A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:Interesting. I think employers in this country have to pay you for the
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay you the whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't lose any money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, states have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they don't have to pay you while you're on one.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country, state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the sights. L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty in my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving. And
a few days later, a new summons showed up.
I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
. . .
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty in >>my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no >>problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me >>since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving. And
a few days later, a new summons showed up. I went and got eliminated the >>moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Wouldn't stating that you intend to apply common sense after listening
to arguments have disqualified you as well?
. . .
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and have >time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay you the >whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't lose any >money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people >aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, states >have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they >don't have to pay you while you're on one.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country, state-by-state, >staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the sights. >L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty in >my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what had >happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no >problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me >since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving. And >a few days later, a new summons showed up. I went and got eliminated the >moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
On 2025-05-20 9:40 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> >> wrote:Interesting. I think employers in this country have to pay you for the
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and >> have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay you the
whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't lose any
money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people >> aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, states
have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they >> don't have to pay you while you're on one.
time you are on the jury but it may not be your normal pay. It may just
be minimum wage, which would be a major cut for people with good jobs.
When I told my employer about my summons, they assured me it wouldn't be
a problem for them but it was inconvenient for me because I was working
an evening shift that ended around midnight so I didn't get my full
night's sleep before showing up for the jury pool.
That's all? I can imagine a trip like that lasting years.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and
packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country,
state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the
sights.
L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a
half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty >> in
my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what >> had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no >> problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me >> since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving. >> And
a few days later, a new summons showed up.
Clearly, there are *some* reasons that are considered acceptable for not answering the summons and you hit on one of them ;-)
I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Is being a lawyer a get-out-of-jury-duty card in every trial?
Do they at least make sure you don't have a criminal record when they compile their
lists of prospective jurors?
What about language? If you don't have
fluency in the language the court is using, are you automatically disqualified from serving or do they find an interpreter for you?
On May 20, 2025 at 7:03:41 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
On 2025-05-20 9:40 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com>Interesting. I think employers in this country have to pay you for the
wrote:
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last >>>> minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail >>>> to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and >>> have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay you the
whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't lose any
money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people >>> aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, states
have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they
don't have to pay you while you're on one.
time you are on the jury but it may not be your normal pay. It may just
be minimum wage, which would be a major cut for people with good jobs.
When I told my employer about my summons, they assured me it wouldn't be
a problem for them but it was inconvenient for me because I was working
an evening shift that ended around midnight so I didn't get my full
night's sleep before showing up for the jury pool.
That's all? I can imagine a trip like that lasting years.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and >>> packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country,
state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the
sights.
L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a >>> half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty
in
my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what
had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no >>> problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me
since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving.
And
a few days later, a new summons showed up.
Clearly, there are *some* reasons that are considered acceptable for not
answering the summons and you hit on one of them ;-)
I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Is being a lawyer a get-out-of-jury-duty card in every trial?
No, but both sides generally don't like people in the jury room that can both explain the law to the other jurors and tell them all the legal tricks that lawyers pull to keep evidence away from the jury.
In CA, there are, however, exceptions written into the law that they have no discretion about granting. (Being a lawyer isn't one of them.) If you meet them, it's an automatic pass.
One of them is that you can decline to serve if you're a certified peace officer (cop) and they have a whole list of like 20 different types of cops that qualify, everything from a standard beat cop to a fish and game warden, but federal agents are nowhere on that list so I still had to go when I got a summons back in 2016.
I figured I'd go in, fill out the background questionnaire and when the lawyers realized I was a federal cop, they'd kick me immediately, but I actually ended up serving on the jury. I was stunned. During voir dire, neither the prosecution nor the defense seemed to have any problem with me being both a lawyer and police. (It was an aggravated DUI case.)
Even the judge, who has everyone's forms up on the bench, was perplexed. As they were about to move on to the next potential juror, she stopped them, then
asked me if I would have any problem presuming the defendant innocent given my
background in law enforcement. She was obviously trying to signal to the defense that I was a cop in case he missed it. I said I felt I could and the defense attorney, who must have been fresh off the set of LAW & ORDER, still asked me no questions and didn't object at all.
So I ended up getting picked for the jury. My boss didn't believe me. He thought for sure I was just saying I got picked so I could take a few days off. He even showed up in the courtroom to watch one morning of testimony.
(We found the guy guilty.)
Do they at least make sure you don't have a criminal record when they compile
their
lists of prospective jurors?
I would assume so. They do ask you about any arrests or convictions you've had
on the questionnaire. I don't imagine they just take people's word for it when
they say no, though.
What about language? If you don't have
fluency in the language the court is using, are you automatically
disqualified from serving or do they find an interpreter for you?
