Jury Duty Questions

So I have a couple questions regarding Jury Duty.

1. If you get a Jury Summons but just ignore it. Since most courts just use regular mail, not certified & signature required, they have NO PROOF that you got it. And we all know MAIL DOES GET LOST. So it would seem to me, if they harassed you over this, under the "innocent until proven guilty", short of them raiding your home and finding the summons, they have no proof to dispute a person's claim that "they never received it". Now I imagine if you did this many times, maybe even more than once, it would become a problem. Please talk to this matter.

2. If you wind up having to actually go to the court as a prospective juror, what can you do to have one or both sides turn you away? Can you wear a tshirt that says "I don't want to be here"? Can you flat out tell them something like "you don't want me on your jury, because I don't want to be here and I will be as uncooperative as possible"? Please talk to this matter also.

I tried searches to find out about these issues, but only got the normal standard stuff of what you are supposed to do.

Thanks.

Jury duty is your civic responsibility.

Shirking it is unamerican.

Feel free to get on the next boat to some third world country where they don't have juries and pray you never get arrested for anything.

This is what Florida has to say:

What happens if I fail to appear for jury service?

Section 40.23 of the Florida Statutes states that "failure to attend as a juror upon being duly summoned may result in a fine not to exceed $100." In addition to the fine, you may also face contempt proceedings which could result in the imposition of community service or other sanctions, including jail time.

If you failed to report for juror service, you will receive a failure to appear letter instructing you to contact the jury department. As long as you reschedule your service and report on that date, you will not receive a fine or other sanctions.

Jury Duty FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) | Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.

It's your duty - suck it up and serve.

Liam said:

If you get a Jury Summons but just ignore it.

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That would be extremely unwise and foolish.

Liam said:

2. If you wind up having to actually go to the court as a prospective juror, what can you do to have one or both sides turn you away? Can you wear a tshirt that says "I don't want to be here"? Can you flat out tell them something like "you don't want me on your jury, because I don't want to be here and I will be as uncooperative as possible"? Please talk to this matter also.

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Again, most unwise and foolish.

Try these ideas on for size and efficacy.








Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes :->2017->Chapter 40 : Online Sunshine
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Jury Duty Laws in Florida - Juror Selection, Qualifications, and Dress Code
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Many decades ago, I was a young assistant US Attorney.

Defense counsel was conducting voire dire.
She asked one of the potential jurors, "Have you formed an opinion about the case?"

The potential juror responded, "Yeah, dude's guilty as Satan."

The entire courtroom exploded in laughter and crackles.

I stood to object, the judge looked at me and said, "That won't be necessary counsel."

The judge then said, "Juror 29, you're excused."

I don't suggest you try that tactic, but I've seen it employed several times.
It always achieved the result the person wanted, to get the boot.

I did actually get out once as my Mom's caregiver. But I had to show up and present documentation from her doctor that she couldn't be left alone.

I had an employee come to me once and tell me she HAD to have one particular day off. When I asked her why, she handed me a notice that essentially said, she'd blown off her jury duty not once, not twice, but three times, and if she didn't show up THIS time she was going to jail.

Jury duty has been on my bucket list for decades. Never made it. All the times I've been called I ended up on the wrong side of the room. My last opportunity was in 2016. Got passed voir dire and they started calling out numbers. I was number 237. They got 12 jurors and 12 alternates before they got to my side of the room.

Since then I haven't been called because the county has an age limit beyond which they don't call people for jury duty, and I am past that limit.

adjusterjack said:

Jury duty has been on my bucket list for decades. Never made it. All the times I've been called I ended up on the wrong side of the room. My last opportunity was in 2016. Got passed voir dire and they started calling out numbers. I was number 237. They got 12 jurors and 12 alternates before they got to my side of the room.

Since then I haven't been called because the county has an age limit beyond which they don't call people for jury duty, and I am past that limit.

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I have been lucky enough to serve several times. (actually, almost got onto the Night Stalker jury - not sure that would have been lucky...) It's a fascinating process and one well worth being a part of.

LOL My Mom was called at ~85, and that was easy to get her out of. My Dad would've fought to serve at that age, and he'd have been fine. Sharp as a tack to the end.

I have been called several times and in my state it's one-day, one-trial. You call the night before the day you're assigned and they tell you whether or not to come in. If you're told not to come in, that's it; you're done. If they tell you to come in, you come in and if you're not seated, that's it; you're done. If you are seated, at the end of that trial that's it, you're done. I have at least twice been told not to come in; I have at least twice reported but never left the jury room. The one and only time my group was called into the courtroom they'd completed seating the full jury before they reached me.

I was called for Jury duty on a child molestation case. Horrifying.

I'm not going to give the deets on my situation as I don't wish to give OP any ideas how to get out of his civic duty.

army judge said:

Many decades ago, I was a young assistant US Attorney.

Defense counsel was conducting voire dire.
She asked one of the potential jurors, "Have you formed an opinion about the case?"

The potential juror responded, "Yeah, dude's guilty as Satan."

The entire courtroom exploded in laughter and crackles.

