# Jury Duty



## bookslover (Jul 20, 2009)

I'm typing this post from the jury room in Bellflower, California. I'm doing my "one day or one trial," per the norm here in California.

This is the second time I've done JD in about 3 years. When they say that people are randomly selected for this, they lie! Considering the number of adults in Los Angeles County, you shouldn't have to do jury duty more than once in your entire life...

Just above my head, on the wall above where I'm typing, is this sign: "Advisement: The internet access in the Jury Assembly Room is a publlic service offered by the Superior Court for jurors to use while on jury service. The following sites are prohibited, per Court policy: adult/mature content, gambling, hacking, intimate apparel/swimsuit, nudity, personals/dating, phishing and p0rnography. Any sexually suggestive, offenseive, violent, hate-related, obscene, exploitative, or pornographic sites are prohibited. Jurors seen using or accessing such sites will be asked to discontinue the use of the internet and may be subject to civil or criminal penalties."

, these people aren't any fun at all. 

I guess it would take a large amount of chutzpah to hack into someone's bank account from a computer in a Superior Court building. (heh)

I haven't been called for a jury pool yet. Like everyone else here, I'm hoping to sneak through my day without being called. We'll see.

I notice that the court system calls it "jury _service_" while everyone else calls it "jury _duty"_. It's all in the nuances...

It's lunchtime, but it's too hot to go out wandering around Beautiful Downtown Bellflower looking for something to eat. I can live off my fat until I get home.

I first did juty duty in 1971, almost 40 years ago, so I'm an old hand at this. In the olden days, you had to show up and sit, all day every day for five solid days. It's much better now, believe me. I've been to courthouses in Long Beach (the most decrepit), Norwalk (the best one), Compton, and now Bellflower. I've never had to go to downtown LA yet, for which I'm thankful.

Believe it or not, there are more than 600 courtrooms for the Superior Courts in Los Angeles County.

Well, that's enough rambling for now. More later, hopefully...


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## smhbbag (Jul 20, 2009)

Sounds like great fun 

Here's a great resource I've found useful: 

A Citizen's Guide to Jury Duty by Prof. Duane at Regent Law School
http://www.fija.org/docs/JG_Jurors_Handbook.pdf


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## matt01 (Jul 20, 2009)

Sounds fun. I lived in California for eight years, and was never called for service.


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## bookslover (Jul 20, 2009)

A group to form a panel (from which a jury is picked) was just called up to go to the 4th floor - Division 5. 

My name was not called. But, there is still one more panel to be sent up today (probably). Doubtless, I'll be on that one. It's 1:51 pm.


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## Edward (Jul 20, 2009)

> This is the second time I've done JD in about 3 years. When they say that people are randomly selected for this, they lie! Considering the number of adults in Los Angeles County, you shouldn't have to do jury duty more than once in your entire life..



But you have to subtract out those who aren't citizens, those who have a felony conviction, etc. 

There are probably fewer in the pool than you might think.


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## bookslover (Jul 20, 2009)

Flash! Update!

The other trial that might have need a jury was cancelled, as the case was dismissed by the judge. So, the rest of us were let go, and we have officially ended our jury duty - er, jury service - for at least a year.

Ah, justice...

-----Added 7/20/2009 at 05:06:07 EST-----



Edward said:


> > This is the second time I've done JD in about 3 years. When they say that people are randomly selected for this, they lie! Considering the number of adults in Los Angeles County, you shouldn't have to do jury duty more than once in your entire life..
> 
> 
> 
> ...



True, but we civil service types tend to get called up more frequently than others. I, and both of my daughters, have been called for jury duty now all within about a 3-month span. Makes one suspicious...


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## Timothy William (Jul 20, 2009)

I've always wanted to be called for jury service, but, alas, the courts here have never been enlightened enough to call me.


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## Lady of the Lake (Jul 20, 2009)

I've always figured that answering questions according to my biblical convictions would keep me from having to serve. I think it's a shame you didn't get a chance to give any such answers. Better luck next time.


