Jury Duty / Summons

[Kijho]

I'm just wondering how this procedure goes? Show up on X date - and then what? Is this some sort of interview for the actual selection of people? Is there a specific number of people selected / rejected based on whatever their criteria? If you're selected on this date, what happens then? Are you given another date to show up for an actual trial?

What if a trial goes on for X number of months?

Are you not allowed to speak to anyone (friends, GF, family etc.) during the time?

Did a few searches on here but couldn't dig anything up on this..

Thanks in advance...

[shakalaka]

You show up, sign in and sit in the big court room while the defence and prosecution goes through the selection process. They have a brief list of your name and occupation. The court clerk calls out the names of the prospective jurors one by one and the defence and prosecution either pick or pass on them.

If you aren't applying to be excused (various reasons) and either the defence or prosecution picks you, without there being any objections, you get selected as a juror. There are something like 200 people there, so the chances of getting picked are pretty slim as there are only 12 people needed.

You sit through the trial for however long it goes for. You are given a small allowance, I believe $50 or so a day for however many days it takes. Plus your lunch and stuff is paid for. You can talk to your family members and go home every night, you just don't talk to them about the case that you're the juror in.

[frizzlefry]

I could not imagine a bigger pain in the ass. I needed to work on my honeymoon, I'd be damned if I ever bailed on my company and shareholders over jury duty. People are not fit for that work anyway IMO. Only judges, who can be held accountable for their decision and know the law, should make a determination of guilt.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by frizzlefry
I could not imagine a bigger pain in the ass. I needed to work on my honeymoon, I'd be damned if I ever bailed on my company and shareholders over jury duty. People are not fit for that work anyway IMO. Only judges, who can be held accountable for their decision and know the law, should make a determination of guilt.

/memememesociety

I am not going to get into that yes, it may be an inconvenience to you, but it is your duty and responsibility as a member of a democratic society.

anyways, back on topic...

I have been waiting for a summons forever! I actually wish I could volunteer for it, just to experience it. I have enough vacation days, I think it would be a cool learning experience.

[Mista Bob]

Basically you go to courthouse, line up in giant ass line to get in.
Go through security, go up to courtroom, sit around doing nothing in a big room full of people who don't want to be there.
Then the people involved in the case show up, judge shows up, explain how it all works.
First they will ask if anyone has any reason that should exclude them from being on the jury, such as bias from knowing the person n so on etc.

Then they start calling people up randomly, judge will make annoyed comment about the number of names called of people who are absent and shouldn't be.
As people are called up, lawyers get a chance to vote no on any potential candidates.
They will proceed to kick out any males and vote yes for any females until they run out of 'no votes'.

And that is how people receive a "fair" trial, judged by their "peers".

Might vary depending on case, but chances are if you are male and or scary looking you will never ever be selected unless they have ran out of votes to send you away.
If there is more than one case they are selecting a jury for, you will likely be asked to stay for the next selection.
If only one, chances are they will send you home after you get voted out for being male and or scary looking.

[shakalaka]

Originally posted by spikerS


/memememesociety

I am not going to get into that yes, it may be an inconvenience to you, but it is your duty and responsibility as a member of a democratic society.

anyways, back on topic...

I have been waiting for a summons forever! I actually wish I could volunteer for it, just to experience it. I have enough vacation days, I think it would be a cool learning experience.

Having been involved in a few jury selections, I gotta agree the process is indeed quite interesting. Although, seeing what the jurors go through, I wouldn't want to be a part of it. Luckily I am exempt!

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by spikerS
I have been waiting for a summons forever! I actually wish I could volunteer for it, just to experience it. I have enough vacation days, I think it would be a cool learning experience.

Me too. My sister's been summoned 3 times already

[frizzlefry]

Originally posted by spikerS


/memememesociety

I am not going to get into that yes, it may be an inconvenience to you, but it is your duty and responsibility as a member of a democratic society.

anyways, back on topic...

I have been waiting for a summons forever! I actually wish I could volunteer for it, just to experience it. I have enough vacation days, I think it would be a cool learning experience.

Many democratic countries don't have a jury system.