I stood to object, the judge looked at me and said, "That won't be necessary counsel."

The judge then said, "Juror 29, you're excused."

I don't suggest you try that tactic, but I've seen it employed several times.
It always achieved the result the person wanted, to get the boot.

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Interesting. And in the cases you saw something like this, were there other repercussions aside from the juror being excused?

Liam said:

Interesting. And in the cases you saw something like this, were there other repercussions aside from the juror being excused?

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None, other than what the person sought, (what I term Br'er Rabbit's Ploy) =

Brer Rabbit said, "Please don't throw me in dat briar patch!"

I don't recommend you emulating the ones I observed, your outcome might not be as pleasant.

==========


One day after Brer Rabbit had fooled Brer Fox using calamus root.
So, Brer Fox went to work and got some tar. He mixed it with some turpentine, and fixed up a contraption that he called a Tar-Baby. He put a straw hat on the Tar-Baby and sat her in the middle of the road, then hid in the bushes to see what would happen.

He didn't have to wait long either, because Brer Rabbit soon came pacing down the road—lippity-clippity, clippity-lippity—as saucy as a jay-bird. Brer Fox, he lay low.

Brer Rabbit come prancing along until he spotted the Tar-Baby. Then he fetched up on his hind legs as if he was astonished. The Tar Baby, she sat there and Brer Fox lay low.

"Good morning," said Brer Rabbit, "Nice weather we're having."

The Tar-Baby said nothing. Brer Fox laid low and grinned an evil grin.

Brer Rabbit tried again. "And how are you feeling this fine day?"

Brer Fox winked his eye slowly and laid low in the bushes, and the Tar Baby, well, she said nothing.

"How are you then? Are you deaf?" said Brer Rabbit. "If you are, I can shout louder."

Tar-Baby stayed still, and Brer Fox, he lay low.

"You're stuck up, that's what you are," said Brer Rabbit, "I'll cure you, that's what I'll do."

"Brer Fox, he gave a belly-laugh, but Tar-Baby said nothing.

"I'm going to teach you how to talk to respectable people, if it's my last act,' said Brer Rabbit. 'If you don't take off that hat, I'm going to beat you up".

Tar-Baby stayed still, and Brer Fox, he lay low.

Brer Rabbit keep on asking, and the Tar-Baby kept on saying nothing.

Presently, Brer Rabbit drew back his fist and -BLIP- he hit the Tar-Baby on the side of the head. And that's when he lost his cool. His fist stuck and he couldn't get loose. The tar held him. But Tar-Baby, she stayed still, and Brer Fox, he lay low.

"If you don't let me go, I'll hit you again," said Brer Rabbit, and with that he swiped again with the other hand, and that stuck. Tar-Baby said nothing and Brer Fox, he lay low.

"Let me go, or I'll knock the stuffing out of you," said Brer Rabbit, but Tar-Baby said nothing. She just hung on, and Brer Rabbit lost the use of his feet in the same way. Brer Fox, he lay low.

Then Brer Rabbit yelled out that if the Tar-Baby didn't turn him loose he'd head butt her side-on. So he butted, and his head got stuck. Then Brer Fox sauntered out, looking as innocent as one of your mummy's mocking-birds.

"Hiya, Brer Rabbit," said Brer Fox. "You look sort of stuck up this morning," and then he rolled on the ground, and laughed and laughed until he could laugh no more. "You'll have to have dinner with me this time, Brer Rabbit. I've got some calamus root, and I won't take any excuses".

When Brer Fox found Brer Rabbit entangled with the Tar-Baby, he felt really good, and he rolled on the ground laughing. Eventually, he got up and said:

"Well, I think I got you this time, Brer Rabbit. Maybe I haven't, but I think I have. You been running around here being cheeky for a mighty long time, but I think you've come to the end of the line. You've been cutting capers and bouncing about the neighbourhood where I'm in charge, and poking about in what is not your business," said Brer Fox.

"Who asked you to chat up the Tar-Baby? And who stuck you up the way you are? Nobody in the round world. You just jammed yourself on that Tar-Baby without waiting for any invitation," said Brer Fox,. "And there you are, and there you'll stay until I fix up a heap of brushwood and make a fire, 'cos I'm going to barbecue you today for sure," said Brer Fox.

So Brer Rabbit talked in a mighty humble way.

"I don't care what you do with me, Brer Fox" said Brer Rabbit. "Just don't fling me in that briar patch over there. Roast me, Brer Fox, but don't fling me in in that briar patch," said Brer Rabbit.

"It's so much trouble to start a fire," said Brer Fox, "that I think I'd rather hang you."

"Hang me just as high as you please, Brer Fox," said Brer Rabbit, "but for Lord's sake don't fling me in in that briar patch."

"I don't have any string," said Brer Fox, "so I think I'd rather drown you."

"Drown me just as deep as you please, Brer Fox," said Brer Rabbit, "but for Lord's sake don't fling me in in that briar patch."

"There's no water nearby," said Brer Fox, "so I think I'd rather skin you."

