Jury Duty....

[2farnorth]

I got a jury summons almost EXACTLY when I arrived home on leave.

I was debating about whether to return to Afghanistan within the month, but now I don't really have a choice... which means I can't make my foreign earned income exclusion, which is going to cost me about $20k Yeah, that $30 a day is going to be a BIG help.

Are you on active duty?. If so contact the court and you will probably be exempted.

[nightmare69]

Ive been called to jury duty for every court out there. Only had to serve on jury for traffic court, some guy was trying to get out of a seatbelt ticket. I got called to Federal court 4 times in a row, every month get a summons. I would get a call the day before saying I didnt have to show up. At Federal court you have to wear jacket and tie, and it was 40 miles away. They pay you better there and pay mileage.

[RoyGBiv]

Fill out the online form!!!

Cool! I don't recall this from the last time I was called.. (about 3 years ago).
http://www.tarrantcounty.com/ejury/cwp/ ... &ejuryNav=|" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IIRC, I arrived the first day and spent the morning checking in and waiting to be assigned to a specific court. Looks like that can now be taken care of online. Got sent home at 11:00 or so. On the second day we arrived and waited around for an hour, then were dismissed by a reluctant judge who told us there were several trials that had been postponed and our obligation would be considered fulfilled. $6 for day 1, $34 (?) for day 2.

I arrived early both days and paid to park in the lot across the street. I would NOT store my gun in the car without some kind of secondary security (tethered lock box, etc)

[brhalltx]

I just completed jury duty in Harris County in March and they sent me a big fat check for six bucks. Where are ya'll getting the 20-30 dollar per day stuff?

The first day is $6; more ($36, I think, but apparently that can vary) for the 2nd+ days.

[brhalltx]

Downtown eats: Risky's BBQ (300 Main Street)

That sounds... Risky. If you're actually on a jury, they probably won't give you a choice of where you eat.

[The Annoyed Man]

A.D.D. moment, I live in Dallas county so I'm not familiar with Ft. Worth. When I heard Tim Curry Justice Center the first thing that popped in my head was Rocky Horror Picture Show. So who else had the same thought?

Exactly the first thing I thought of. He had a major stroke a few days ago, by the way....but he is apparently recovering nicely. I'm having trouble visualizing Dr. Frankenfurter with hemiparesis........although that might be Eddie Ex's (Meat Loaf's) permanent state.

Thanks for all of the replies. You all have been very helpful. One clarification.......

Am I to understand that if you show up for ONE day, the first day, and you do not get selected for a jury, that fulfills your obligation?

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

Actually, I don't mind serving on a jury. I truly don't. I just don't like all the hassle that surrounds it......finding secured parking.....being at the beck and call of someone who is not paying me enough to cover the daily parking fee, etc., etc.

Oh, one other question.... several have mentioned bring reading material, and RottenApple mentioned my work as a web developer.... Am I allowed to bring my laptop? I have all my Kindle books on it, and if there is a wi-fi connection and a power outlet, I could get a lot of work or reading done that way if it is permitted. Also, if they do allow you to bring a laptop, what happens to your things if you actually get selected for a jury? I would imagine that they don't allow you to bring that stuff into a trial with you or the jury deliberation room, but I have a LOT of client information (files, passwords, etc.), not to mention REALLY expensive software on my laptop that I would not want it to be left unsecured if I can't bring it with me.

[sidebar]
The one jury I was selected for back in California which I mentioned in my OP was a kind of funny experience. The case was being tried in Pasadena Superior Court, and when I arrived with all the other prospective jurors in the courtroom for the Voire Dire phase, I immediately twigged to the fact that the judge was a good friend of mine, Judd Morris, whom I knew from being in the same adult Sunday School class. I didn't know if I should say anything, but I knew that Judd was an upright guy, so if it was necessary he would raise the issue. I got all the way through the Voire Dire and was selected as a 1st string juror, and then Judd faced the jury panel from his bench and said, "Do any of you personally know anybody else in this courtroom.....either myself, one of the other jurors, the bailiff, the court reporter, either of the attorneys, or the defendant?" I raised my hand and grinned sheepishly. Judd said "Yes, Mr. TAM, I suppose you would like me to disclose to the rest of the court that you and I occasionally have dinner together, go camping together, and attend the same church together?" I said "yes, your honor." He asked me if I thought that our relationship outside of the courtroom would interfere with my ability to render an impartial decision in the matter of this trial, and I answered that it would not. He turned to the two attorneys and asked them if they had a problem with this. They both said "no" and I was on the jury.

In the particular case before us, a third-strike attempted murder case, a non-english speaking hispanic male was charged with having discharged a firearm in the direction of some other hispanic males when some kind of celebratory gathering went sour. It was suggested by the prosecution that he was a member of a gang, and that the others were members of a rival gang. This would be his third strike if convicted (life in prison without possibility of parole under California law at the time), and he was also an illegal alien........which boggles the mind that he had not been deported after his first felony conviction.......nor had he been deported after the second felony conviction. I have no idea what those felony convictions were for, but it seemed pretty obvious to me at the time that the defendent was not just some innocent victim of circumstances just trying to earn an honest living in a foreign land. His defense was that he fired his gun in self-defense only after attempting to flee the scene and being pursued.

I also recall that one of the prospective jurors revealed during Voire Dire that he would find it difficult to be impartial because he had himself been tried and acquitted in a use of deadly force case in which he had shot and killed an assaillant. Even though he had been acquitted, the entire experience had left him so soured on the justice system that he thought he might be inclined to automatically disbelieve the prosecution. He was dismissed.

I recall that when I was specifically questioned by the defense attorney during Voire Dire, counsel acknowledged that there was no doubt that the defendant did in fact fire his weapon at those people, and he asked me if I thought I would be able to fairly render a decision if defense could make the case that it was legitimate self-defense. To that specific point, I answered that yes, I could.

And in retrospect, I still think I could. The guy was a dirtbag.....the defendant, I mean.....I don't know about the defense attorney. Despite the fact that the defendant was in the country illegally, despite the fact that he was illegally carrying a concealed handgun, despite the fact that he was a repeat offending felon, and despite the fact that he put himself into a bad position where alcohol in mass quantities and rival gang members were both present, I still don't think that he necessarily gives up the fundamental human right to defend one's self by whatever means necessary if attacked.....particularly in an obvious disparity of force scenario, which this was. Even if he did it by an illegal means, I believe that he is still allowed to defend himself......better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6, and all that...... So I told defense counsel that although my personal inclination is toward law and order, I thought that I could give the defendant a fair hearing and that each and every case ought to be considered on its own merits, and not by my own prejudices.

That seemed to be good enough for both him and the prosecuting attorney.
[/sidebar]

[RoyGBiv]

Am I to understand that if you show up for ONE day, the first day, and you do not get selected for a jury, that fulfills your obligation?

No.

The judge may release you to go home early if there is nothing you will be needed for that day... or they may release you from your obligation entirely if they do not expect to need your service in the near future... but... that may happen on day 1, day 4 or whenever... although I did get the impression they would not drag out your service obligation if there was a good faith belief that your service would not be needed.

[Keith B]

Am I to understand that if you show up for ONE day, the first day, and you do not get selected for a jury, that fulfills your obligation?

No.

The judge may release you to go home early if there is nothing you will be needed for that day... or they may release you from your obligation entirely if they do not expect to need your service in the near future... but... that may happen on day 1, day 4 or whenever... although I did get the impression they would not drag out your service obligation if there was a good faith belief that your service would not be needed.

It depends on the court. As stated, they may have you sit on the Voir Dire and if not selected, you may still have to come back. Other times the court considers your appearance for duty as fulfillment. You will just have to see how that court handles it.

[VMI77]

I got a jury summons almost EXACTLY when I arrived home on leave.

I was debating about whether to return to Afghanistan within the month, but now I don't really have a choice... which means I can't make my foreign earned income exclusion, which is going to cost me about $20k Yeah, that $30 a day is going to be a BIG help.

I thought active duty military was exempt from Jury Duty? We were back in my day.

[The Annoyed Man]

I got a jury summons almost EXACTLY when I arrived home on leave.

I was debating about whether to return to Afghanistan within the month, but now I don't really have a choice... which means I can't make my foreign earned income exclusion, which is going to cost me about $20k Yeah, that $30 a day is going to be a BIG help.

I thought active duty military was exempt from Jury Duty? We were back in my day.

MadMonkey was a civilian contractor flying drones in Afghanistan, so any military exemptions probably would not apply to him.

[The Annoyed Man]

Well I just responded to the summons online. Their summons questionnaire is a little clunky to use. Being a website designer, I can't help seeing this as a design issue. Good website design isn't just about appearance, although that counts for something. Good design should also remove confusion about how to answer questions and make the system more user-friendly. This one wasn't impenetrable or anything like that.....it was just clunky, is the only way I know how to describe it. And I don't think it would have necessarily cost the county any more to have a better design than what they probably paid for what they have.

Just my 2¢.

[RogueUSMC]

There is a difference between a web designer and a web programmer...I am a designer but am by no means a programmer.

[rtschl]

TAM,

There wasn't public WiFi when I was there in October. I saw several tablets and readers while we were waiting, but I don't recall anyone bringing a laptop. I used my kindle reader on my Android phone. But make sure you power off any device when in the court room! It will be crowded when in a jury pool assigned to a court and not enough seats outside as you wait for the court room to open (at least it wasn't for us). So I wouldn't recommend bringing a laptop.

Ron

[Teamless]

Am I to understand that if you show up for ONE day, the first day, and you do not get selected for a jury, that fulfills your obligation?

As others have said, that is not the case
My wife, for an example, in March, had to go for her Jury Duty.
She sat there all day, they didn't seat a jury.
She had to go back the next day, for voir dire,
and she had to go back a 3rd day to finally be excused

Quite the opposite, when I went a few years ago (2006 maybe?)
I showed up, the clerk said the judge is not holding court today, have a good day.
I was done, didn't need to go back.

Just depends on the court (or maybe the judge) or maybe how many show up for their assigned JD?

[jimlongley]

When I sat through voire dire on the one I mentioned above, the rasta drug distributor, I had brought my briefcase with me, and I sat there through most of the proceedings doing work in it. No one objected, but it may have been why I was eventually excused, the defense probably didn't want someone wearing a three piece suit who brought work with him trying their guy.

When I sat through the one in Collin County where they excused me due to my VFD background, we were specifically told that all electronics were to be put away.