Jury Duty

homeowner

Got called for jury duty today and went to go perform my civic duty. It involved a lot of sitting around and waiting in a room full of my "peers" and so I got to spend a fair amount of time people watching.

I noticed a number of things:

1) None of the archtypes we spend numerous hours discussing on this board seemed to be in attendance. There were a couple of folks that looked like students, some blue-collar types and then a bunch of women that could have been anything, but no hipsters (actually not a pegged pant or skinny jean in the place), only one woman typing on a laptop who could have passed for a freelancer, no PS moms, frat boys in white baseball caps or black guys in black hoodies.

2) The ratio of minority to white was about 70-30

3) Only one artistic type in the room, an actress I knew from sight because she's been in a couple of movies. No one else I would have pegged on sight as an artist, or any finance-types either.

Now granted this is all very unscientific as it is based just on my observations and some limited conversations in the room. But I got to thinking that contrary to conversation on this board would have one think, Brooklyn is still plenty black and brown. And the hipsters and artists, real estate speculators from the upper west side, trust fund babies, and midwesterners are just figments of our imagination or at least still not residents enough to be noticed by the Division of Jurors and the State of New York.

So how many of you have been called for jury duty here in Brooklyn? And is your experience the same as mine?

escap

Same experience. Welcome to Brooklyn.

bkrentalsblog

I did my jury duty while working for a financial services firm on Wall St (wearing a suit every day). I didn't like the waiting around bit, but I was interested once things actually started happening - voir dire, etc.

Unfortunately I kept getting kicked off of the jury because I have a legal background. I actually wanted to get on a trial.

After a few days, I got dismissed.

I would guess that the reason that there are more minorities than whites is because the whites fought harder to get out of it. Yep, I know that implies a lot of things that will piss people off, but I think it's the truth.

shishkab

escap wrote: Same experience. Welcome to Brooklyn.

ditto.

served a few times, sat on two juries. one trial lasted for SIX FREAKING WEEKS. i still have nightmares from that thing. (shudders) :x :x

armchair_warrior

same thing. very few light skinned people in the jury pool.

homeowner

Flexichick wrote: I would guess that the reason that there are more minorities than whites is because the whites fought harder to get out of it. Yep, I know that implies a lot of things that will piss people off, but I think it's the truth.

I think that was true in the past, but since they went to the no exemptions rule, everyone at least has to show up on day one and tell their sob story in person. This morning there was a woman with her child present along with a couple of people that had medical excuses. They all had to go and talk to the clerk before being released and each was told they would be called in another six months.

I don't get pissed off that the white folks are trying harder to get out of jury duty. But I do wonder if the same is true in predominantly white communitites.

mrmickeyzaza

The excuses were unbelievable and one of the most tedious things (besides just sitting around).

stacey

shishkab wrote: [quote=escap]Same experience. Welcome to Brooklyn.

ditto.

served a few times, sat on two juries. one trial lasted for SIX FREAKING WEEKS. i still have nightmares from that thing. (shudders) :x :x

OMG me too - did it have anything to do with Judge Garson?

escap

Flexichick wrote: The excuses were unbelievable and one of the most tedious things (besides just sitting around).

I had a pretty good excuse last time that got me off. I told them that I was getting married that very weekend (which was true).

They let me go.

shishkab

stacey wrote: OMG me too - did it have anything to do with Judge Garson?

nope, can't say it was. sorry you had a similar life-sucking experience. ugh.

leeho

Was on the last part of selection including alternates before the actual case would open. A civil case having to do with some elderly home nonsense. Anyway, I literally spaced and they asked me a direct question by number. I had no idea what they asked me and I simply said yes. They could have asked anything. I was released that same afternoon. :oops:

stacey

shishkab wrote: [quote=stacey]OMG me too - did it have anything to do with Judge Garson?

nope, can't say it was. sorry you had a similar life-sucking experience. ugh.

Yep it really did suck. I even had to be taken home in that stupid juror bus.

shishkab

stacey wrote: Yep it really did suck. I even had to be taken home in that stupid juror bus.

yeah, i think we had the same experience, alright. what i didn't mention before is that not only was it six weeks, but it extended into thanksgiving, and the jurors were specifically asked not to leave the state for the holiday! had fun trying to essplain dat to the in-laws. i guess the courts were afraid if we left the state, they'd never ever get us to come back HAHAHA!

grandzu

I went. It was lots of sitting and then sent home about 1pm. Bonus...I got a check a few weeks later for $40, I think.
Plus, they require you for two days if they say so, not just one like all the notices say.

carnivore

Just a tip: You're allowed one postponement. I recommend postponing it for a week before a holiday weekend. There won't be any cases scheduled and you'll likely be dismissed promptly. This one has worked for me before (serendipitously), and I plan to do it again from now on.

drano

My last tilt was 3 or 4 years ago...got to the questioning phase of some fender-bender/soft tissue damage lawsuit and went on a long-winded rant wherein I basically said that I could be fair, but if I got the impression the case was frivolous it would really piss me off.