"Skin me, Brer Fox, snatch out my eyeballs, tear out my ears by the roots, and cut off my legs," said Brer Rabbit. "Only please, Brer Fox, please don't throw me into the briar patch."

"It's not going to be much fun skinning you," said Brer Fox, "you're not scared of that. But you are scared of the briar patch."

And with that, Brer Fox yanked Brer Rabbit off the Tar-Baby, and he flung him -KERPLUNK!- right into the briar patch.

Well, there was a flutter where Brer Rabbit landed, then "Ooo! Oow! Ouch!" he screeched and he squalled. Then after a while, there was only a weak whisper from Brer Rabbit. Brer Fox listened.

"I got him! Brer Rabbit is dead!" said Brer Fox.

But then he heard a scuffling away at the other end of the briar patch. And low and behold, who does Brer Fox see scrambling out but Brer Rabbit himself, playing a briar bush whistle.

"Born and bred in the briar patch, that's me," laughed Brer Rabbit. "I told you not to throw me there. In all the world, that's the place I love best!"

With a lippity clip, he hopped away.



The wonderful tar baby story, and brer Fox and the briar patch, both by Joel Chandler Harris (Uncle Remus)

Well there are several problems with the way the county govt is handling jury duty. Beside the paltry $15 (which doesn't even cover the cost to get there and back, for many people), there are serious problems with parking. They have a moderate size parking lot, next to the courthouse, but apparently part of it is currently closed. Instead of coming up with a viable alternative, they are leaving jurors out to dry. All they say about that on the website is "get there earlier", well some people will still not have parking, especially since the current pool is over 400 people. If they do not have enough close, free parking, they either should suspend jury trials until they do. Or, provide a remote location with plenty of parking and run shuttles for people.

Liam said:

Well there are several problems with the way the county govt is handling jury duty. Beside the paltry $15 (which doesn't even cover the cost to get there and back, for many people), there are serious problems with parking. They have a moderate size parking lot, next to the courthouse, but apparently part of it is currently closed. Instead of coming up with a viable alternative, they are leaving jurors out to dry. All they say about that on the website is "get there earlier", well some people will still not have parking, especially since the current pool is over 400 people. If they do not have enough close, free parking, they either should suspend jury trials until they do. Or, provide a remote location with plenty of parking and run shuttles for people.

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You can discuss your concerns relative to the process with your city, county, and state elected officials.

You can reach most of them by email, telephone, or in person.

For illustrative purposes, here are two such officials:

Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

(850) 717-9337

For more immediate service, please include email address with your letter or phone call. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

Governor's email addy:
Email the Governor
......

Lt. Governor's email addy:
Email the Lt. Governor
......

Liam said:

Well there are several problems with the way the county govt is handling jury duty.

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Rationalize your recalcitrance in as many ways as you want. It's still just plain wrong to shirk jury duty no matter how inconvenient it is.

My last call to jury duty (2016) involved a half hour drive to downtown Phoenix, parking in a parking garage several blocks away, getting the shuttle to the courthouse, waiting all afternoon only to be sent home because of a postponement to the next day. Parking was validated and I got $14.24 for that day. Same trip next day, spent the morning in the courtroom as juror 237 only to be sent home because they didn't even get close to that number. Got free parking and $14.24 for the second day.

I would do it again in a heartbeat, but I am over the age cut-off for jury duty in my county.

adjusterjack said:

It's still just plain wrong to shirk jury duty no matter how inconvenient it is.

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NO! It should not be that difficult. And when the normal parking is not available due to construction, the Clerk of Court is responsible to set up an alternative. Not just leave people hanging. His failure to do that is Dereliction of Duty! And by the way, this is not me personally who this is happening to. Someone I know and that is why I am outraged.

Liam said:

If they do not have enough close, free parking, they either should suspend jury trials until they do. Or, provide a remote location with plenty of parking and run shuttles for people.

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The courts can't and won't suspend trials over parking problems for jurors. For criminal trials the defendant is entitled to a speedy trial; delaying the trial just to provide more convienient/less expensive parking for jurors would violate the defendant's rights. Even for civil trials the parties should get reasonably timely resolutions of their cases. Your state legislature makes the rules on juror reimbursement, etc. Contact your represenative about your parking complaints and ask the state to come up with a plan to ensure each county has sufficient juror parking. That won't help you for this trial, but it may help you (and others) for the next.

Liam said:

NO! It should not be that difficult. And when the normal parking is not available due to construction, the Clerk of Court is responsible to set up an alternative.

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The court clerk lacks the power to do that unless your state provides the court clerk with substantially more power than clerks in other states. The Chief Judge of the Court is in the position of having some power to deal with the parking issue, but his/her options will be limited by the money the state provides to the courts for this stuff. Ultimately, it's the state legislature that needs to help the courts come up with the resources to deal with problems like this.

Liam said:

And by the way, this is not me personally who this is happening to. Someone I know and that is why I am outraged.

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You've wasted our time with a rant that has nothing to do with you.

There's nothing we can do for you.

Thread locked.