I've served on both Federal jury duty and also local Grand Jury Duty. I found both experiences fairly interesting and very educational.

Although I don't really look forward to having to do it again, I'm sure I will and I'll just make the best of it and see what else interesting I can learn about our confussing legal system. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

You gotta beef wit me? (in my SOUTHSIDE accent) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You words could not ring more true! People here for the most part have sticks up their butts! And if they don't have a stick they are just plain aholes!

I'm from the Southside too DMelone. I hope I never lose my accent because it really reflects who I am. When I hear others speak with that accent, it's music to my ears.

willieboy, good to see you around. I laughed at all the Jury Duty jokes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey Scrappy,

I take jury duty seriously and never try to get out of service. Someone has to do this. The judge said it take four mailings of jury summons to get one person to show up. IMO, that's disgraceful.

During the questioning by the attorneys, during the jury selection process, the whack job sitting next to me replied she couldn't answer a question asked by the attorney immediately and would have to ponder it. She told the attorney she'd get back to him, that she had to wait for guidance from, none other than, KING SOLOMON. She said this in all seriousness.

The blatant attempts to get out of serving were really embarassing. It made me want to serve all the more. However, no dice.

I hear it said that only idiots serve on juries, that everyone else is smart enough to get out of serving. I shudder to think that only idiots are making decisions as to which predators will be allowed to continue to walk the streets.

Bill, I remember the first time I served Jury Duty, my employer was areal A__hole about it, although I would not give in to his arrogance and lack of since of duty. The number one complaint that I heard from other potential Jurors was work related problems. I think the rules concerning employers and jury duty should be strenghtened and enforced in order to ensure that more people don't have to endure the sometimes long lasting affects on a citizen who is willing to serve and do their duty as a citzen. Also if more people would realize the importance of serving and actually serve then we all as a whole would have to serve less often making it easier on everybody. As it is I believe that the individuals who do choose to serve without resistance wind up taking up a lot of slack for those who are unwilling to serve.

Nobody enjoys the inconvinience, however I felt like the rewards and knowledge I received from the experience was worth the inconvinience. I'm also glad to say that my current employer has excellent rules concerning jury duty which allow me to serve with lossing pay or respect. That is the way every employer should be.

I thought I'd add that I believe there are a lot of people with ligitamate reasons that prevent them from serving, be it a specific type of job or health issues.

There's a lot of people that probably would serve too if they just realized how important it is.

I think in a lot of ways that jury duty has gotten a bad rap, the govenment needs to do a better job telling people about the importance of serving and they need to tell employers the importance of letting their employees serve.

I for one am happy to serve and salute anyone else who serves. If that makes me an idiot then so be it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[quote

Bill, I remember the first time I served Jury Duty, my employer was areal A__hole about it, although I would not give in to his arrogance and lack of since of duty. The number one complaint that I heard from other potential Jurors was work related problems. I think the rules concerning employers and jury duty should be strenghtened and enforced in order to ensure that more people don't have to endure the sometimes long lasting affects on a citizen who is willing to serve and do their duty as a citzen.
[/quote]

Good point Jeff. As a self employed person, my employer is very tolerant of my time off.

In Texas, people who are ill are able to avoid service with a letter from their doctor. This can be done through the mail. I saw many elderly people who were called down to the court house and that's a shame IMO. Getting to the court house in Houston is no picnic and it must be a real hardship for the elderly. They are required to serve up til the age of seventy. These folks should be able to serve or opt out without penalty. There was also a woman who appeared to be mentally ill. Had a constant 1,000 yard stare and seemed to be unaware of her surroundings.

It is interesting the variety of people you run into at a jury selection. There's some that I was glad weren't selected and others that should have been. I also saw a person I was serving with get kicked of a jury half way through a trial, but that's a whole other story... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

I've also made friends from serving. One that I actually kept in touch with for a few years, I probably never would have made that contact had it not been for having to serve.

I even got a decent steak dinner and a guided tour of the county jail facility from serving. Nothing like a tour of the jail to remind you of why you don't want to do anything to wind up on the other side of the bars... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />