My Tuppenceworth on Jury Duty and Jurors
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382642)
Rockingham, Australia
January 5, 2017 5:15pm CST
Gillian Carter (@Gillygirl) wrote recently about being called up for jury duty for a fourth time. Some years ago I was called for jury duty and found the whole process interesting. I live in Western Australia and had to attend on a certain day. There was a large room full of people. We watched a video about the jury process then about 30 names were called out and the group went off. My group was taken to a court room and the lawyers/barristers/whatever-they-were went through the names one by one. Various people were rejected by one or other of the 'sides' at this point. I was one of them. I had no idea why. Once they had their 12 people we went off to another courtroom and the same thing happened. This time I was one of the 12 who sat on a case.
Some time later, my husband supported an acquaintance who was due to go on trial. This man had been driving into the sun and had hit a little girl on a tricycle who was riding on the road. There was a footpath alongside and the mother was pushing her son in a pusher/stroller on the footpath. Our friend was known to drink a lot but had not been drinking that day. He passed the sobriety tests and was eventually acquitted. It was a very sad case all round.
Vince met with the lawyers before the trial which was to be held in a country town. A high-profile lawyer from the capital had co-opted the help of a local lawyer. The local guy's secretary also attended the meeting. There was a strong Plymouth Brethren presence in the town and many of these people were of Dutch descent. These people were strongly against drinking.
The lawyer had a list of possible jurors – just names and occupations. The local lawyer and his secretary knew many of those on the list and were able to give an opinion on whether they might be 'hostile' jurors. Anyone with a Dutch-sounding surname and housewives who might have had children were noted.
Later, when the potential jurors were chosen from the larger group, women who looked like they might have had young children were rejected. Only six rejections were allowed. I found it interesting that judgements were made in this way about how people might view the person in the dock.
16 people like this
17 responses
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jan 17
That is interesting. I was called once or twice but only served on a six person city jury. We convicted the defendant in short order for threatening a campus policeman as I recall. I am now called again, but due to my age (over 65) I can say no thanks. I am not sure what I will do.
3 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
6 Jan 17
I was able to escape jury duty a few years ago because I'd been a victim of a crime similar to the one the defendant was on trial for. I'd already done jury duty a couple of years prior to that and didn't want anything more to do with it. I was relieved to get out of it.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jan 17
@JudyEv Yes, that would be a problem, but I am opinionated enough that I would not be chosen for a jury.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jan 17
I thought it fair to do my 'duty' I guess. There are a number of excuses that will get you out of jury duty but sometimes you're just delaying the inevitable. It is good you have a choice but you might get caught up in a lengthy trial which could be grossly inconvenient for any number of reasons.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
5 Jan 17
My husband has three more months of potential duty.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
6 Jan 17
@JudyEv They are to send out the letter this month - the letter that tells us when to start calling the courthouse to find out.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (14804)
• Ireland
6 Jan 17
@judyev I've had that experience too. It's interesting thinking about how you are being perceived in relation to a case. I was accepted on the trial of a rape case once and I don't know what that says about me. Once the trial began and the accused was brought in, the victim couldn't cope and withdrew the charges which was very sad. However it spared me having to hear what we were told were extremely disturbing details. As soon as I saw the accused I decided that he was guilty and I felt so sorry for the poor girl.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jan 17
I think they would be looking for a majority of men on a rape case (so what does that say about my prejudices?). But then you decided on sight the guy was guilty. I doubt that anyone can be absolutely impartial in most events of this type.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jan 17
@xFiacre I was much younger then and found our 'chairman' quite intimidating. Luckily it was pretty much cut and dried but even so there were a few 'spats' and some muscle-flexing when we 'retired to consider our verdict'. (love legal jargon!)
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Jan 17
That's an interesting process. When I was called for jury duty, there were four 'teams' We were A, B, C, and D. I was on B team. We needed to make ourselves available for a whole week. The first day there wasn't any jury trial, so I didn't need to attend. The second day there was and B team got the jury and I was one of the 12 selected. We were all asked a series of questions and from that it was decided whether the person was accepted or rejected. One was that we couldn't know the person on trial or know anything about the reason for it and have an opinion already formed about it.
It's interesting that if you didn't get chosen for one court you went to another to find out if you were selected for that one.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43669)
• Denver, Colorado
6 Jan 17
I've only had jury duty once. I was on standby and didn't actually have to go in.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jan 17
@teamfreak16 Yes, I'd rather not if I had the option.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43669)
• Denver, Colorado
7 Jan 17
@JudyEv - It is, and it would have been very interesting, but I'm glad I didn't have to go.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
6 Jan 17
I have not experienced it. I suspect that sometimes there is something fishy behind it about who are chosen as jurors.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19701)
• India
6 Jan 17
@JudyEv It is interesting to know how people are chosen for jury duty.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19701)
• India
7 Jan 17
@JudyEv I think some people never change their opinions about these things.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jan 17
@silvermist I agree with you. It takes a lot to make people change their minds about some things.
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11336)
• Australia
6 Jan 17
I was sent letters to be on jury duty three times .. But there was always something going on with my family life that I asked to be excused .. These days, I will definitely say if I get asked again ..
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jan 17
A fair trial is so important but must sometimes be difficult to achieve.
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
6 Jan 17
We don't have a jury system in South Africa so that's one thing I don't have to worry about. Being on a jury would probably be interesting but I'd hate to be responsible for deciding someone's future even if it was only as part of a group.
2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
6 Jan 17
I've done jury duty twice and didn't like it at all. Thank goodness the system has declared me too old to be called for it now. I opted out this year when I got the notice.
2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
6 Jan 17
@JudyEv Yes, and I for one am glad of it. Not sure how things are in Oz, though. You should check.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Jan 17
@blitzfrick That's a good idea.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
6 Jan 17
I have been on a panel for selection for a jury as well. It's interesting how they pick and choose, and from what I hear they have many reasons why they reject, that make no sense to the jurors.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Jan 17
@JudyEv I have been called for jury duty many times. Most of that time I was living in Cook County which is the county Chicago is in, so I went to criminal court a few times, rather scary there. Now they have what they call One Day One Trial. Meaning you serve one day, if you don't get on a trial. you are done for one year. One Trial if you get on a trial and it has to be on that first day, you serve the duration of the trial. Then they are not supposed to call you again for one year.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Jan 17
I saw once someone who KNEW the arresting officer, was a family friend etc, was still allowed on the jury of a young man being tried for murder or something serious. It made me wonder how fair their picks were
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
6 Jan 17
@JudyEv - I agree it is interesting how they pick juries. We have a new TV show in the US called "Bull" and it is about a jury consultant. Fascinating!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Jan 17
@JudyEv - "Bull" has become one of our favorite TV shows, so I think many countries would be fascinated by it. My husband and I love it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382642)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jan 17
I don't think it is anyone's favourite 'civic duty'.
