JURY DUTY Again! Need Advice please!

[Guest slim]

Well, i received a letter that i have to go to jury duty in the middle of march, while it is an honor and duty to go, i have been on jury duty 3 x in the last 10 yrs. and it is really getting old! Each time it is a mess with parking, ect. and throws my life upside down for a few weeks!

Fair is fair and i dont want it anymore! My mom and brother also had to do it 2 x each in the last few yrs, and my mom was summoned a few months ago again, despite the fact she has passed away 1 1/2 yrs ago!

It says if i dont go i will be subject to a $500. fine and be listed in contempt of court and might have to pay court costs!

Will they issue a warrant for my arrest, if i dont go? I heard that they do!

Thanks.

PS. My biggest problem always has been, and is i dont like any govt. telling me what i have to do or get punished! If they would ask, instead of telling me, what i have to do, it might be a different story!

Edited February 20, 2009 by slim

[Guest SUNTZU]

Beware the Ides of March!

Act very prejudiced against one side or the other and you probably won't be picked when the lawyers interview the potential jurors.

[Punisher84]

Just to answer the last question, yes they will issue a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear. I think! I'm not 100%, but I believe that is how it works.

[Guest slim]

Even then, you have to show up for several days and wait at the courthouse 3-4 hrs. before being sent home and then you have to call in your number nightly to see if you need to come the following day!I really feel myself and family have done enough jury duty, 4 x in my case! Hell, give me a break! I am not a professional juror!

[Guest Spuds]

Currently on federal jury duty. Finally got a criminal case with firearms involved this week, one of the first questions asked in voir dire was "are any of you NRA members?" 3 out of 30+ were. Guess who got challenged?

I've gotten challenged or not chosen for voir dire every time, I've yet to sit on a jury. Haven't tried to not sit, in fact I WANTED on the trial this week, but got booted anyway--can't be positive but 99% sure it was the US Attorney prosecuting the case who challenged me.

I've been a registered voter since age 18, 30+ years. First time I've ever gotten summoned, and they admitted they used voter registration to get names. They said you'll never get chosen for federal duty again, but I'm not sure if that's policy or just very long odds.

I've observed that while you may not be able to get out of reporting, you can almost certainly be challenged or even recused by the judge if you answer questions in voir dire the right way. Me, I'm wanting to get on a panel, criminal if I can, just for the experience. I'm thinking the best way may simply be to keep my mouth shut and my hand at my side the next time I'm called. Will be on call for a total of 4 months, with 2 remaining.

[Guest slim]

Well, they do not neccessarily user voter registration, i have never registered or voted! And every time i have gone they give you a lecture, telling you how much of an honor and duty it is to serve, also tell you they use all types of different ways to get jurors and that drivers lic. is also one way, as well as utility bills, etc!

Parking is hell to find and also costs, usually 1/2 of the $13. you get payed!

I have served 3 X and that is enough! Anyway our whole county and city govt. is full of crooks, from the cops on up to the city and county govt!

I guess i will have to go! I wish i had enough money to fight this requirement in a court of law, since they will issue a warrant for my arrest, if i dont go and i feel i am being un-duly harrassed for the 4th time, on jury duty!

I guess i better watch my mouth in front of the judge, since once when i had to go to court for a traffic ticket and the judge asked where i was from (due to an alledged accent) and i politely told him, it wasnt any of his business, he told me to watch it or i would get 30 days in the workhouse!

PS. This is Hamilton county, Chatt. Tn.

Edited February 20, 2009 by slim

[Guest db99wj]

Wow.

[Mike.357]

maybe if you voted you would not get called so frequently:shrug:

[Daniel]

yeah! you! tell! that! judge!

[G27]

Weird, I served back in November (county) and when done was told i would not be called again for 10 years (policy here).

[Guest slim]

I am a very easy-going person, never had any trouble with the law, except a few speed. tickets! To which i plead guilty!

