Ever been called for Jury Duty? - Page 2 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

abaya · 02-09-2006, 07:52 PM

Hmm, I am registered to vote in WA and also have my driver's license from there... been 8-10 years for both of those things, but I've never been called. I don't know what I would do if they did call me now, since I'm in PA. Anyone had that happen?

meembo · 02-09-2006, 08:02 PM

I've been registered to vote since 1982 and I've never been called for jury duty.

Gatorade Frost · 02-09-2006, 08:09 PM

I've been registered for 7 months and I'm still un-jured.

Slippery Slope · 02-09-2006, 08:49 PM

I've heard that I can't be called for jury service as I'm registered blind. Apparently, here in the UK, a juror has to be able to see the accused's facial expressions clearly throughout their trial to be able to judge them fairly...?...

AVoiceOfReason · 02-09-2006, 08:54 PM

I'm a trial lawyer, but got on the jury panel in the fall of 1999. I got so far as having my name drawn to be one of 12 questioned. It was a domestic battery case, and even though I do a lot of defense work, the state announced I was good for them. The defense attorney kicked me off, under the theory that I was a former prosecutor and was still too conviction oriented. He didn't know how little I think of most claims of domestic abuse or he would have left me on there.

Another time I was called, my former boss (9 years earlier) was the plaintiff's attorney. The judge told us about the case, and asked if any of us knew anything about the facts. I raised my hand a bit sheepishly, and said "I discussed this case at length with (Plaintiff's attorney) right after it was filed." I was booted.

While I'm at it, let me educate potential jurors about a few things.

1. You can bet there IS insurance involved in accident cases. Don't worry about breaking the poor defendant. That high dollar lawyer he has was hired by his insurance company. A plaintiff is not allowed to bring suit against State Farm (assuming it covers the guy that hit him) by name, he has to sue the person. Will there ever be a time when a plaintiff's lawyer puts a lot of time and money into a jury trial where there is no chance of collecting? Yeah, maybe, but not often.

2. A verdict for the plaintiff does NOT cause your insurance rates to go up. Rates are set with a certain percentage of losses to jury verdicts built in.

3. A verdict for pain and suffering is entirely proper. It's hard to equate dollars with physical injury. However, a lot of folks trade pain of a mental sort for a paycheck each week, and we can understand the cost of pain by measuring what we pay to be relieved of it (chiropractors, pain medications, etc.). It's not an exact science, but there's nothing improper about giving someone money that has been in a lot of pain.

4. Lawyers don't normally take half the award, but by the time the attorneys, doctors and expenses are paid, a plaintiff is lucky to wind up with 1/3 of an award in his pocket, sometimes less than that. Assume the plaintiff has to pay back 2/3 of his medical bills and pay 1/3 to 4/10 to his lawyer when deciding a fair verdict.

5. In criminal cases, it's rarely a true "who done it?" The prosecution team doesn't pull names out of a phone book just to put someone on trial. While there is a presumption of innocence for all defendants in the USA, the key in most criminal cases lie in the instructions as to the elements of the offense. The mental state of the defendant is often key.

6. Whenever there are dueling experts, you can safely assume that both have been paid well for their efforts in examining a case. Be on the lookout for those that only testify for plaintiffs or defendants; these may be selling not their time, but their opinions.

That'll do for now. I may think of some others later.

captobvious · 02-11-2006, 01:19 AM

I've been called once, but I didn't have to go since I'm still in school.

pkeigs · 02-11-2006, 10:38 PM

I was called just last week, I thought it was unusual because I am just 19, and I have talked to plenty of older people that havent been called yet... I didnt have to go and am pretty happy about it, would have missed at least a day of work and a day of school...

