[Go-Tee-O]

I've never had a job that pays for jury duty, and I don't have a lot of cash in the bank to cover it.

If I ended up on a trial that went for more than a week or two, the next court I would be in would be bankruptcy court

If I can ever afford to retire, I think it would be very interesting to sit on a jury.

[Bill Hanlon]

Retired now, but I've been called an average of once every 3 years since the early 1970s. I've only been picked for a jury 5 times in those 45+- years. 2 of those times the case was settled before testimony began and once after 1 day of testimony. I was employed by companies at the time that paid me my regular salary while on jury duty.

The thing that bothers me the most is the "hurry up and wait", similar to being in the military. Beyond that, I'll serve.

[poncho-mike]

I didn't say engineers never got picked.

I talked at length with the prosecutor in my idle time. He said that he liked to have an engineer on the jury when the case was very solid. He said he liked having engineers on the jury for trials involving financial matters and fraud because they could better understand the paper trail, but the defense would often dismiss them.

Originally Posted by bird72

I was picked as juror and engineer then

[hurryinhoosier62]

Been on two juries (IN and FL). I've never considered it anything other than my responsibilty as an American citizen.

[carcrazy]

Haven't been called in Raleigh since 1988. At that time I'd just started an engineering company and asked to be excused-which was granted. I indicated that I would be happy to serve at another time but they never contacted me again. Currently, as someone who is self-employed, it would cost me $1000/day. No interested so much! Would be happy to do it as often as they like when I retire in a few years.
I did have an engineering friend of mine that was seated on the Jeffery McDonald trial in the late 70's. It went on on for months. That created a lot of hardships for the company he worked for as well as his home life.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

He said that he liked to have an engineer on the jury when the case was very solid. He said he liked having engineers on the jury for trials involving financial matters and fraud because they could better understand the paper trail, but the defense would often dismiss them.

Exactly. I got called to jury duty every time I was eligible in San Diego and San Francisco, never picked once. We had a murder trial once and the judge asked us to write a reason why we should be excused and I said that I was an engineer and it would be a waste of time for them to keep me around as I was only going to be dismissed by one of the sides depending on the strength of the case. It worked and I got to go home with the first round dismissed by the judge.

As an engineer you're either going to have one side of the court want you, but the other side not want you and which side it is entirely depends on how the case is going to be presented. Several lawyer friends have pretty much confirmed this as well, if they want someone extremely logical on their side then the other side will likely dismiss them and vice versa.

[beemergary]

I always get booted off. Too many life experiences. They always seemed to want someone too dumb to relate to anything.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by beemergary

I always get booted off. Too many life experiences. They always seemed to want someone too dumb to relate to anything.

I was declined as a juror the last time I was called because I question the ability of a FL Hwy Patrol trooper to assertain as to whether a defendant was intoxicated.

[Simple Man]

Called twice, never picked. I think I made $15.00, to go downtown, and sit the last time. Nothing but the day off, without pay, from my company.

The judge was ticked, 50 people had been summoned, and probably 30 of us showed up. Supposedly contempt of court letters went out to the no shows.

[71GP76TA]

Originally Posted by dataway

I'm self employed Mon-Thurs ... it costs me hundreds of dollars not to work, I have dead lines to meet, promises I've made, other businesses that depend on me ... if I fail them for whatever reason it could cost me, and them a lot of money.

It could literally cost me thousands of dollars to be on a Jury, money that I will never get back. It would be better if they started using professional jurors ... people whose job it is to be on the jury, people that want to do it, people that are engaged in the process, not a bunch of people like me that just want it to be over.

Just can't see losing thousand to listen to some lawyer try to get off some scum bag drug dealer while I'm trying to make a living to feed a family.

X2...

[poncho-mike]

I was issued a summons or bench warrant for not showing up for jury duty as well.

In 1992, I moved about 120 miles away due to a job relocation. I kept my old house and converted it to a rental. I don't know where the court system gets their lists of potential jurors from, but I suspect it was either voter registration records or property tax records. I'm also not sure how often they update their records. I was summoned about nine months after I moved. I never changed my voter registration, but I changed my drivers license address and the address to send my property tax bill to.

A sheriff's deputy showed up at my old house to serve the summons. My tenant told them I was living in Apex and gave the sheriff my Apex phone number. Somebody in the court system called me, and I told them I had moved. They asked for proof that I was no longer a Stanly County resident. I'm still not sure why they couldn't check DMV or their own tax department, but I had to fax them a photocopy of my driver's license and first page of the closing paperwork showing when I bought my new house.

The original notice should have been returned as non-deliverable, since the mail forwarding order had expired months earlier.

Originally Posted by Simple Man

Called twice, never picked. I think I made $15.00, to go downtown, and sit the last time. Nothing but the day off, without pay, from my company.

The judge was ticked, 50 people had been summoned, and probably 30 of us showed up. Supposedly contempt of court letters went out to the no shows.

[flyingn]

we have been out of Philly for 7 years now and im still getting jury duty letters at my old house where my in laws now live. Too funny.

[67drake]

OK. You guys who are self employed or don't get payed by your employer to serve,I can see your point. It's just that even ALL the guys I work with bitch about serving.

[77 Canamman]

I try to get out of it anyway possible. Total waste of my valuable time. With my network of law enforcement friends and family members, I am always excused anyway.

[ken73]

I just served on a double murder case. It was very enlightening experience and if your circumstances allow it, I would try and do it.

[71GP76TA]

Sitting on a jury would be like sitting in a classroom... I can't sit still for more than 20 minutes...after that I'm climbing the walls..

[george kujanski]

We have a court house 5 min. away. My wife gets a summons for jury duty in Chicago at 26th st. and California av., where the jail is.

From our suburban home it would probably take 2 hours each way to get there, regardless of driving or public transportation.....public trans there is a joke; you take your life in your hands in that ****hole.

If we got called to the local courts, I'd go, but not to 26th and cal.

I got called once, sat around all day, and got dismissed since I'm an engineer, my sons are engineers, etc.

While waiting around, there are all these uniformed types, I guess they call them bailiffs, wandering around looking important, but they are useless, morons could do their "job"

The court system is a waste of time. Really.

George

[Hunter98TA]

I've been called many times but never was picked for a jury. I never minded it, except for what the County pays you. Unless it has changed since I was called, they paid you $5.00 a day. IIRC that what it cost to ride a horse from Cape May NJ to Woodbury NJ. That's how old the law was.

I would hope that has changed since the 80's when I used to get called every year.

[george kujanski]

Last time for me was about $17.00 a day. I rode the train to downtown Chicago, I think it was $9.00 round trip IIRC. $8.00 in my pocket (w/o lunch) woo hoo!

George

[rexs73gto]

I get the letters that ask all the questions & never hear back from them. The question that always gets me out of jury duty is are you now or have you ever been a police officer. I was for 3 1/2 years. I never hear back about jury duty.