding, I think it is 3 years before they will call you again - maybe it was 2, I don't remember. They just if called again before that period, give them your previous summons and they'll excuse you right away.

that's what they told us as well. in fact they made a big point about keeping your letter to prove you served in case they summon you again