02-09-2006, 07:52 PM	#41 (permalink)
abaya Location: Iceland	Hmm, I am registered to vote in WA and also have my driver's license from there... been 8-10 years for both of those things, but I've never been called. I don't know what I would do if they did call me now, since I'm in PA. Anyone had that happen? __________________ And think not you can direct the course of Love; for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. --Khalil Gibran

02-09-2006, 08:02 PM	#42 (permalink)
meembo Junkie Location: Connecticut	I've been registered to vote since 1982 and I've never been called for jury duty. __________________ less I say, smarter I am

02-09-2006, 08:09 PM	#43 (permalink)
Gatorade Frost Rookie	I've been registered for 7 months and I'm still un-jured. __________________ I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well." Emo Philips

02-09-2006, 08:54 PM	#45 (permalink)
AVoiceOfReason Psycho Location: Greenwood, Arkansas	I'm a trial lawyer, but got on the jury panel in the fall of 1999. I got so far as having my name drawn to be one of 12 questioned. It was a domestic battery case, and even though I do a lot of defense work, the state announced I was good for them. The defense attorney kicked me off, under the theory that I was a former prosecutor and was still too conviction oriented. He didn't know how little I think of most claims of domestic abuse or he would have left me on there. Another time I was called, my former boss (9 years earlier) was the plaintiff's attorney. The judge told us about the case, and asked if any of us knew anything about the facts. I raised my hand a bit sheepishly, and said "I discussed this case at length with (Plaintiff's attorney) right after it was filed." I was booted. While I'm at it, let me educate potential jurors about a few things. 1. You can bet there IS insurance involved in accident cases. Don't worry about breaking the poor defendant. That high dollar lawyer he has was hired by his insurance company. A plaintiff is not allowed to bring suit against State Farm (assuming it covers the guy that hit him) by name, he has to sue the person. Will there ever be a time when a plaintiff's lawyer puts a lot of time and money into a jury trial where there is no chance of collecting? Yeah, maybe, but not often. 2. A verdict for the plaintiff does NOT cause your insurance rates to go up. Rates are set with a certain percentage of losses to jury verdicts built in. 3. A verdict for pain and suffering is entirely proper. It's hard to equate dollars with physical injury. However, a lot of folks trade pain of a mental sort for a paycheck each week, and we can understand the cost of pain by measuring what we pay to be relieved of it (chiropractors, pain medications, etc.). It's not an exact science, but there's nothing improper about giving someone money that has been in a lot of pain. 4. Lawyers don't normally take half the award, but by the time the attorneys, doctors and expenses are paid, a plaintiff is lucky to wind up with 1/3 of an award in his pocket, sometimes less than that. Assume the plaintiff has to pay back 2/3 of his medical bills and pay 1/3 to 4/10 to his lawyer when deciding a fair verdict. 5. In criminal cases, it's rarely a true "who done it?" The prosecution team doesn't pull names out of a phone book just to put someone on trial. While there is a presumption of innocence for all defendants in the USA, the key in most criminal cases lie in the instructions as to the elements of the offense. The mental state of the defendant is often key. 6. Whenever there are dueling experts, you can safely assume that both have been paid well for their efforts in examining a case. Be on the lookout for those that only testify for plaintiffs or defendants; these may be selling not their time, but their opinions. That'll do for now. I may think of some others later. __________________ AVOR A Voice Of Reason, not necessarily the ONLY one.

02-09-2006, 08:49 PM	#44 (permalink)
Slippery Slope Crazy	I've heard that I can't be called for jury service as I'm registered blind. Apparently, here in the UK, a juror has to be able to see the accused's facial expressions clearly throughout their trial to be able to judge them fairly...?...

02-11-2006, 01:19 AM	#46 (permalink)
captobvious Insane Location: Somewhere	I've been called once, but I didn't have to go since I'm still in school.

02-11-2006, 10:38 PM	#47 (permalink)
pkeigs Tilted	I was called just last week, I thought it was unusual because I am just 19, and I have talked to plenty of older people that havent been called yet... I didnt have to go and am pretty happy about it, would have missed at least a day of work and a day of school...