What's it like? I've never done it before even though this is my third summons. For my first I was out of country and in the military so for obvious reasons I couldn't do it, and for the second one I managed to get myself excused.

For the third I decided I'm comfortable where I'm at right now, and I'm actually quite curious about the whole process, so I decided I will be doing so this time. My reporting date is about a week-and-a-half away still yet I'm already a bit excited about it. Sure, I don't expect anything quite as dramatic or glamorous as seen on TV shows or movies, but I might get to know a few things I didn't know before.

I'm kind of undecided how I feel if they'd pick me for a grand jury. Regular jury duty lasts only a maximum of two days but a grand jury will take up to around a month. I'd have to use a bit of my savings - sure I'd get compensated enough to at least cover my rent, but it still ain't much - but it'd also get me a much needed and lawfully required break from work. That said, the kind of cases that require a grand jury are very likely to be a lot more interesting than the super short ones, not to mention being more important.

Anyway, got any thoughts? I'm all ears!

Well,in Australia the money is below living standard and the food is McDonalds...

Go buy/rent/watch the film 12 Angry Men.

Be the bigger person. =D

Seriously they scan you. Pat you down and they give a light prep as to what to expect. Answer whatever questions you have about the process and if they don't do these things then make certain you mouth off and point out how stupidly useless they are for failing the justice process, even in the lowest possible level. Cheers! ^_^

I have never had to set Jury Duty but I have had to show up for selection 3 times. It can be a long and slow process to select a jury, sometimes spanning several days before the lawyers on both sides are satisfied with the selection of jury persons. I had to sit for selection a day and a half for one before I was told selection was over and to go home.

GJ is like a pretrial of the evidence to see if there is enough reason to go forward with a jury trial. Both kinds can last long or short depending on the subject matter at hand and what evidence there is to present from both sides.

I wouldn't try this and I think I was really lucky I didn't wind up in jail but the one time I was called I showed up drunk so they sent me home.

You're supposed to get drunk AFTER you show up. Didn't you read the memo?

I'm laughing now but it was really stupid and embarrassing. The really fucked up thing is that it was 15 years ago when I was a full blown drunk so I was always wasted and I had just gotten used to being able to cover it up. It never occurred to me when I walked into the Courts Building the security was going to be trained to pick up on stuff like that. One of them pulled me aside and gave me that 'shame on you' stare and told me to go home.

I can't emphasize enough how shitty I feel about it, and it's one of many reason I am devoutly sober now. :D

I had my first Jury Duty experience last year about this time, it wasn't as bad as you might imagine, but it wasn't fun either.

Basically I showed up and signed in, when you sign in (and during your orientation) you're told that if your name isn't called at the end of the day then you're free to go home, your jury duty obligation has been fulfilled. So basically you just sit there for X amount of hours until either your name is called or until the end of the day.

I sat in the building for about seven hours with nothing to do except watch TERRIBLE TV shows (since I don't own a smartphone and nearly everything else was prohibited) and nobody was allowed to change the channel. Bored out of my mind with about thirty minutes left until the day was over they called my name. I was not amused.

Those of us called went over to the courthouse and met the judge and got a mini orientation there and was told that if our group had been called an hour earlier they could've already started selecting jurors but since it was late in the day that that would take place the next morning. Awesome (not). The next morning comes, after about two hours of them going through jurors I was sent home, my jury obligation fulfilled.

A month later I got a check for $17. That $17 was not worth sitting in a stuffy room for seven hours with nothing to do.

Don't get your hopes up about having fun or covering an exciting trial, you could have the same experiences I did.

I recently served on a jury. It was a unique experience and I'm happy I took part in it. Most of the people there were sent home, but, I was first called and never dismissed. It is a little like the movies I suppose, though of course much more real and serious when you realize you could change the course of someones life forever. The jury deliberation was interesting, and you got to hear different peoples viewpoints and debate with them the merits of the case and the meaning of the law. The judge was very helpful in telling us in detail about what the law was and meant, about reasonable doubt and intent.

It was a rewarding experience for me and I'm happy I got to serve a minor role in what makes our nation what it is. I know not every jury duty is as nice but I for one am honored I participated. Make sure you get plenty of rest and remember the trial is a big part of what has made our country and its people stay relatively free, and without jurors that would not be possible. Best of luck, and take notes if you serve! (it helps)

Yup, its basically sitting in a room waiting for your name to be called. Although I had never been selected, talking to others, even if you get selected there is a good chance the lawyers get together and plea bargain the case before it begins. The closest I came, was being held a bit longer. Apparently there was one trial waiting to be seated and I was on a list of alternates in case they excuse too many in the room.

But I did hear some good stories from friends who had their names called. Like one guy who for a trial about cops finding things in someone's car. Asked if he was impartial or some such responded with "All cops are liars..." and then went on about how they lied in some case involving him. Needless to say he was excused...

Then again, I was under no illusion I'd be selected. I was warned that people who work in scientific fields seem to get excused out-of-hand. That lawyers do not want thoughtful intelligent people on a jury but rather people who can be led to a particular conclusion.

Don't act too obviously like you want to get rejected, you can end up with contempt charges.

That being said jury duty isn't really bad unless you've got some serious schedualiing conflicts.

I've never served on jury duty but I would see it as an opportunity. If the defendant is being charged with a victimless crime, it would be an opportunity to exercise jury nullification. If I was on a jury and someone was caught with some marijuana, I would just say "not guilty" to the possession charge. Same would go for someone who got into a fight that he/she didn't start.

My advice is to see it as an opportunity to make a positive difference.

If you're ever summoned for jury duty and you want to get out of it, follow George Carlin's advice. Tell them you'd make a perfect juror, because you can spot guilty people *snaps fingers* just like that!

I see. Guess I'll take a book to read with me. That ought to keep me from being bored.

I'll keep that in mind. ;)

My experience with jury duty is about the same as everyone else, a long boring day where nothing happened. I went in to the court house early that morning and waited about 40 minutes when my name was called. I fiiled out a questionare that asked questions like "what TV shows do you watch" , "what books/magazines do you read" and "this trial involves sex assult on a child, do you have any issues with this" I answered all questiones honestly and about an hour later I was in the judges chambers meeting privatley about my answer to the sex assault question. They asked if I could be impartial and listen only to the facts, after that I was sent back with the other potential jurors. Out of about 50-60 people there were at least 2 dozen that also got called into private meetings with the judge and lawyers. At the end of the day the judge asked if anyone had a legitmate reason for being excused. I raised my hand and told the judge that my wife was extremly pregnant with a due date the following week. I'd hate to miss the birth of my first child because I was stuck in jury duty. The judge said that the lawyers didn't want me anyway, so I was dismissed. I guess they decided not to have me on the jury after my interview, but waited 7 hours to tell me. This all happened almost 10 years ago and I have not been called back since.