The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: When was the last time you had jury duty, and did you get selected to serve as a juror?
Talk about it.
More than 15 years. I’ve never been selected.
Ten years ago, but after three days of wasting my time they dismissed me because they didn’t like my answers when the lawyers questioned me. Since then I’ve been summoned two more times and I went to my doctor to get an excuse due to my back pain.
Some say it’s my civic duty and I say no it is not, I’ve already performed my civic duty by enlisting into the US Marine Corps and serving two tours in Vietnam.
Semper Fi Devil Dawg!
Thank you
Thank You for your service.
Haven’t been called or served for over 20 years
Never, I toss them, who do you know that went to jail for not going to Jury Duty ??
The court system doesn’t like me because I can’t sit that long without having to pee! Last time I had to interrupt the trial to ask the judge if I could go to the bathroom!! Ha ha!
About 20 plus years ago, made it to selection process and they couldn’t get rid of me fast enough.
thank god i have a dr note excusing me from duty
About a year ago…yes, was on a jury. For those not wanting to be there, please consider…if YOU were ever accused of a crime and went to trial, you would be judged by a jury of your peers. Now think about that for a while and then you will see how important it is for everyone that gets a summons to attend. Yeah, its a hassle at times, but if you or your family member was the accused, you’d want a good mix of people on the jury..not just those that had nothing else to do.
Yes, because now in CA convicted Felons can serve on a jury…. So now, truly a Jury of “YOUR” Peers???
8yrs or so. 2 days of boredom. The last half excruciating having to listen to bs reasons for not getting selected. Whine whine I’m horrifically bothered by the mention of prostitution whine whine etc. Give me a break! This is the SF Bay Area. You have probably even participated in the Bay to Breakers run/parade. Certainly you have seen and laughed at the gayparade.
Anyhow, finally it was my turn. The judge was very thankful of my no nonsense approach. No I am not bothered, no my connection to a legal field will not disqualify my good judgement. The last three took my queue and boldly stepped up.
The trial was over in a half hour. My suggestion? Tell the bald truth. 😂
Interesting question, I was supposed to report last week and everything has been put on hold due to the current crisis, thank god. Not sure if that means I have to report again, or what. Prior to this, it’d been a good 10 years, at least.
5 or 6 years ago. Over the years I have been summoned half a dozen times. Selected for duty twice, and served.
Maybe up to 10 years ago. Got tossed out 3 times. Twice in Martinez when the 1st judge decided everyone had been mentally polluted by something someone said during public interview of jurors. I was reading so have no idea what was said then. That afternoon the next judge said everything was settled so go home. 3rd time in Pittsburg the judge dismissed me because I told him I had an issue with “innocent until proven guilty.” Not been called since.
Almost forgot, in SF I was tossed out re a birth control case. I said I saw no reason for the man to not have had birth control surgery.
9/18/18-9/21/18.
This was just for jury selection for a Richmond murder. Lucky for me, they settled on the jury pool before I was called. At the time, I was one of only 5 potential jurors left in the room. Lucky for the defendant, he was found not guilty. I read about that in the CC Times.
The only time that I actually served on a jury was in July, 2012. It was a 25 yr. old child molestation case (no statute of limitations because the defendant took off and had an active warrant that whole time). The dude was guilty as hell but Juror #1 was a complete idiot and refused to convict (example: she said his driver license photo had no beard while he had one in court. Therefore, it wasn’t him!) Unbelievable. It was 2 days for jury selection, 2 days for the trial, and 3 days of deliberation before the judge cut us loose for 4th of July weekend. We were deadlocked 11-1 but the Asst. DA said that they would re-try him. I never did find out whether or not if he was found guilty at a subsequent trial.
I served this month on March 2 in Richmond. Room was crowded, and we were in there for hours, both waiting and in jury selection. Already people were aware that we shouldn’t touch handrails, etc., and wash hands for 2 minutes. Unexplained what happened to the case–possibly a plea deal–but we were dismissed after lunch. Thank goodness.