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## bookslover (Jul 21, 2009)

I didn't get rich off jury duty, either. Los Angeles County pays 51 cents per mile, one way, for the gas you use. But, that only starts on the second day of jury duty, which assumes you actually get on a jury. So, since my service ended the first day, I don't get my gas money. Plus, Los Angeles County pays $15 per day for jury duty - also starting the second day. However, even if I had been on a jury for several days (average trial length in Los Angeles County: 4 days), I STILL would not have collected my $15 per diem because, as a government employee (I work for city government), I am, by law, exempt from being paid (the cheapskates!). AND, even if I DID get paid, I would have had to turn it over to my employer, because I would have still been paid my salary and benefits while doing jury duty. What a gyp!

People who work for private businesses get to keep their money, so why can't I?

Sheesh!


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## TimV (Jul 21, 2009)

I get called up every couple years, but always ask to be excused due to having employees, and they always let me. I did sit through one day in San Luis Obispo, CA. There was a guy in this 30s or 40s who'd sexually assaulted an 11 year old girl, then bit off the ear of a medic at the prison where he was. He was asking to be paroled. I was sickened of the whole business, and didn't want to take part in a farce, and asked the judge to excuse me, and he said yes. I've still never served.


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## VictorBravo (Jul 22, 2009)

bookslover said:


> People who work for private businesses get to keep their money, so why can't I?
> 
> Sheesh!



Some people who work for small private businesses don't get paid for jury duty by their employer. Many employers who do pay their employees for time spent for jury duty ask for the jury pay as recompense. The public employees have basically the same arrangement put into law.

I've been called to jury duty a couple of times--and I was self-employed at the time. The $15 jury pay did not go very far in offsetting my loss, that's for sure. I'd say if you were paid by your employer for the time spent at court, you haven't lost anything at all.


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## Reformed Thomist (Jul 22, 2009)

bookslover said:


> This is the second time I've done JD in about 3 years. When they say that people are randomly selected for this, they lie! Considering the number of adults in Los Angeles County, you shouldn't have to do jury duty more than once in your entire life...



Yeah, 'randomly' selected from a list of people whom they know from past experience won't try to wiggle their way out of it...


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## Sven (Jul 22, 2009)

The first time I got selected for jury duty was shortly after the whole OJ Simpson affair. Needless to say, I had lost some confidence in the court system, but my time during jury duty actually helped me to recover much of that confidence. We only get to see the major trials, which often are a travesty of justice. We rarely ever get to see the everyday mundane work of the courts which do often show that there is some justice yet in this land.


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## Whitefield (Jul 22, 2009)

All I know about the Superior Court in the County of Los Angeles State of California, I learned at the conclusion to Dragnet. How I miss Joe Friday and Frank Ganon. "Just the facts, ma'am."


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## matt01 (Jul 22, 2009)

bookslover said:


> I am, by law, exempt from being paid (the cheapskates!). AND, even if I DID get paid, I would have had to turn it over to my employer, because I would have still been paid my salary and benefits while doing jury duty. What a gyp!



So you were paid your normal rate of pay for surfing the Internet, and potentially serving your community...Sounds like a fair deal.


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## BJClark (Jul 22, 2009)

Edward;




> But you have to subtract out those who aren't citizens, those who have a felony conviction, etc.
> 
> There are probably fewer in the pool than you might think.



You also need to exclude any pregnant women..

My daughter got notice today to serve on Jury Duty..


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## Curt (Jul 22, 2009)

I've been called several times, but only got placed on a jury once. It was a travesty. The guy in the domestic abuse case was obviously guilt, but we had to let him off because the young ADA was more interested in checking herself out that presenting any facts. Our hands were tied.

BTW, the taxpayers paid for two interpreters, one for each side in the case.


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## HokieAirman (Jul 22, 2009)

I haven't been called yet, and yes, it's an inconvenience, but a jury is one of the hallmarks of our free society. It stinks when you can't afford it. You're fortunate your employer pays you as if you were at work! I'm not sure why you're complaining. Jury Duty would be considered a privilege in most of the world!


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## bookslover (Jul 22, 2009)

HokieAirman said:


> You're fortunate your employer pays you as if you were at work! I'm not sure why you're complaining.



I guess it's to prevent ordinary schmoes like me from getting a few bucks ahead in life. I'd bet if our CEO gives a speech somewhere that _he_ gets to keep _his_ honorarium - which I'm thinking would be a lot more than a lousy $15!

The rules are always different for the Big Guys...


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