Jury duty: Citizen's privilege or annoyance to be avoided?

[thatcrazycajun]

Most of you have probably heard some variation on the following: "No 12 people not smart enough to get out of jury duty can possibly be my peers!"

Am I the only one who finds something wrong with this statement and the sentiment behind it?

I myself have been called for voir dire (jury selection) only once, and was culled out at that stage. I have always looked upon jury service as a rare opportunity to fulfill a civic obligation, see how our justice system works (or doesn't) up close and help maintain the ideal of America as a nation governed by laws rather than by the passions of men. Does this make me horribly naïve? Does everyone look at jury duty as nothing more than a waste of their time, a loss of pay (in some cases) and an inconvenience?

The right to a trial by a jury of one's peers has been considered key to a free and just society and a basic human right at least since the Magna Carta, if not longer. Have we become so selfish, or so cynical about the system, that we as a society no longer see this as being so? Or do we just want it when we're on the business end, but not want any part of it when we get asked to take a seat in the jury box? Your thoughts, please.

Comments

[jannyblue.livejournal.com]

It depends on what else you have to do that day.

It sure beats a day at the office... It's a little boring unless you get called onto a jury, but that's what books are for.

But, if they want you to come in the Friday of a convention you're flying to... Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the postponement option.

[katrinb.livejournal.com]

I agree - but lawyers always kick me off juries. I am sad.
Oh, well.

[thatcrazycajun.livejournal.com]

Why do they kick you off, if you don't mind my asking?

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

'cause I'm too damn smart. Defense attorneys want dumb jurors.

[robin-june.livejournal.com]

Same here.

Last time I sat on the Court of Common Pleas (as opposed to our Municipal Court), I filled out a questionnaire with all sorts of Suburban Republican SoccerMom red flags:

Non-inner-city residential address: check. (though I pay less rent here than I did next door to the 'hood)
College-educated: check.
Past victim of a crime: check. (Stolen guitars & mando)
Gun owner: check. (one of these years I'm gonna insure against winter hunger with a deer in the freezer.)
Knows a member of the local police force administration: check. (he's an elder at my church).

I could see it coming: the defendant was young, male, black, and charged with burglary. His lawyer peremptorily challenged me outta there second (the juror kicked out first had been the high school teacher of the young prosecutor).

What I knew he couldn't see on my questionnaire was that, yes, I was perfectly willing to give his client the benefit of the doubt, & innocent until proven guilty: Everything fair and true that I would hope and pray for if my own mixed-race young nephew got swept up by the legal system.

[katrinb.livejournal.com]

In one case, because the defendant was arguing that Prozac had made him not responsible for his actions, and I'd taken Prozac in the past. In another case, because I'd had treatment for depression in general, and had a social worker for a mother. In the third case, because the jury was made up before they called my name.

[beki.livejournal.com]

I find it to be an interesting experience. Mind you, I've only ever been on a coroner's inquiry. It's gross, but fascinating.

I lot of folks are plain lazy. For many, it's a monetary hardship. Most employers don't pay you when you are serving on a jury. So, if your employer isn't going to pay you, and you are the main support of your family, your family is pretty much screwed.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

I have some doubts about whether I have the right to a forced jury.

And a suspicion that forced jurors' time isn't valued because the government doesn't cover most of the cost.

[osewalrus.livejournal.com]

As with all duties of citizenship, some folks will do it gladly, some grudgingly, and some not at all.

[smoooom.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way as you. I would love to do jury duty some day, I've been called up several times, once I even got as far as the court room, I was excused by the judge because I was the mother of small children. I haven't been called since then, I see it as part of the opportunity to live in a free land. And I really don't get why people don't want to do it.

jury duty

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

When living in L.A. County, my mom got called and served on one where the judge, who was pushing 80-something, was the worst judge ever in the particular part of the county (Burbank). Sometimes, serving on the jury is a task because of the judge, or the case.

The last time I was called, I ended up wasting a whole day in the jury pool, only to be excused.

[mdlbear]

Served once; voir dire maybe three times. It's a privilege as well as a civic duty.

Mind you, there've been cases I'm particularly glad not to have been on the jury for.

[cellio]

When I've been called (three times so far) I have, within the limits of honesty and legality (of course), tried to get onto the jury. If I were the guy on trial I would want smart people who care about doing the right thing on my jury, so (this will sound immodest) I try to reciprocate. And, well, it's an obligation and an important part of a free society.

I've been seated twice, but didn't get to deliberate either time. One case was settled right after we were seated (huh?), and on the other I was an alternate. Being an alternate, and therefore hearing my fellow jurors discussing the case for six days (counter to the judge's instructions, of course) was scary.

[kayshapero]

I've always figured it a civic obligation, but then the only time it's actually inconvenienced me was when Vicky was small and I had to find someone to escort her to school the first day. But I'm not on the edge monetarily, either, so I can't exactly judge those who are. The few times I've actually been on a jury have been interesting; I must say I'm glad I haven't gotten onto some of the others for which I was empaneled... On the whole I find it a positive experience.

[(Anonymous)]

"But I'm not on the edge monetarily, either, so I can't exactly judge those who are."

True point, and I second that. I actually get paid time off for jury duty, and they let me keep the jury paycheck to boot, so jury duty is a financial benefit to me, not the difference between keeping my utilities working and food on the table and not.

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I would love to be on a jury. I was only summoned once, and not even questioned then; they had finished picking their jury before they worked their way down the pool to me. Atheist that I am, I feel about voting, giving blood, and jury duty the way some of my Catholic friends seem to feel about sacraments.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I consider it an obligation and a privilege, and never tried to get out of it. I even went through extra hoops to be able to go while I was a working-but-still-nursing mom.

Now that I'm a stay at home mom with small kids, it's not an option. But I expect I'll be dutifully going along with it when they're older.

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

When called, I serve. The only two times I have postponed my jury duty (and they were postponements, I didn't 'get out of it') were occasions when I was too ill to do a proper job of it.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[sodyera.livejournal.com]

From my Book of Sayings:
Never pass up an opportunity to be paid for doing nothing.

I've reported for jury duty every four years for the longest time and have not once been selected. Periodically, my name is called and a lawyer asks me questions, then I'm dismissed because I usually deduce the punch line of the argument before they do. It's a chance to get some reading done if I can find a place to sit next to a window.

[dsthomas.livejournal.com]

I served in Gwinnett County on a traffic violation. It was fascinating! I'd go again if I were called. I was happy to BE included. It was fun. Oh, AND I worked for lawyers at the time.... or was it the telephone company....? I can't rightly recall.

I do see reasons for being excluded. My 87 yr old father in law has been called EVERY time he votes. Hello?? What's up with that? He can hardly walk and getting him to the voting booth is impossible now. I keep telling him to do an absentee ballot, but he's afraid he'd be called again!