Jury duty

[BladesNBarrels]

As a member of the bar I assume I'll never be seated on a jury again, though I wouldn't mind doing so. It really is an interesting experience if you approach it with an open mind.

I thought this was true also. The last time I was called in JeffCo, the Judge relayed that he had been called and served on a jury. It totally surprised him. He admitted that he gained a lot of insight being on the other side as a Juror. Jury Duty is a responsibility of citizenship.

[Circuits]

As a member of the bar I assume I'll never be seated on a jury again, though I wouldn't mind doing so. It really is an interesting experience if you approach it with an open mind.

My dad and I were having this same conversation just yesterday - being a lawyer does not disqualify you from jury participation in most jurisdictions, and may come down to an individual trial issue, as to whether a lawyer will 'unduly influence' other members of the jury, through their knowledge of the law, or training related to court procedures.

There are places and instances in which simply being a lawyer will excuse you from jury duty, but it is by no means universal, or even (in CO) likely - totally up to the trial judge. Dad even mentioned instances of judges and former judges being called to serve as jurors.

[Martinjmpr]

My dad and I were having this same conversation just yesterday - being a lawyer does not disqualify you from jury participation in most jurisdictions, and may come down to an individual trial issue, as to whether a lawyer will 'unduly influence' other members of the jury, through their knowledge of the law, or training related to court procedures.

There are places and instances in which simply being a lawyer will excuse you from jury duty, but it is by no means universal, or even (in CO) likely - totally up to the trial judge. Dad even mentioned instances of judges and former judges being called to serve as jurors.

I agree but my assumption has always been that one side or the other would use a peremptory challenge to remove a lawyer from the jury for fear that the lawyer might unduly influence the rest of the jurors or might apply his or her own knowledge of the law vs the explanation of the law that the court wants the jury to apply.

[Richard K]

I've been summoned three times but never got on a jury. As a retired LEO I don't think I ever will unless it's for a civil trial. My big fear is being sequestered for a 3 or 4 month trial. Can you imagine being a juror on the OJ Simpson trial and being sequestered for over a year?

[Limited GM]

I've been called and they cancelled both times. I'd like the experience. Knowledge is power and all that.

my mom was on a high profile case and one juror, read a book the whole time they were discussing in the back room, just told them she'd go with whatever they thought. Scary stuff right there.c

[jhood001]

I understand the want to avoid JD. However how can we as gun owners (ok some of us) complain about a fellow gun owner not getting a fair trial. IF we don't participate.

Exactly. We all piss and moan about the system and then when given the chance, *some* of us try to find a way out.

Do it. Do it long and do it hard. And reap the satisfaction that comes with actually doing it.

[rfizzle]

Got a summons for this week as well, drove up to Greeley on Wednesday. They looked at the "occupation" box and pulled me aside to excuse me.

About 8 years ago I sat on an attempted murder case, took a week and half. I still can't believe I was selected, I was in the hiring process with two LE agencies at the time and I disclosed that information to the court. Really interesting to be a part of it, has given me a lot of insight now on this side of things.

I'd do it again, but I'll never selected.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

I was called several times in college, but was excused because I was in college 90 minutes (and many counties) away. My DL, voter reg, etc was kept "home" because my dad wanted my vote in local politics.

I've only been called once to JeffCo in 12 years here. My wife has been called a few times early on when she was registered D (go figure, and she's not anymore). Much like with the engineer, I've been told physicians and pharmacists are often booted quickly too, but they wanted to keep her badly one time and she had a pharmacy student.
"What does your husband do?"
Pharmacist as well.
"Why can't he take your student?"


She got out for that, although she would've been fine staying if it didn't cause so much interruption because of the student. I had the nastiest cold on the day I was called. Sat in the room snotting everywhere and luckily ALL cases settled early without court so they sent everyone home.

I'm indifferent to it for the reasons noted. I'd probably rather not be around "my peers" but at the same time very much agree with what Martinjmpr and Jim note.

[TennVol]

I was called for jury duty several years ago. The jury selection process took over two days & I was the last person who was excused. After seeing the room full of people who were there, I would be terrified to be on trial and have to trust my fate to a jury. You wouldn't believe the stories these people had and all the reasons they said they couldn't serve on that jury. I would not consider 80% of those people in that room to be my peers. If you have to be on trial and you have to trust your fate to a jury of your "peers", good luck to you (especially if you are innocent)!

[Limited GM]

Exactly. We all piss and moan about the system and then when given the chance, *some* of us try to find a way out.

Do it. Do it long and do it hard. And reap the satisfaction that comes with actually doing it.

Exactly. Can you imagine being in a justified shooting, find yourself on trial, look at the jury and only see mouth breathers? Scary stuff.