Chile, The Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands and South Africa. Many cantons of Switzerland have no jury, but involve (sometimes elected) lay judges in criminal case dispositions.

Source

One of my sisters got sucked into it. She was pumped...until 6 months later. Defence delayed, witness never showed etc. Drunk driving case. 50 bucks a day? May as well not pay anything. By the end they (jurors) just wanted to get it over with.

Can you imagine Arash judging you as "a peer"? No way laymen have any business judging a damn thing. Should be a panel of 3 judges, required to all come to the same decision.

[clem24]

So you have you take a leave of absence from work and get screwed in terms of pay? I was only summoned once in my life, but I was in uni so I applied to be exempt.

[Mista Bob]

Originally posted by clem24
So you have you take a leave of absence from work and get screwed in terms of pay? I was only summoned once in my life, but I was in uni so I applied to be exempt.

Would you prefer the government paid people their normal wages for the duration of a trial?
I'm sure no one would have a problem with that massive cost to taxpayers.

One thing I found amusing while waiting to be called up in the court room, was all the butthurt comments from people about how inconvenienced they were.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by clem24
So you have you take a leave of absence from work and get screwed in terms of pay? I was only summoned once in my life, but I was in uni so I applied to be exempt.

My work provides full pay for as long as you're on "duty" however I don't know if that's the norm. If it's not the norm, then that would be devastating if you had a long case, family to support, etc.

I've been summoned 3 times now (if only I had that luck with lotteries), and easily got out each time because I was going to be on holidays around that time. Also your chances of being selected are very slim even if you go through the process.

If you don't want to go, just say you're planning travel during the time of the trial.

[whiteout]

Originally posted by clem24
So you have you take a leave of absence from work and get screwed in terms of pay? I was only summoned once in my life, but I was in uni so I applied to be exempt.

Depends on your company.

Mine pays me full pay minus the jury stipend. Basically I just fill out my time like normal, get paid and then cut a check to them for whatever my jury pay works out to be.

[spikerS]

^^ I think mine does too, but I know a lot of stuff is not the norm with my company.

[AudiPWR]

Jury duty, jury duty, jury duty, black mail, pink slip, chain letter, eviction notice, jury duty!

[lasimmon]

My company also pays for jury duty.

Isn't there also some legislation saying your job is protected if you are selected for jury duty? Like they can't lay you off or fire you?

[Kijho]

Originally posted by lasimmon
My company also pays for jury duty.

Isn't there also some legislation saying your job is protected if you are selected for jury duty? Like they can't lay you off or fire you?

They can't "lay you off" but I bet leaving work for several months if a trail became extended would quickly result in a "client has changed projects/ hours. We don't have work to support you anymore."

[mr2mike]

Pretty sure that's illegal to sever someone on jury duty.
It would cost the company more than if they just waited it out.

[mazdavirgin]

Originally posted by Kijho
They can't "lay you off" but I bet leaving work for several months if a trail became extended would quickly result in a "client has changed projects/ hours. We don't have work to support you anymore."

No way... You have no idea how pissed the judge would be if you brought that to his attention. He would bend over the company/manager who did that to you. Just to give you an idea judges have had warrants issued for managers and arrested them...

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by mr2mike
Pretty sure that's illegal to sever someone on jury duty.
It would cost the company more than if they just waited it out.

I think what he's saying is that they might sever you, but their reason would be something other than jury duty. They could craft up whatever explanation they wanted. They don't even need a reason to fire you off if they give severance. They probably can't fire you while you're on duty though, even if they pay severance (I would be curious to know the answer to that).

Regardless, especially if the company doesn't pay you, a long drawn out 6+ month trial would be devastating to your income and perhaps your career. Most companies sounds like they are good about it, but for some people it's probably a much bigger deal.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


Me too. My sister's been summoned 3 times already

My mom has been called 3x as well lol but no speak English no chance.

I'm a terrible citizen and got out of it a couple times, ain't nobody got time for that. I think a lot of people would rather me be here collecting their money for Chinese food anyway as evident by our yearly time off. They were knocking and banging on doors according to the registry peeps next door lol