(no subject)

[winterbadger]

I am so terrifically excited! For the first time in my life, I have gotten a notice that I am being considered for jury duty. Since I became an adult, I have lived in seven different incorporated cities, towns, villages, or counties (not counting the six months I lived in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as I wasn't eligible to vote there), and I have NEVER been called for jury duty. At the same time I've had to listen to innumerable people whine and complain and try to twist out of doing a civic duty that doesn't demand anything from them (none of them were in work that would cause them to lose income by being away from it) and is an important part of our common experience (or should be) as citizens. It's driven me crazy! No guarantee that I actually get to serve, but I'm filling in the form now so as to make sure they know I'm available!

Comments

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to do jury duty too. If they called me now it would be...difficult. :-)

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I've been called a few times, but it's only been since moving to KC that I've gotten called every blessed year. I'm able to defer it to the summer, and I've always found it an interesting process to watch. Take a good book and prepare to spend a lot of time sitting and waiting. My understanding is that while you're sitting and waiting, important justice things are happening elsewhere, so it's all good.

[keethrax.livejournal.com]

Just served as an alternate on a jury where a 31 year old guy (and mayor of a small town) got away with molesting a girl. As an alternate I had no say in the outcome, but his lawyer played the largely older (and therefore technophobic) jury like a cheap fiddle. It was disgusting to see how well it worked.

[la-renardine.livejournal.com]

It's really an honor and a privilege to serve. It can be inconvenient at times, with long stretches of sitting and waiting. And I've heard of some cases, where it can be souring as well. In any case, insightful. How on earth have you been spared for so long?

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

I'll be interested to see if you actually get to serve, and get as far as the picking process, because the impression I've gotten thus far is that anyone with intelligence, opinions, knowledge or an ability to reason logically is picked out and rejected by the lawyers as potentially awkward, and I'd like to know if that's just media spin and too many tv crime series or actually the case...

[winterbadger]

How on earth have you been spared for so long?

Spared, eh? Freudian slip? ;-)

I have no idea why it's taken so many years. It's been a source of considerable frustration to me.

voir dire

[winterbadger]

I think that is just TV shows. I've known a number of smart, capable people who have served on juries (IIRC, both Chris and Neta have served on juries).

In the US, there are a limited number of peremptory challenges allowed (one party rejecting a juror for no good reason); you simply can't reject an entire pool of jurors because you don't like the way they part their hair. And challenges for cause have to be for credible reasons--you can't just reject someone because they think logically or because they can read and write.

According to Wikipedia, which cites a modern text book on legal procedure, peremptory challenges were abolished in England over 20 years ago. And it doesn't sound as if challenges for cause are accepted for flippant reasons.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

Awesome.

I've never done jury duty either. I've definitely been called up several times, but either I was living over here (in which case I just told them that) or, um, I'm sure that in college I got out of it somehow, though I did say I could do it at another time and they never got back to me.

When I am a UK citizen I hope to be on a jury, except that I have the horrible feeling I will keep flashing back on those Monty Python episodes where the (male) judges are all wearing ladies' underclothes. :)

[la-renardine.livejournal.com]

Oh, spare me. It was 7 in the morning.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I've always been terrified of being called for jury service, I hate the idea of sitting in judgement of anyone.

I hope you get to serve though, as you are so keen

Re: voir dire

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Ah, cool, was thinking the tv shows (and some books, come to think) were over-stating things.. I don't know anyone who's made it to jury duty, each time the case has ended before they've had chance..

[schizokitty.livejournal.com]

I've been called three times -- the first two for jurisdictions I'd recently moved from! I did get a valid call a couple years ago, but they filled up whatever jury they needed before they got to me, so I didn't get to serve.

I know it's my duty (and privilege), and I'd do my damnedest because I actually believe in this part of the system, but I also know there would be some kinds of cases that I wouldn't be able to handle. I just hope I'm never asked to serve for any of those.