I’m 4 for $. Every time I have been called I became a juror. The last on was about 5 years ago a 6 week long 2nd degree murder trial with 2 defendants that had separate crappy lawyers. The District Attorney was excellent, she knew her case front to back and presented it well. They were both convicted with gang enhancements and got 25 years.
Last time called was about a decade ago – twice in 2 years. Reported but never go past the selection process.
I served on a jury for 3.5 MONTHS last year, too much fun.
199 counts of child abuse related crimes with young boys all under 10 years of age at the time of the crimes, 12 kids in total over 10 year span.
Some of these kids are now high school kids who came back to testify – very brave young men, and the damage he did to those kids was evident even many years later. Very sad, angering to see what he did as a trusted person.
POS got convicted on all but 3 counts and got almost 200 years in prison. His last words? He asked the lord to forgive the kids for lying and the jury for convicting an innocent man. LOL!
I was called just a couple months ago. And about 20 years ago. They don’t seem to like me cuz my brother was kidnapped, robbed and murdered in 1988 and I went to most of the trials.
I’ve been called several times but never served. Once in the 2000s, the accused took a plea deal (I think that was the reason) just before the jury selection started, and we were all excused. Several times after that I was excused for various reasons. I really would not look forward to serving. As I’ve said before, I attract psychos and I can just imagine the outcome if I had to find someone guilty. My life was threatened on Facebook, of all places. I’m sure in a courtroom setting it would be virtually worthless to some accused murderer.
Believe it was about 5 yrs ago and I was selected. Time before that was about 8 yrs ago and I was selected, before that, about 11yrs and I was selected.
I served the first time I was called. Haven’t served since. It was interesting – something everyone should do once. No desire to do it again. I believe they should have professional juries. It may not be a jury of your peers, but it would be more effective.
It would cut down on time, inconvenience and maybe even money. Plus the jurors could be better compensated. Interesting idea KD.
Three years ago and I was selected and served on the jury.
I was a life memory great experience.
I support everyone going through with jury service,.
Called about five years ago. Got all the way to the jury box, but then dismissed because of my law enforcement background.
108RS
I got called shortly after my 18th birthday. I served on one of the most ridiculous cases imaginable and it lasted 5 whole days!! A young guy robs several houses at gunpoint, then months later turns himself into the police and gives most of the stuff back. Easy case right? No because after he was arrested he pleaded not guilty and denied ever having taken part.
So for 1 day it was just the legal jargon of reading us jurors our juror rights and duties etc. which at about 30 minutes per juror took forever..
Then day 2 was filled with testimonies from the victims, going over every picture of where he broke in, what was stolen, values of items, witnesses, etc.. also the prosecutions examination.
Day 3 was his defenses turn to explain his case, which considering he had admitted to it you know the lawyer struggled to build a case.
Day 4 was closing arguments but since the judge got held up from an earlier case we weren’t able to to also deliberate as a jury.
Day 5 was final deliberation day which ended up taking all day because we couldn’t decide because some of us were like well he admitted it, and others were thinking well he could have been coerced by gang affiliates etc. At the end of the day we found him guilty and sent a man to prison for a long time. It was a crazy feeling.
Before kids. Drunk driving case. I was an alternate. But as I sat there I silently prayed for the defendent every day. (I felt sorry for him and prayed he turned his life around) What amazed me were the idiot women on the jury who assumed he was guilty because his lawyer was messy and not good looking, whereas the prosecuter was a sharp dresser and good looking. Really???? “Oh he’s so cute, he’s must have more education, the man is guilty.” Ugh, these were older women. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I’m still angy to this day. As for now, my daughter has seizures so I need to be at home.
many women voted for JFK ’cause her was handsome….
I served on a jury last year for three days. I very much enjoyed it and hope to do it again soon. I met some interesting people from all walks of life, and got to learn a bit about how our judicial system works.
My employer also pays for my time serving, so that makes it a bit better.