In my trial, the judge excused an ancient Chinese lady from serving who could barely speak English.
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
"A reasonable excuse is not, ‘I didn’t get the mail, I was out of town.'"
How is that not a reasonable excuse? Are Canadidians not allowed to engage in travel? Are they forbidden from taking trips longer than a few days in case the state might send them a jury summons?
As for not getting the mail, how the hell can you control that? If something gets lost in the mail, does Canada expect you to psychically know it was sent to you or something? I mean, if I go out the mailbox today, how do I know a jury summons should be there but was lost at the post office?
I bet the judges who refused to accept those explanations would be the first to scream like a stuck pig if they got dinged by a fine or penalty and were told, "Well, we mailed the notice of violation to you. Saying you never got it
isn't an excuse."
After graduating college, my brother moved to Florida. About a year after he moved there from Texas, he got a letter forwarded from our dad notifying him of jury duty. Apparently they didn't update their voter rolls that well back then because he had changed his address from Texas to Florida when he moved. He chuckled and tossed it in the trash.
A few weeks later, he got another forwarded letter threatening him with a fine
and possible bench warrant for failing to report for jury duty. So he sent them a certified letter letting them know he was an official resident of Florida and obviously wasn’t available (nor even eligible) for jury duty in Texas. He figured that would take care of it.
Nope.
Two weeks later, he got an official court summons (again forwarded by my obviously amused father) for failure to appear. So he called the court. Once he got the right person on the phone, he explained that he had had no opposition to serving on a jury. In fact, he said, he would be greatly honored
to serve, as he felt it was part of being a citizen. The only problem was transportation and lodging. He told the court clerk that he would need a round-trip plane ticket and at a room at a decent hotel for the time he was in
town for jury selection and duty, if he was picked.
The court clerk was a bit confused as why he would need airfare to get to the courthouse. He explained that it otherwise would take at least 2-3 days to drive from Coral Gables to Austin and he couldn't afford to spend that much time on the road, plus his car was really only reliable to get around a locally and was not suited for cross-country travel.
Finally it dawned on them that his certified letter wasn't some sort of scam to get out of jury duty. He did ask them to send him a written notice absolving him of any legal issues pertaining to the matter and to kindly update their records.
On 2025-05-20 10:33 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 7:03:41 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> >> wrote:It's interesting that the judge tried to "help" the defence. I'm a
On 2025-05-20 9:40 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino"Interesting. I think employers in this country have to pay you for the
<no_offline_contact@example.com>
wrote:
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had >>>>> failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last >>>>> minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was >>>>> dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail >>>>> to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and
have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay >>>> you the
whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't >>>> lose any
money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people
aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, >>>> states
have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they
don't have to pay you while you're on one.
time you are on the jury but it may not be your normal pay. It may just >>> be minimum wage, which would be a major cut for people with good jobs.
When I told my employer about my summons, they assured me it wouldn't be >>> a problem for them but it was inconvenient for me because I was working >>> an evening shift that ended around midnight so I didn't get my full
night's sleep before showing up for the jury pool.
That's all? I can imagine a trip like that lasting years.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and
packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country,
state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the >>>> sights.
L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a >>>> half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty
in
my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what
had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no
problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons >>>> for me
since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving.
And
a few days later, a new summons showed up.
Clearly, there are *some* reasons that are considered acceptable for not >>> answering the summons and you hit on one of them ;-)
I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Is being a lawyer a get-out-of-jury-duty card in every trial?
No, but both sides generally don't like people in the jury room that can
both
explain the law to the other jurors and tell them all the legal tricks that >> lawyers pull to keep evidence away from the jury.
In CA, there are, however, exceptions written into the law that they have no
discretion about granting. (Being a lawyer isn't one of them.) If you meet >> them, it's an automatic pass.
One of them is that you can decline to serve if you're a certified peace
officer (cop) and they have a whole list of like 20 different types of cops >> that qualify, everything from a standard beat cop to a fish and game warden,
but federal agents are nowhere on that list so I still had to go when I got >> a
summons back in 2016.
I figured I'd go in, fill out the background questionnaire and when the
lawyers realized I was a federal cop, they'd kick me immediately, but I
actually ended up serving on the jury. I was stunned. During voir dire,
neither the prosecution nor the defense seemed to have any problem with me >> being both a lawyer and police. (It was an aggravated DUI case.)
Even the judge, who has everyone's forms up on the bench, was perplexed. As >> they were about to move on to the next potential juror, she stopped them, >> then
asked me if I would have any problem presuming the defendant innocent given >> my
background in law enforcement. She was obviously trying to signal to the
defense that I was a cop in case he missed it. I said I felt I could and the
defense attorney, who must have been fresh off the set of LAW & ORDER, still
asked me no questions and didn't object at all.
little surprised the prosecutor didn't object.
So I ended up getting picked for the jury. My boss didn't believe me. HeThat's funny! I would have thought he'd just ask to see your jury
thought for sure I was just saying I got picked so I could take a few days >> off. He even showed up in the courtroom to watch one morning of testimony. >>
summons. Maybe HE was the one looking for a day off ;-)
(We found the guy guilty.)I hope he learned his lesson. Some drunks apparently DO clean up their acts.
I certainly hope not.Do they at least make sure you don't have a criminal record when they
compile
their lists of prospective jurors?
I would assume so. They do ask you about any arrests or convictions you've >> had
on the questionnaire. I don't imagine they just take people's word for it >> when
they say no, though.
What about language? If you don't have
fluency in the language the court is using, are you automatically
disqualified from serving or do they find an interpreter for you?
In my trial, the judge excused an ancient Chinese lady from serving who
could
barely speak English.
A wise move on the part of the judge.
BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
. . .
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay you the >> whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't lose any >> money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people
aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, states >> have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they >> don't have to pay you while you're on one.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country, state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the sights.
L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty in
my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no
problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons for me >> since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving. And
a few days later, a new summons showed up. I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Wouldn't stating that you intend to apply common sense after listening
tio arguments have disqualified you as well?
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury- duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard anyone on
this side of the border express contempt for the notion of serving on a
jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it inconvenient. Then
again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge in this article, willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread as I assumed.
On 5/20/25 5:45 PM, Rhino wrote:
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-
jury- duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard anyone on
this side of the border express contempt for the notion of serving on
a jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it inconvenient. Then
again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge in this article,
willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread as I assumed.
I get jury summons at least about every 2-3 years. I have done 2 juries
(and missed being on a third), and I feel like I've done my bit - they
should leave me alone now.
It is hugely inconvenient for me, as a teacher to serve on a jury, and
they don't make it easy to move jury duty to, say, summer.
So...
On May 20, 2025 at 8:40:03 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
On 2025-05-20 10:33 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 7:03:41 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com>It's interesting that the judge tried to "help" the defence. I'm a
wrote:
On 2025-05-20 9:40 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On May 20, 2025 at 5:45:58 PM PDT, "Rhino"Interesting. I think employers in this country have to pay you for the >>>> time you are on the jury but it may not be your normal pay. It may just >>>> be minimum wage, which would be a major cut for people with good jobs. >>>> When I told my employer about my summons, they assured me it wouldn't be >>>> a problem for them but it was inconvenient for me because I was working >>>> an evening shift that ended around midnight so I didn't get my full
<no_offline_contact@example.com>
wrote:
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had >>>>>> failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was >>>>>> dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true?
I'd actually enjoy serving on a jury, especially now that I'm retired and
have
time to kill. Even when I was working, the FedGov's policy is to pay >>>>> you the
whole time you're on jury duty as if you were at work, so you don't >>>>> lose any
money and you get (potentially) a week out of the office. A lot of people
aren't so lucky and don't get paid while on a jury. Most, if not all, >>>>> states
have laws that prohibit an employer from firing you for jury duty but they
don't have to pay you while you're on one.
night's sleep before showing up for the jury pool.
That's all? I can imagine a trip like that lasting years.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and
packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country,
state-by-state,
staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the >>>>> sights.
L.A. to Key West, Florida to Maine, etc. The trip took me a month and a
half.
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for jury duty
in
my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons and explained what
had
happened. The woman looked up the number on my summons and said it was no
problem, they'd just cancel it in the system and issue a new summons >>>>> for me
since I was home now and being retired had no work conflicts with serving.
And
a few days later, a new summons showed up.
Clearly, there are *some* reasons that are considered acceptable for not >>>> answering the summons and you hit on one of them ;-)
I went and got eliminated the
moment both sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Is being a lawyer a get-out-of-jury-duty card in every trial?
No, but both sides generally don't like people in the jury room that can >>> both
explain the law to the other jurors and tell them all the legal tricks that
lawyers pull to keep evidence away from the jury.
In CA, there are, however, exceptions written into the law that they have no
discretion about granting. (Being a lawyer isn't one of them.) If you meet
them, it's an automatic pass.
One of them is that you can decline to serve if you're a certified peace >>> officer (cop) and they have a whole list of like 20 different types of cops
that qualify, everything from a standard beat cop to a fish and game warden,
but federal agents are nowhere on that list so I still had to go when I got
a
summons back in 2016.
I figured I'd go in, fill out the background questionnaire and when the >>> lawyers realized I was a federal cop, they'd kick me immediately, but I >>> actually ended up serving on the jury. I was stunned. During voir dire, >>> neither the prosecution nor the defense seemed to have any problem with me
being both a lawyer and police. (It was an aggravated DUI case.)
