Jury duty

[TheCatt]

Got jury duty today. Yyyyaaaaaayyyyyyy.

Last time I was the only juror who took notes, but I was an alternate and got dismissed before deliberations.

At least they have wifi now

[TheCatt]

The only people in jury duty wearing suits are minorities. I'm the only person wearing shorts.

[Leisher]

The only people in jury duty wearing suits are minorities.

I believe they're called defendants.

Seriously though, I've never seen anyone up here wearing suits to jury duty. Good for them taking it seriously.

[TheCatt]

One other person wearing shorts, I'm not the most slovenly person here. They said dress like you were going to work, so I did.

[GORDON]

Should wear an NWA "Fuck Da Police" shirt.

[TheCatt]

And the internet is out. Good job, Wake county.

[Malcolm]

One other person wearing shorts, I'm not the most slovenly person here. They said dress like you were going to work, so I did.

So they screen the strippers?

[TheCatt]

Omg... This thing will take forever.

[thibodeaux]

I'm scheduled for sometime in February. So far I've gotten a letter 2 or 3 times, and not had to show up yet (they tell you to call the day before). Got my fingers crossed.

I assume that I'll get booted from the pool for being a white male anyway.

[TheCatt]

Good luck

[Vince]

I went when in Memphis. Got called to a case and we convened outside the courtroom. It was late in the afternoon. They said it looked like the perp was going to plea, but come back in the morning in case that fell through. Next morning they released us. I was there for three days and one morning.

[Malcolm]

I assume that I'll get booted from the pool for being a white male anyway.

[Troy]

Never gotten to sit. Or gone through voir dire. Would LOVE to see if I'd get selected.

A civil case I'd probably get challenged out. I like to think I'd get a shot to hear a criminal case though.


Wait...

I went when in Memphis. Got called to a case and we convened outside the courtroom. It was late in the afternoon. They said it looked like the perp was going to plea, but come back in the morning in case that fell through. Next morning they released us. I was there for three days and one morning.

Did they tell you, the potential jury, this before he had actually signed a plea deal?

[Vince]

Never gotten to sit. Or gone through voir dire. Would LOVE to see if I'd get selected.

A civil case I'd probably get challenged out. I like to think I'd get a shot to hear a criminal case though.


Wait...

I went when in Memphis. Got called to a case and we convened outside the courtroom. It was late in the afternoon. They said it looked like the perp was going to plea, but come back in the morning in case that fell through. Next morning they released us. I was there for three days and one morning.

Did they tell you, the potential jury, this before he had actually signed a plea deal?

I think so. And I don't think they actually said he was looking at accepting a plea deal. It was worded a lot more vanilla than that. Something along the lines that "the prosecutors office is working with the defendant's attorneys to try to avoid this going to a hearing."

Something along those lines.

[GORDON]

In my county in Ohio you get a letter that you've been accepted, and need to appear on X date, but call the day before to make sure it is going to trial. I've been selected 3 times, but they never went to trial. Also you only go in the jury pool randomly, for 12 months at a time, then they pick a new jury pool. I've been in it once or twice over the last 10 years.

[TheCatt]

So today was horrible. I got there at 8:35, took 10 minutes to check-in. Got a desk, setup my laptop. 9:00 they show us a video and swear us in. 9:10 on my laptop, working. 9:45, the internet dies.

10:00 I get called back with 60 other people to a courtroom. There is not enough room in the courtroom, so about 20 of us are standing. At first, a mixed group (male/female) were sitting, and mixed standing (I was standing, since if any woman is standing, I'm going to stand). Bailiff walks up and asks all sitting men to stand so that the women can sit.

The next TWO HOURS were the, uh, offense (complaintant?) questions the 12 first picked potential jurors. TWO HOURS. We break for lunch, come back around 1:30. I had come back from lunch early, and was in the room, and got kicked out. At 1:40 we all get called back in, and the lawyer HAS MORE QUESTIONS for the original 12. She finally finishes, and kicks out 6 people. They call replacements, and finally she's happy.

Then the defense starts. Then we had an afternoon break (15 minutes), then just endlessly winnowing down to the final 12 + alternate, and we finally got out at 5:30.

Sadly, I live in west Cary, and it's a solid 40 minutes drive each way from downtown Raleigh.

Last time I went through this, we were done before lunch (I was an alternate, and got kicked out once the deliberations started).

[Malcolm]

But it's a small chore for all the quality government you receive, right?

[Troy]

It meant that case has some money riding on it. At least you didn't get picked - it was probably a few days long.

[TheCatt]

It meant that case has some money riding on it. At least you didn't get picked - it was probably a few days long.

Yeah, it was a wrongful termination suit against a college in the area (St. Aug's), with counterclaims, etc. They anticipated the trial would be about a week, and had 2 plaintiffs, so I'm guessing the $ was pretty significant.

[TheCatt]

But it's a small chore for all the quality government you receive, right?

On the one hand, I have no issue doing jury duty.

On the other hand, it feels like there's a better way to do this.