[poncho-mike]

I would love to know how the candidates for the jury are selected. Does anybody know?

When my wife and I lived in Stanly County NC from 1982 to 1992, I got called at least four times, and was summoned a fifth time several months after I moved. My wife never got called. The house we bought was in both of our names, the cars were in both of our names, and we both were registered to vote.

We moved to Apex (a suburb of Raleigh), and I haven't been summoned for jury duty in the 24 years we've lived here. We've been in the same house the whole time, we are registered to vote, but the cars are in my name only. The funny thing is my wife has been summoned four times during that period.

When I was summoned in Stanly County made, I had to show up and sit around all day waiting to be called for a one week period. Wake County has a number you call each day to determine if you must show up the next day. I think my wife only had to go in once or twice total, but she had to block off time in her schedule in case the courts called.

I watched both civil and criminal trials, it was interesting to say the least.

[Lemans64]

Just got excused of my Jury duty due to Holiday schedule conflict. Now as long as the Car holds out we will be at GTOAA in seattle, ya hoo.

[gene simmons]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

I would love to know how the candidates for the jury are selected. Does anybody know?

I don't think anyone knows,or ever will know,its secret squirrel stuff.

[Deadhead]

Been called múltiple times. I used to work for lawyers on Court Square. Typically an automatic exemption. I went once after telling them that I had worked for the Comw. Atty when she was in private practice. I sat there all day waiting for a crackhead to plead before being excused with everyone else. Judge said I would get parking etc. paid. Check never came. I did not really care about the $, but being lied to by the judge and clerk did not sit well with me. Next time I was called, I wrote them that was fine, but it would be nice not to be LIED to this time about getting paid for whatever. No response not called. Then, next time I got summoned, I had been having a lot of negative experience with the Commonwealth Atty. not doing her job. I simply told the County that given their lack of ethics and commitment to justice that there was no way I could be objective, but I would be happy to serve and aid in the conviction of any criminal they put on trial. Have not heard back.

I had a neighbor that was called to serve a 6 month stint on a Federal Grand Jury. Now that was a huge burden for anyone. I think it was 2 days a week for 6 months. It is a big burden for any small business owner especially. The Court here had zero tolerance for anyone who brought that up despite language in the statute which I felt could have been interpreted as providing an exemption for that.

[dataway]

I had a Sheriff tell me recently that the country court finds candidates based on voter registration only.

How many of you guys that actually got a no-show summons answered the letter that came asking you to sign up?

Usually the key is NEVER answer the letter no matter how threatening it is. If you answer it ... then don't show up .... now you got a possible problem.

I've dodged the bullet a couple of times now just not responding to the letter ... heck, for all they know I am out of town for two months .... next time I might have to break down and go if business is slow enough ... I do feel the call to do my duty .... just in my case being self employed ... jeez, do they realize how bad it could screw me over? I mean bad, bad ... my big jobs are few and far between. I have clients that sometimes need major fabrication done at about two weeks notice (yes I tell them not to do that but they do) .... so I could lose a $5k job in the blink of an eye ... and worse yet ... the client finds a new option and I lose them for good.

Yes I can, and have, worked literally all night, quite a few times to finish a job .... I'd have to do that the entire time I was on a jury .... so I wouldn't be a very good juror either.

In my opinion, like others have said, TONS of intelligent, experienced retired people that would LOVE to be professional jurors .... say $500 a week ... and the government saves WAY more than that by not having to send out thousand of letters, tons of paper work, hundreds of hours of fruitless interviews.

[chris malish]

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.


***
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

***

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

***

[RocktimusPryme]

I sympathize with the notion of losing money and or just simply wasting your time in a process you may not have any faith in.

But the idea floated of using professionals or even worse the bored and elderly is a bad idea. It's limits demographics badly during jury selection. I consider myself a fairly upstanding citizen. I've been employed since 16, better than average educated, and have never been in any real trouble.

But I look like a scumbag from a heavy metal show. I'm covered in tattoos and currently wearing a Metallica shirt. If in the event I had to go through a trial by jury I wouldn't want to be staring down the barrel at 12 senior citizens who are nowhere near a jury of my peers.

[gene simmons]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

But I look like a scumbag from a heavy metal show. I'm covered in tattoos and currently wearing a Metallica shirt.

Another metallica fan
I still have kill em all and ride the lightning in the closet.

A jury needs to be objective and look beyond a persons appearance.

Unfortunately,when you get a disgruntled juror,who may be upset over loosing pay,the objectivity diminishes.

Myself,knowing the people,i had to get past the fact that they were gold diggers,blew through a lot of money,then wanted $150,000 in damages,not caused by the party they were sueing.

[geeteeohguy]

I get called every year. Fortunately, my job pays me during Jury Duty, so no big deal. I used to hate going when it was money out of my pocket. If it still was, I would be very upset at going. The sad thing is, it's always the same 5% of the population who are losers and can't act like responsible grown-ups that are tying up the system and draining its resources. My last case was of an immigrant woman playing the 'no speaky English' card claiming back injury and suing a trucking company for her injuries. Thankfully, she was exposed as a fraud--- she had run a red light and hit the truck while driving under the influence of narcotics with a stolen handicap plaque. Two weeks of wasted time and money.....she AND her criminal lawyer should have both been thrown in jail. So yeah, pay me and I'm happy to go, don't pay me, not so much.

[Old Goat Racer]

It's simple. If you don't want to serve, hand'em the "race card". "He must be guilty of sumthin". You're excused.

[NBF823]

The only thing I hate about it is wearing presentable clothing. I can't stand dressy clothes.

Was picked but the case got thrown out. Guy was guilty, just not guilty of what he was charged with. He harassed a guy and started a fight. And for some reason, a not so savy officer charged him with assult, which he didn't do, as opposed to harassment, defamation, and terroristic threats, aswell as inciting violence, which he did do - therefore walked even though he was the catalizing element in the events that unfolded.

[4dblnkldude]

I get picked every three years like clockwork, whatever....I read a book, get paid for the day from my employer, and get a check for 25 bucks, which is gas from l town to d town. I thought it was a law at least in pa that you get paid for the day if your at jury duty longer than 4 hours. The last time I got picked I had to call in everyday and wait for my number, but they never called it. Its just like voting....someone made bigger sacrafices than you so we all have these rights.

[GRX]

Been selected for jury duty three times in the last five years. Luck of the draw I guess. All three times I called the number on the letter and recording said I was excused.

Some people I know hate it so much they do not register to vote so they won't get selected. Funny thing is, my state changed to selecting from the driver license list several years back. My friend got a summon letter and was in a total uproar because he did not know that. Joke was on him because he ended up getting picked to sit in a child abuse case for several sessions.