Comments on: PoP-Ed. Disrespecting the Jury

By: Mike Hawke

Mike Hawke — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 19:56:52 +0000

Are you registered to vote? If not, you’ll never be called. That’s the list they use to select jurors. Watch out what you ask for though. Once they’ve called you once, they’ll call you back every two years, clockwork. And that’s for the local Superior Court. The Federal Court is in addition.

By: emmaleigh504

emmaleigh504 — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 19:39:18 +0000

I’ve been here 5 years and have never been contacted. I want to serve on a jury! DC contact me!!

By: Wish I Could Be A Luddite

Wish I Could Be A Luddite — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:34:15 +0000

Unfortunately, I’ve BEEN looking. But, you know that economy thing? Not that many people hiring for what I do.

And I can use my words just fine, but I would have an awfully hard time proving that I would be subtly retaliated against professionally if I were to be unavailable for that time period. It wouldn’t be blatant enough to get my employer in trouble, but it would be just enough to make them unhappy with me. And once they’re unhappy, they’re unhappy.

Yep, it sucks. But it isn’t provable.

By: qst

qst — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:34:10 +0000

If you’re called for Petit Court duty (as it sounds like Gray was), you have ALOOOOOOT of time in the juror room before getting called into a courtroom, if you get called at all. That juror pool is allowed to use devices while sitting in the juror room.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:23:36 +0000

I too served on a grand jury and did not have access to my device(s). No offence, but the letter makes everyone sound like a big baby. You’re on a grand jury – take it seriously. We were so busy that we wouldn’t have had time to use our devices most days….and when we weren’t, they typically let us go. Accept your fate and take this responsibility seriously.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:55:48 +0000

I was a grand juror at about the same time as the writer of this post and I agree that it’s a bit dramatic. I frankly understand why the ban is in place and while some flexibility might be warranted (like having a specific room where folks can use phones, laptops, etc. during breaks), the building IS planning on having lockers in place to allow some access to phones as such. The grand juries hear a variety of cases from homicides to drug cases, and if I were someone being asked to testify, I’d damn well want to know that I was being protected and some dumb juror wasn’t taking pictures or video of me. I understand work issues as I, like many others, have a job that typically expects regular Internet access, but you might be surprised at how effective drawing some boundaries based on the necessity of jury duty is. And if your employer won’t budge, you had the option of trying to get excused due to hardship. I certainly do wish the rules were more flexible in terms of bringing in a kindle (which has no camera or true browser) and some access to phones during breaks, but I’m frankly fine with not being tethered to all my electronic devices if it means not running the risk of some dipshit juror emailing out witness names, pics, etc. I think the larger issue is that certain grand juries are 5 days a week for an entire month. Why not make them all shorter number of days per week and extend the timeframe you’re required to report to get a better balance with work?

At the end of the day it was a rewarding experience for me. You’d be shocked at what goes on in your neighborhood. I’d frankly want all lawmakers to be on a some type of jury to get a taste of how the policies they implement from their lofty perch actually effect real people (poverty, lack of education, drug policy, etc.).

By: Haile Unlikely

Haile Unlikely — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:25:19 +0000

Suggestion: start looking for another job. I’m not suggesting you quit immediately–I realize now is not the ideal time to get another job anywhere–but if your employer penalizes people, formally or informally, for complying with the law, that sounds like an undesirable place to work long-term for lots of reasons beyond the scope of the present discussion of jury duty.

By: margaret

margaret — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:13:08 +0000

So, then you provide the judge with that information and if you can prove that your inability to be connected to your and/or clients for extended periods will harm your position and/or employment and then she or he can decide if your argument has enough merit to dismiss you from the jury pool.

Everyone who responds with “well, IT REALLY WOULD IMPACT MY JOB” seem to be forgetting that you do have the ability to present that information to the court. I mean, if you can communicate that to the readers of a blog, you can present that information to a judge.

Start being adults and use your words to communicate.

By: kory

kory — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:51:16 +0000

if your employer does not pay you, you also get 30 dollars per day… not that you can live on that either. Luckily, my employer pays us our regular salary during jury duty.
For grand jury duty, they give you over a month notice so you can make arrangements with your employer which for many, is more than enough notice. I know this doesn’t help those who are self employed, but it should give you time to request a financial hardship.
This is my second time for grand jury duty in 10 years…. I know people who have never been called and have lived here forever!

By: Wish I Could Be A Luddite

Wish I Could Be A Luddite — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:41:06 +0000

While I would absolutely adore the option of turning off my phone consistently for a few weeks, the bottom line is that my employer is simply not OK with that. You can go ahead and call me whiny, but it actually has a fairly large impact on my career and the company. Given that our entity is foreign-owned, it winds up being 3X worse because it’ll somehow wind up being my “fault.” Don’t be so naive as to think they won’t subtly retaliate.