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MrBump
Third prize is you're fired


Registered: 10/01/02
Posts: 4,263
Loc: Denver, Colorado
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Jury Duty
#7637675 - 11/14/07 10:49 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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after reading a post by, i think, Sherm, and having just gone thru sitting second chair at my 25th + jury trial, i just have to ask, wtf is everyones feelings re: jury duty?
I have witnessed, honestly, some really funny shit from people tryingto get out of duty during voir dire. even a fake heart attack (bitch actually got fined for it)
jury selection btw, is the most important part of any trial.
to be honest, most professional people (white collar, management types) suck it up and are way less likely to complain about the hardship of having to serve for 3-4 days. they seem to understand the necessity of the duty. its the losers w/ dead end part time jobs that act like they are really being put out by having to do serve. from my experience anyways.
during this video deposition of a doctor at this latest trial, i watched as 3 people slept thru it for at least 20-30 minutes (the video was 80 minutes) including a fucking legal secretary, who btw way, had major talent (meaning she was teh hotness) and the Judge did absolutely nothing, (i could not believe he didnt notice, unless he was also sleeping) which was fine by us b/c it was the plaintiff's expert.
seriously tho, it's one of the few things asked of you as a citizen. governmental participation by average Joe citizen is almost always greeted w/ a giant roll of the eyes. more of us vote in Major League Allstar ballots and Amercan Idol than in general elections. do you think indiffence to participating in Democratic processes strengthens this country?
* steps off the soap box
I would hope that if I were ever wrongfully (or otherwise) accused and forced to have to stand trial for a crime, that I would be tried in front of a group of my peers who were actually willing to fucking pay attention to the evidence.
or, we could all just devolve to Sharia Law.
-------------------- If it weren't for the bloody corpses, I wouldn't have any corpses at all. There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree: start climbing or sit on an acorn. Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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johnm214



Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: MrBump]
#7637826 - 11/14/07 11:34 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I agree with your points. I've never been called to serve, but would gladly accept.
I've known people who were on juries deliberating in both civil and criminal, and its truley scary the thought processes some of these people have; the illogical assumptions
If I were in a criminal trial I'm fairly certain I would refuse to convict anyone for a victimless crime.
I don't see how it would be right of me to give someone a record for a drug or other offense.
Thanks for your post.
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drew345
Stranger

Registered: 07/16/07
Posts: 33
Last seen: 15 years, 11 months
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: johnm214]
#7638120 - 11/15/07 01:23 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I hope I get to sit in on for a drug trial I will hang the jury like fucking crazy. I dont care if im there a year
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allreadyused
The Liquor



Registered: 09/10/07
Posts: 480
Loc: Trailer Park, Nova Scotia
Last seen: 8 years, 23 days
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: drew345]
#7639639 - 11/15/07 12:50 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I've had jury duty once. The trick to not being selected is to come in looking like a dirt bag. You'll have to sit in a room all day but at least you get to read magazines and not have to listen to 2 assholes argue about who owes who money. I would be a horrible juror anyway. I get bored really easily and tend to zone out when that happens.
-------------------- Everything I say is for entertainment. Fuck the ASPCA
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zappaisgod
horrid asshole


Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: MrBump]
#7640019 - 11/15/07 02:26 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
thecornking said: after reading a post by, i think, Sherm, and having just gone thru sitting second chair at my 25th + jury trial, i just have to ask, wtf is everyones feelings re: jury duty?
You're a lawyer?Quote:
I have witnessed, honestly, some really funny shit from people tryingto get out of duty during voir dire. even a fake heart attack (bitch actually got fined for it)
jury selection btw, is the most important part of any trial.
to be honest, most professional people (white collar, management types) suck it up and are way less likely to complain about the hardship of having to serve for 3-4 days. they seem to understand the necessity of the duty. its the losers w/ dead end part time jobs that act like they are really being put out by having to do serve. from my experience anyways.
during this video deposition of a doctor at this latest trial, i watched as 3 people slept thru it for at least 20-30 minutes (the video was 80 minutes) including a fucking legal secretary, who btw way, had major talent (meaning she was teh hotness) and the Judge did absolutely nothing, (i could not believe he didnt notice, unless he was also sleeping) which was fine by us b/c it was the plaintiff's expert.
seriously tho, it's one of the few things asked of you as a citizen. governmental participation by average Joe citizen is almost always greeted w/ a giant roll of the eyes. more of us vote in Major League Allstar ballots and Amercan Idol than in general elections. do you think indiffence to participating in Democratic processes strengthens this country?
* steps off the soap box
I would hope that if I were ever wrongfully (or otherwise) accused and forced to have to stand trial for a crime, that I would be tried in front of a group of my peers who were actually willing to fucking pay attention to the evidence.
No you wouldn't. If you really were innocent you would want a judge to decide. They're a little smarter. If you actually were guilty you would demand a jury of retards, like OJ got.Quote:
or, we could all just devolve to Sharia Law.
Whatever.
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BrAiN
Art Fag