However, a jury summons, basically tells you, that you will have to be there for at least 2 weeks or more, and if you dont we shall issue a warrant for your arrest,fine you $500. + court costs and or possibly lock you up! If they would ask me, it would be a different story!

I just dont like being told or made to do stuff and being threatened with penalties or fines, if i dont!

I really will tell this to the judge! I just feel like my rights are actually being violated and am really teed about it!

4 times Jury Duty is too much!

[terrya88]

Don't count on the pay either. My Mom was picked for the Grand Jury and will have to go once a month for the whole year. Someone asked about the pay and they actually laughed. They said it would be next year before they would see any pay and *if* the money was in the county budget for it. LOL

[Guest slim]

The pay is the least of my concerns, every time i or my family members went, it costs about 1/2 of the daily pay just to try to find a parking spot!

Also last time after 2 weeks, my employer was not to happy, since this was the 3rd time, that i left them shorthanded! (Rest.Mgmt.)

[oldogy]

It would really be bad if you could not hear well enough to understand what they were questioning you about. Yeah, I've been on the grand jury trip before but I could hear then.

oldogy

[Daniel]

An exclamation mark or exclamation point is a punctuation mark: ! It is usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume, and often marks the end of a sentence.

Overly frequent use of the exclamation mark is generally considered poor writing, as it distracts the reader and reduces the mark's meaning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclamation_mark

A full stop or period (sometimes stop, full point, or dot), is the punctuation mark commonly placed at the end of several different types of sentences in English and many other languages. A full stop consists of a small dot placed at the end of a line of text, such as at the end of this sentence.

!!!!!111!

[Guest slim]

Well, when one is fluent in 4 languages, spoken as well as written, it is sometimes hard to keep up with a punctuation mark or two!:tough:But thanks for the lesson!

[Will]

Another one never called in 30+ Years and reg.voter. One neighbor called twice in

five years another three in six. Both of them said there must be something in my

D.L. Profile saying -Do not call him because he says if they made it this far they are guilty. Now I will get called this week.

[Oh Shoot]

I was called once in my life so far, about 3 years ago.

I popped down to the court office right at 8 one morning and explained I couldn't do it, due to being a FedEx contractor, as I wouldn't get paid for duration of the duty, and would also likely lose contract, so they excused me.

Would be happy to serve now, though, retired...

-OS

[Guest tnmale46]

4 times in 8 years for me back in the 90's

[G27]

I was called once in my life so far, about 3 years ago.

I popped down to the court office right at 8 one morning and explained I couldn't do it, due to being a FedEx contractor, as I wouldn't get paid for duration of the duty, and would also likely lose contract, so they excused me.

Doesn't matter in Shelby Co - even a sole prop like myself (business is closed with zero income) has to serve when called.

I thankfully got myself excused from TWO sequestered juries...

[Oh Shoot]

See my post....

There's a chance if you go to court office and plead that a 4th stint puts a strain on your employment situation, they might give you a bye.

Don't wait till you're supposed to first show up to do it, though.

(I can't believe you've never voted - just, wow.)

- OS

[Guest jackdog]

twice in my life Well actually three times but they did want me to come home from viet Nam to serve. Never actually sat on a jury. guess I answered the questions wrong:rolleyes:

[Fadex]

Man...I've never been called. For $14 a day, I hope I don't either.

[Guest gunslinger707]

twice in my life Well actually three times but they did want me to come home from viet Nam to serve. Never actually sat on a jury. guess I answered the questions wrong:rolleyes:

Jackdog that would have been a good R&R:D

[Guest slim]

In Hamilton County it is impossible to get out of J.Duty. They even want the deceased to be on Jury Duty, like in my moms case and a friend whose daughter passed away 6 yrs. ago still gets a summons every few yrs.4 X is just 3 X to much! Surely despite all the crooks in the police dept. and local govt. in Hamilton county, (Chatt. Waltz) there would seem to be enough honest folks to serve, besides just the same ones!