OT/Question regarding bailing on jury duty?

[Griffins]

I wish those that were self employed could get excused- you used to be able to but no longer. If I get picked I have to not only give up work, but release my crew (6-9 people) and the client will give the project to someone else, possibly not coming back (think Wally Pipp).
I've got duty at a criminal court, and with 2 cops in the family and hearing what they used to do I have no doubt a DA would want me off in a heartbeat.
Adam, if you can get me out of it I'll pay for the next ppv and bring a steak for FiFi.

[almostdone]

I got called for jury duty one time and called the court administrator and explained that my business needed me the specific week I was on call. He told me they would excuse me with no issues but the next time I was called there would be absolutly no way I could get out of it. I figured I would take my chances and agreed.
About two months later I was called again (shocker) and it was the same week of my family vacation. I again called but because I had agreed previously there was no way of getting out of it. My wife and I had to scramble nd rearange all of our plans. (fortunatly we were taking my family camping so there wasn't any real money lost). The day before I was supposed to report I called and got the automated message "All those called for jury duty this week do not need to report. All cases scheduled have been settled and there is nothing left on the courts docet. Thank you for your willingnes to serve."
Now we laugh, back then... not so funny.
Drew

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Griffins

I wish those that were self employed could get excused- you used to be able to but no longer. If I get picked I have to not only give up work, but release my crew (6-9 people) and the client will give the project to someone else, possibly not coming back (think Wally Pipp).
I've got duty at a criminal court, and with 2 cops in the family and hearing what they used to do I have no doubt a DA would want me off in a heartbeat.
Adam, if you can get me out of it I'll pay for the next ppv and bring a steak for FiFi.

Sorry, I will be across the street at the civil courthouse.

[David W]

In Indiana I think the names for the jury pool come from the registered voter list.

Is that true in other states? If so, since a large percentage of people never register to vote, how representative of a jury do you get?

[tbob]

Originally Posted by David W

In Indiana I think the names for the jury pool come from the registered voter list.

Is that true in other states? If so, since a large percentage of people never register to vote, how representative of a jury do you get?

David- that is the way it goes in my state also. The jury panel is called based on the voter registration rolls. Thus anyone previously convicted of a felony (who never bothered to have his conviction later sealed) is automatically ineligible for jury duty. The move is on to shift from voter registration rolls to driver's license rolls but that opens up a can of worms because you can get a driver's license if convicted of a felony but you can not vote if you were convicted of any kind of felony, even if the sentence were suspended on good behavior.

[tbob]

My wife was involved in an all weekend event a while ago to register voters for the upcoming elections and was shocked at how many people, especially young people, wanted to register to vote but had felonies on their record.
I will tell you that they were successful in registering many minority individuals to vote for the first time this fall. I don't think she advised them that they were now eligible for jury duty though

[Leon]

Originally Posted by tbob

My wife was involved in an all weekend event a while ago to register voters for the upcoming elections and was shocked at how many people, especially young people, wanted to register to vote but had felonies on their record.
I will tell you that they were successful in registering many minority individuals to vote for the first time this fall. I don't think she advised them that they were now eligible for jury duty though

Felons can vote as long as they are not on any type of parole or probation any longer. Of course they can't be on jury duty unless the felony was expunged or done away with (Governor pardon etc...) otherwise. At least that is what I believe are the cases.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Leon

Felons can vote as long as they are not on any type of parole or probation any longer. Of course they can't be on jury duty unless the felony was expunged or done away with (Governor pardon etc...) otherwise. At least that is what I believe are the cases.

Perhaps in Texas, but not Arkansas. Felons can also own handguns in Texas, but they are absolutely prohibited for owning or even possessing them in Arkansas. Not even an expungement will work in Arkansas but there has been some recent legislation designed to allow felons to possess handguns for hunting (thanks NRA, just we need felons touting semi-automatic rifles while hunting rabbits )

[Deertick]

I was on one jury, a Medical Malpractice case involving death, multiple defendants, multiple complaints. Nearly FIVE DAYS of testimony. I found it odd that one attorney stopped asking questions the 2nd day, and two others virtually stopped the 4th day after being very active early on.

When it came time to charge the Jury, 18 out of 20 complaints had been settled. That left us with a complaint each against the hospital and the Dr. It was a no-brainer decision, and all we really had to do was assign percentage of blame. So (12+2 jurors)*(5*8 hrs)= 560 man-hrs to divy up a settlement amount that had already been reached. (We found this out when we recommended $1 in damages. The Judge said he was in agreement but the number had already been reached.)

We all took our duty seriously and it really turned out to be a huge waste of our time. Sorta like your wife asking you which couch you like AFTER she purchased one.

[ullmandds]

rob d...that sounds awesome!!!!!! i would love to have actually participated in a cool case on the jury...that would be interesting!!!!

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Deertick

Sorta like your wife asking you which couch you like AFTER she purchased one.

I thought that was normal wifely behavior...I stopped participating in those decisions years ago because when she asked me first and I told her my view the next sentence out of her mouth was invariably "let me tell you why you're wrong." It's not that I don't care, I just don't care to be called an idiot.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I thought that was normal wifely behavior...I stopped participating in those decisions years ago because when she asked me first and I told her my view the next sentence out of her mouth was invariably "let me tell you why you're wrong." It's not that I don't care, I just don't care to be called an idiot.

LOL! Just this past week.

Wife: Our daughter wants a pet snake, what do you think?

Me: I think she should wait until she settles in to her college routine in September, and then see if she wants to handle ANOTHER Pet.

next day

Wife: I told our daughter she could buy a pet snake today

Me: Wonderful, I'll be sure to walk it every morning.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

How was he able to convince you of "Not guilty" after witnesses saw him running from the scene?

I am sure it had something to do with the witness who saw him running from the scene may have been an older guy and the story of him getting from one area to another area didn't seem to make sense. So they assumed he had just heard the noise of someone running from the scene but never actually saw him. That is just conjecture.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

I am sure it had something to do with the witness who saw him running from the scene may have been an older guy and the story of him getting from one area to another area didn't seem to make sense. So they assumed he had just heard the noise of someone running from the scene but never actually saw him. That is just conjecture.

In this case it had something to do with Hollywood....I just need to keep reminding myself to not respond to Rob D. Posts before considering every angle.