Even the judge, who has everyone's forms up on the bench, was perplexed. As
they were about to move on to the next potential juror, she stopped them, >>> then
asked me if I would have any problem presuming the defendant innocent given
my
background in law enforcement. She was obviously trying to signal to the >>> defense that I was a cop in case he missed it. I said I felt I could and the
defense attorney, who must have been fresh off the set of LAW & ORDER, still
asked me no questions and didn't object at all.
little surprised the prosecutor didn't object.
She was helping both sides, really. It's true the defense usually objects to cops but prosecutors don't much care for them on the jury, either. Same reason
as lawyers: they know all the details about how things are done, like crime scene processing, and can point out to jurors when things seem to be 'missing'
or suppressed.
So I ended up getting picked for the jury. My boss didn't believe me. He >>> thought for sure I was just saying I got picked so I could take a few daysThat's funny! I would have thought he'd just ask to see your jury
off. He even showed up in the courtroom to watch one morning of testimony.
summons. Maybe HE was the one looking for a day off ;-)
(We found the guy guilty.)I hope he learned his lesson. Some drunks apparently DO clean up their acts. >>
I certainly hope not.Do they at least make sure you don't have a criminal record when they >>>> compile
their lists of prospective jurors?
I would assume so. They do ask you about any arrests or convictions you've
had
on the questionnaire. I don't imagine they just take people's word for it >>> when
they say no, though.
What about language? If you don't have
fluency in the language the court is using, are you automatically
disqualified from serving or do they find an interpreter for you?
In my trial, the judge excused an ancient Chinese lady from serving who >>> could
barely speak English.
A wise move on the part of the judge.
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-jury-duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard anyone on
this side of the border express contempt for the notion of serving on a
jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it inconvenient. Then
again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge in this article, >willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread as I assumed.
When I retired, I embarked on something I’d wanted to do for years and packed
up the car and just started lazily driving around the country, state-by-state, >staying in various places, sometimes a week at a time, to see all the sights. >L.A. to Key West, Florida
Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> writes:
BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
. . .
When I finally returned home, I found a long-expired summons for
jury duty in my accumulated mail. I called the number on the summons
and explained what had happened. The woman looked up the number on
my summons and said it was no problem, they'd just cancel it in the >>>system and issue a new summons for me since I was home now and being >>>retired had no work conflicts with serving. And a few days later,
a new summons showed up. I went and got eliminated the moment both
sides discovered I was a lawyer.
Wouldn't stating that you intend to apply common sense after listening
to arguments have disqualified you as well?
"I'm a firm beliver in Jury Nullification"
On 5/20/25 5:45 PM, Rhino wrote:
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-
jury- duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail
to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard anyone on
this side of the border express contempt for the notion of serving on
a jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it inconvenient. Then
again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge in this article,
willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread as I assumed.
I get jury summons at least about every 2-3 years. I have done 2 juries
(and missed being on a third), and I feel like I've done my bit - they
should leave me alone now.
It is hugely inconvenient for me, as a teacher to serve on a jury, and
they don't make it easy to move jury duty to, say, summer.
So...
On 5/20/2025 11:08 PM, Ian J. Ball wrote:
On 5/20/25 5:45 PM, Rhino wrote:Apparently I'm lucky. It is a significant number of years between
A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had
failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey-
jury- duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last
minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was
dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools
fail to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard
anyone on this side of the border express contempt for the notion of
serving on a jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it
inconvenient. Then again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge
in this article, willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread
as I assumed.
I get jury summons at least about every 2-3 years. I have done 2
juries (and missed being on a third), and I feel like I've done my bit
- they should leave me alone now.
It is hugely inconvenient for me, as a teacher to serve on a jury, and
they don't make it easy to move jury duty to, say, summer.
So...
notices for possible jury duty for me and I live in a "1 day or 1 trial" county so usually if I even have to sho up the courts only have 1 day
to put me on a jury.
Last time it was a slip and fall civil case. The defense attorney was asking us if we would consider the size of the plaintiffs monetary
demand in finding his client liable. I responded asking aren't we
supposed to not consider that until _after_ we had found there to be any liability. The judge said I was correct and shortly thereafter I was
the first potential juror excused.
Apparently I'm lucky. It is a significant number of years between
notices for possible jury duty for me and I live in a "1 day or 1 trial" >county so usually if I even have to show up the courts only have 1 day
to put me on a jury.
Last time it was a slip and fall civil case. The defense attorney was
asking us if we would consider the size of the plaintiffs monetary
demand in finding his client liable. I responded asking aren't we
supposed to not consider that until _after_ we had found there to be any >liability. The judge said I was correct and shortly thereafter I was
the first potential juror excused.
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