Jury Duty

randlemanboater · #1 01-12-2009, 10:22 AM

Well, here I sit in the Jury Room waiting to see what I will be doing the rest of the week, or year, they are picking a Grand Jury today, they have to serve for a year.

Hopefully I will be excused because of my bias.

Mulv80 · #2 01-12-2009, 10:48 AM

I spent 4 years as a Court Officer, part of my job was supervising the Voir Dire (Jury Selection). If picking jurors for a criminal trial; by all means a background in law enforcement will all but guarantee that you will not be chosen. Now for a civil trial, the only thing that the attorneys and judge are concerned with are your ability to listen and weigh all the evidence and be fair.

And by the way no matter how interesting the case may sound it is going to be boring as hell after opening statements

90% of my job was to keep the jurors awake.

macojoe · #3 01-12-2009, 11:40 AM

I have never been on a jury, and never will, they don't pay enough!!

randlemanboater · #4 01-13-2009, 08:41 AM

Well, yesterday was one of two days per year where they pick the Grand Jury........guess who got picked?

They meet the first Monday of each month and the term is for 1 YEAR!

They do pay $20/day instead of $12/day like regular jury duty so if we can be in and out in 45 minutes each time its a pretty good hourly rate. Yesterday we were there for 7.5 hours......thats $2.60/hour.

RWilson2526 · #5 01-13-2009, 10:31 AM

Thats not too bad, at least it spaced out pretty well. I was on a grand jury once , it was 2 times a week for 6 weeks. same number days I guess but the company I worked for was starting to get a little po'd. although I did get paid .

Its actually pretty interesting because you only hear the prosecutors side of the story. I will almost be willing to bet that EVERYONE you see will get indicted. IApparently some judge in NY was the first to say it but he said a "good prosector can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich", which I would agree. Especially because you only need a majority or something to that effect ( a quorem ??)

Any way have fun!!!

drbabe · #6 01-13-2009, 01:03 PM

I'd love to weigh in on this, but my lawyer says I can't talk about it.
Dave

randlemanboater · #7 01-14-2009, 02:55 PM

Here, it is the witness who speaks before the GJ, which means its all cops, many whom I know. All true bills so far.

I am getting to know all the people in town to watch out for, I dont work in the county I live in so that is helpful.

phatdaddy · #8 01-14-2009, 05:24 PM

Ive heard the good thing about the grand jury is you get to ask questions. I've been on regular jury duty a couple of times and it is interesting, but is is frustrating not being able to ask questions.
I've learned one thing, when you hire a lawyer. you get what you pay for.

Mac_Attack · #9 01-14-2009, 06:25 PM

MJ you should try it, I like the experience. Never been sellected for a Grand Jury though. Billy Mac

randlemanboater · #10 01-15-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

Ive heard the good thing about the grand jury is you get to ask questions. I've been on regular jury duty a couple of times and it is interesting, but is is frustrating not being able to ask questions.
I've learned one thing, when you hire a lawyer. you get what you pay for.

Yes, you can ask questions......but that makes the day longer and the hourly rate smaller.