Okay as some of you know I live in the Rural South north of Atlanta. I'm talking about a county with about 20,000 residents. Bbeautiful forest land makes up almost 60% of the area. Now I wasn't born or raised here so I'm refered to as "another Flatlander".We actually have a circut court system(yes a traveling Judge). One of the questions on the sheet I had to fill out was"Are You related by blood to anyone in LE" I wonder what case will be on the Docket. Most lokely some sort of theft or molestation charge. They seem common in the local paper monthly crime report.About 5 yeasr ago was the first murder case in recent history with about 3 others sence.Mabey this will be my opertunity to pour some CHLORINE into the local GENE POOL. "Hang em all, Let God Sort them out" Anybody want to guess how long I'll last there?
If you show any ability to distinguish logic from demagogy one side or the other will use one of their preemptory challenges to get rid of you.
And that's just as much the case in NYC as it is in rural GA.
If it's someone in LE who molested, take 5 days off with very or no pay at all.
If you appear to be extremely religious,anti-this or anti-that, even by a little, you're home free and ready to go home.
Good Luck.
V~
the Jury process could actually affect or overturn bad laws. Now more and more power has been given to the judges to supersede over the Jury's thought processes and decisions.(much like the Feds getting involved in State issues) IE:
"We the People" of California voted FOR legal medical marijuana. When the Federal government saw what had happened they did everything but send in military air strikes and ground assaults to defeat the law that the "People" wanted and voted in. I could go on about the death of our 10th Amendment but it would rightfully belong on the "political" board.
Good luck in finding a quick exit from the Jury pool
FR.
The VAST majority of court cases are civil cases. Don't be surprised if it's an auto accident case.
The news doesn't talk about those cases much.
If it is a criminal case, always remember you have the power as a Juror to nullify the law for that one single case. It's the last real power you as an individual have in the courtroom.
For instance you could nullify, regardless of the facts, in a prostitution or drug case.
Check ou the link on the Fully Informed Jury Association.
The issue of restoration of our heritage of jury nullification--the right of the jury to judge the validity and morality of the law as well as the facts under which a defendant is being tried--was raised as early as the 1979 Montana Libertarian Party convention.
TET
I was called for jury duty last year. After sitting most of the morning with a couple of other victims, er I mean jury pool members, I was placed on a trial and sent to a court room about 10:30 in the morning. Criminal case and the perp was charged with sexual molestation of his live in girl friends 2 and 5 year old daughters. The judge and the attornies questioned everybody. Turned out that every single person on this jury was a parent and nine of them had young daughters. We broke for lunch at noon and were told to be back at 1:30. Went to lunch, came back at the appointed hour and the bailiff notified everyone that we were dismissed with the thanks of the court and that they had disposed of the case. You spoz maybe this perp and his lawyers figured they were playing Russian roulette with this case?
Many people shirk jury duty as an inconvenience... without considering that it is an opportunity to actively participate. Then these same people run around with their hands in the air with a, "So corrupt... horrible state of affairs... ah well, nothing that *I* can do." attitude.
Thank you for your post, and for the link.
If you want to be on the jury, do not mention the words "jury nullification" during the selection process.
Bring a good book or two and be grateful for the opportunity. Imagine what the judicial system would be with an all volunteer jury system?
That's why I posted the link to the FIJA.
It has a very nice Juror Guide to help out in that respect!
Good of you to notice!
TET
probly a good idea to explain what you mean in useful terms, because a juror who gets up and says they vote for nullification would probably just get a mistrial & new jury.
What he means, folks, is that jurors are responsible for giving their opinion on the factual issues relevant to the case, eg., such as whether a specific action was reasonable, negligent, or what the dfdt had on his mind; and if you simply refuse to find the dfdt had the requisite unreasonableness, or whatever is necessary to find liability/culpability in that case, then the dfdt gets off.
It works the other way, too - that defenses can be disregarded, and IMHO more often does.
I am a big fan of juror nullification as it is the last protection against an unujust law. (Yes, it can be abused also, e.g., OJ Simpson.)
However, when I find myself in voir dire, I volunteer this information if I am not asked. I support juror nullification as a deep-seated belief -- not for gumming up the works or "getting off" of jury duty.
The form you got with questions is a standard form that is probably sent out to every juror on every case. A defense lawyer certainly does not want someone who is married or related to a cop to be on a jury because that person will always believe the cop over anybody else.
Funny, I never got a Jury duty notice, but my wife who is now a naturalised Citizen of only 5 years has gotten 3 notices.
-- Modified on 5/10/2004 1:07:13 PM
tell them you're busy because of Klan meetings, a vacation with your escort, a gang-bang party, a meeting with Greenpeace and PETA, you're going to be on the Oprah Winfrey show discussing your new book "How to swindle the I.R.S." and you have outbreaks of Herpes Symplex I & II often. That outta do it! Just kidding, of course.
Hugs,
Ciara