Registered: 03/01/01
Posts: 6,875
Loc: Chocolate City
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: MrBump]
#7640126 - 11/15/07 02:46 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I got summoned for Jury duty only once right AFTER I moved out of the state that summoned me so I never did it.
I had a family member once that didn't want to do the jury duty because he was really busy. When he went in for the interview the defense lawyer asked him how he felt about sex offenders. My cousin just blurted out his honest opinion and got out of it and was back at work in 20 minutes:
"I think they should all be tied up on a boat and used as target practice by the navy".
I actually agree with zappa. I'd rather get seen in front of a judge to be honest. I'd rather have a SINGLE person who at least TRIES to be impartial and who's had dozens of years of training in logic/investigation/etc rather than regular old joe schmoes... joe schmoes are too likely to have a chip on their shoulder. I mean c''mon we're all guilty of it. Either you assume some guy is guilty of rape or murder because he's a rich, white asshole or a thuggy looking black asshole or whatever.
If I was innocent, I'd want to be tried by a judge.
If I was guilty of something not TOO bad like being busted with drugs, I'd rather just please guilty to a judge and let me lawyer try to bargain probation.
I was guilty of something horrid (which i would never do), I'd imagine I'd want a jury. Why?
Because people are stupid. Yup. I said it. Most of these animals out there that call themselves "humans"... total fucking morons.
Edited by BrAiN (11/15/07 02:54 PM)
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johnm214



Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
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Re: Jury Duty [Re: BrAiN]
#7640689 - 11/15/07 04:48 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
No you wouldn't. If you really were innocent you would want a judge to decide. They're a little smarter. If you actually were guilty you would demand a jury of retards, like OJ got.
I actually buy all those jefferson quotes about the jury being the seat of democracy and the ties that bind the government to its constitution... You don't?
Anyways, Judges (bad ones) are subject to bullshit public opinion too, hopefully not as much. If you look at corrupt cops and shit like rapes and things like that, they often go with the judge... the feeling is that people are too stupid to not focus on the crime rather than whether or not the accused did it. (i.e. that little girl was raped, how horrible, convict him)
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MrBump
Third prize is you're fired


Registered: 10/01/02
Posts: 4,263
Loc: Denver, Colorado
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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i am not an attorney, i am the managing paralegal at a litigation defense firm (mostly insurance defense), i work for the top two partners and one of them tries a lot of cases. i have in the past worked for the public defenders trial division, so i have some crim defense experience.
No you wouldn't. If you really were innocent you would want a judge to decide. They're a little smarter. If you actually were guilty you would demand a jury of retards, like OJ got.
zappa, its never that black and white re: choosing a bench or a jury trial. Judges are elected, some on "tough on crime" or "tough on drugs" campaigns. example: if your a minority in a large urban city, would you rather go in front of a judge who is notorious with giving long sentences, or hope that a jury pool would net you a couple sympathetic jurors, maybe you could get a pool made up of mostly minorities. depending on your state's laws, if one juror is sympathetic to you, it could result in a hung jury and you could go free, or at least have the leverage to get a better plea. A skilled defense atty could excel at the dog and pony show that would impress a jury that is unfamiliar w/ the legal process, but in front of a judge who has seen it all the strategy might not work.
-------------------- If it weren't for the bloody corpses, I wouldn't have any corpses at all. There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree: start climbing or sit on an acorn. Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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MrBump
Third prize is you're fired


Registered: 10/01/02
Posts: 4,263
Loc: Denver, Colorado
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Quote:
allreadyused said: I've had jury duty once. The trick to not being selected is to come in looking like a dirt bag.
funny, this summer we had a case and this college kid came in with long greasy hair and a black tee shirt that read "KILL YOUR TELEVISION." obviously he presented like this thinking he would be cut.
he ended up being the Foreman of the jury (and we got fucked for $350,000)
-------------------- If it weren't for the bloody corpses, I wouldn't have any corpses at all. There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree: start climbing or sit on an acorn. Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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