I got the cut - as I knew I would - but I didn't feel guilty. I was telling the truth.

grandzu

Oh and the postponement mentioned can be up to 6 months, I think. So do it for the max rather than just a week or a month. Thats also what they suggest when you say you want to postpone.

In conclusion, postpone is a funny word. Can you prepone?

apollonia666

Carnivore wrote: Just a tip: You're allowed one postponement. I recommend postponing it for a week before a holiday weekend. There won't be any cases scheduled and you'll likely be dismissed promptly. This one has worked for me before (serendipitously), and I plan to do it again from now on.

Seconded! My boss, who used to be a Legal Aid attorney, suggested this to me when I got called a few months ago. Worked like a charm.

idlewild

I would just go through with it. Usually there is no trial and/or a plea is reached before the end of the day. You're not called again for six years whether you're picked for a jury or not. I have five more years to go.

rala

I've served several times and seem to get called every other year, so hold on to the letter they gave you it will come in handy. Also you can get called for jury duty out in Islip. But they will not make you serve once you prove to them how far away you live,,but its still a hassle.

seven24

I postponed once a few months ago now I've been called up once more for January 2. I'm so not looking forward to it. I served a couple of years ago and I brought along a book on witchcraft and spells and I got sent home the same day, maybe I'll try that again.

michaelkeys

After postponing twice I have to appear at the end of January. The last time I had jury duty was 6 years ago and was on a case that got pled out after a few days.

Oh, and yeah, the pool was about 70/30: minority/white, but that's what greater Brooklyn looks like.

sweet tea

i just did it this week. i was dismissed from the case, but it took 3 full days of sitting around first.

on the bright side, the courthouse (supreme ct on jay st, which is also being used for civil juries while the adams street one is being renovated) was very nice, and all the people were nice, too. they have a small computer room, but i think they also have wifi if you bring a laptop, at least in the main waiting room.

the signs say not to bring in electronic equipment, but clearly no one minds as long as you're not taking pictures left and right. (possibly they changed the policy but had already made fancy signs)

one thing i didn't think about was that it takes about 15 minutes to get through security -- the line moves fast, but it's hundreds of people on the same schedule.

brooklynpotter

so what's the legal story (i'm going next month)... how many days are you required to be there? if you don't get on one case do they keep trying to get you onto one for that many days? how long till next time? what are the rules?

michaelkeys

brooklynpotter wrote: so what's the legal story (i'm going next month)... how many days are you required to be there? if you don't get on one case do they keep trying to get you onto one for that many days? how long till next time? what are the rules?

I could be wrong but if you haven't been picked after three days you're off the hook.

quig

It's changed. If you are not chosen, they will release you at the end of the 1st day. It is a long day of sitting around, so bring a book and/or laptop. I just did this 2 weeks ago.

brooklynpotter

when i lived in jersey it was either 1 day or one trial. if you get picked that first day, you're on a jury. if not, then you're done.

i post posed it till february when i got the notice in november; holiday season, millions of pots to make.

not looking forward to it at all.

sweet tea

brooklynpotter wrote: so what's the legal story (i'm going next month)... how many days are you required to be there? if you don't get on one case do they keep trying to get you onto one for that many days? how long till next time? what are the rules?

if you are not called for questioning by the end of the first day, you're done.

if you are called, are excused, and are not called again by the end of the day, you're done.

if, however, you are called for questioning and they are not done questioning your group by the end of the day, you have to come back until you have been questioned and excused (or not). that's why it took 3 days for me.

brooklynpotter

i am not happy about this.

whyfi

My wife just went on Friday. It was one day and out... her plan was to inform those questioning that she was the sole proprietor of a business and that she probably wouldn't make sound judgements while sitting there thinking about business slipping away...

brooklynpotter

whyfi, does that really work? because while i know it's not fair to people working 9-5 jobs, those of us who work for ourselves can lose revenue.

they need some sort of alternative to jury duty for freelancers.