Jury Duty

[Jess Marie]

So, tomorrow I have Jury Duty for the first time in my life. Besides being extremely nervous, I am quite excited. It'll be nice to have the day off from work, regardless of how much money I lose.

I want to wear a corset because there is a shirt that I love love love and it looks amazing with a corset that I own, but I am scared of metal detectors picking up on it (which my girlfriend [who doesn't support me wearing one unless it makes for a good photo] says it probably will).

So anyway, I have decided that I will just rock some panties and pantyhose under my khakis and a little victory for myself. My mom says that I am over dressing and so does my SO as well as my step-dad and just about everyone I know.

My get-up is a pair of khakis, a (google pictures of Olu Deniz and refer to the darker water) blue button up shirt, with a skinny black tie. I just keep defending myself saying that if my dad taught me one thing, it is to dress to impress no matter where you are. So, anytime I am in public (except for when Jess is out of course), I am wearing pants and a button up long sleeve shirt.

P.S. does anyone know what I'll be doing all day? I hear a lot of different things.

[Barbara Ella]

Best not to push it. Dress comfortably. You will be doing a lot of sitting around. What you do depends on the court, and the cases that are up that day. You will sit in the general room until your number is called for a case. Then a lot of you will go into a courtroom, and sit while the judge and lawyers question each juror, and either accept them or dismiss them. If dismissed you will likely go back to the general room, or if late in the day, go home. Bring a book.

Barbara

[Eryn]

P.S. does anyone know what I'll be doing all day? I hear a lot of different things.

Depends upon where you live. Here in LA County we don't even go in unless a jury is going to be empaneled. We call every evening for a week and the machine tells us whether we are needed or not. If we get lucky, we never even go in.

If we do go in we sit in a big jury assembly room until they need to empanel a jury, then they call a bunch of names and you go sit in a courtroom while the lawyers ask questions of the prospective jurors trying to figure out which ones they can most easily sway. Once they select 14 the leftovers go back to the jury assembly room. If we manage to get through a day without being put on a jury we're done. If we're on a jury or in the middle of an empanelment we have to keep coming back until a lawyer bumps us off or the trial ends.

The problem with our county is that there is a fair amount of crime, a lot of lawyers, but not many people who qualify for jury service. We're not supposed to be called more often than once a year, but they really push that one sometimes.

Do take a good book. You'll need it.

[Evie08]

First of all - get there early. As you mentioned, there are metal detectors, and there can be a line up in the morning to just get in the building. There will be a central jury waiting room where you will check in with the jury administrator. Then comes orientation. Some have the jury administrator staff do it, some will show a video. Then comes the waiting. Depending on the type of pending cases, you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire that will be reviewed by attorneys. Should you be called to a trial - you will be part of a pool of potential jurors. The judge will introduce the parties in the case which may be civil tort or criminal. Then begins the voir dire (to speak the truth) process. The judge will first give some general questions. I you would answer in the affirmative, they will record your juror number and may come back for additional questions later. Then the attorneys for each side will begin with specific questions to the first 12 jurors in box. Each side usually gets several peremptory challenges where they can request to have a potential juror excused for no reason. If during questioning, an attorney feels that the juror will not carry out the instructions of law provided by the court - those jurors can be challenged for cause. Once both side accept 12 jurors and perhaps a couple alternates the trial can begin.

Both sides will have opening statements which will outline what evidence they expect to produce in the trial. Each side will have the opportunity to bring witnesses and provide exhibits. At the conclusion of the trial, each side will give closing statements, reviewing what they believe the evidence has shown. The judge will then give you your jury instruction - how to apply the law to this case. Off to the jury room to deliberate.

This is a very simplified overview. A simple trial could be over in a day or two. A complex trial could go on for weeks or months. Or you could be left in the jury waiting room and never get called during your jury service.

I hope it will be a rewarding experience.

[Krista1985]

When I did it I was bored to tears. Though my employer was required by my state's OSHA guidelines to pay me my normal wage for the day :-)

[rhonda]

Seems that jury advise is easy to get here just be comfortable good luck

[RileyEvans]

When I had it they did a roll call then called the names of the people that were to be on the jury then they dismissed the rest of us. I was there for prolly 2 hrs at the most then I had the rest of the day to do what I wanted. I also had to call at the first of each week to see if I was needed.

[Gina X]

Seems like Jury Duty is the same in the UK, it was exactly like you guys describe when I did it here in Wales, ce la vie LOL

[Brenda79135]

It also depends on the type of jury they are selecting. I have done both the regular trial jury and Grand Jury duty. The regular trial duty is pretty much what is explained above. The grand jury duty was completely different. We met every Tuesday for the whole day. The DA would bring in evidence and witnesses. We then would deliberate to see if there was enough to go to trial.

[NicoleScott]

Someone hugged me (in guy mode) once and felt the metal stays in my waist cincher and asked if i was wearing a girdle. I said yes, it's a woman's waist cincher which I wear for back support, which is true. I don't underdress (for crossdressing purposes).
It's important how you present yourself for jury duty. It's nobody's business what you wear under your clothes.

[Momarie]

Bring a book.
You'll spend the day waiting.

I know everyone tries to avoid it but I found it fascinating.
It's important, patriotic and you realize historically what makes America so great within those dignified walls of justice.

[max]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification

[Ressie]

Don't dress too nice unless you don't mind people thinking you're a lawyer. If metal detector goes off, an officer will wave his wand over you until your corset is found. Could be embarrassing.

[Stephanie47]

If you're really lucky, you'll get on a nice high profile case and get sequestered in a hotel room for days and maybe weeks!

[Barbra P]

It varies from state to state and even from one jurisdiction to another within some states. Here in San Diego it is similar to Los Angeles, see Eryn’s post above, but we no longer have to call in each evening for a week. We are told what day to report, although we have the option of coming in prior to that date or after that date for a number of days each way. My Doctor excused me from jury duty this year and in the future so I didn’t have to go in this month.

In the past I have been called a number of times and selected several times for empanelment but I have always been excused for cause by either the prosecution or the defense, and even once by the Judge.

As others have pointed out, take a book because you will in all likelihood have a lot of time on your hands. I’ve seen the video they show often enough that I can almost recite it. Here there is a TV in the main jury room but when I was there what was on was not of much interest, once it was C-SPAN and nothing was happening in the Congressional chambers that day, just people milling around. I think someone from the Jury Commissioners’ Office selects the most boring thing they can find.

[Beverley Sims]

I agree with the masses here, don't push the limits and you may not even need the tie.

[Jess Marie]

So, the person in questioned plead at around 10am, so we had only been there an hour. It was a great experience and I cannot wait to do it again. I was by far the best dressed, but whatever. I loved it. Heck, we got out at 10 so I shot 2 miles down the road to the mall and walked around all dressed up fancy. It doesn't matter if I'm in male mode or Jess mode, being dressed up more than the usual folk is an awesome feeling (obviously 2 different feelings, but still awesome!).

[Lady Slipper]

Well good luck, and make the most of it Jess! I was selected when I was unemployed. I thought "great, perfect timing, plenty of free time, bored, etc." Filled out the questionnaire, never heard back from the court.

[sterling12]

I get called about once every two years. Usually, we spend Monday Morning sitting and waiting to see if they will need to impanel a jury for an upcoming trial during the week. Once you have taken a further step, been selected for a "pool" for an impending trial, and if not chosen, your done for the week.

It's a civic obligation! The Law says a citizen has The Right to a Trial of his Peers! Since you qualify as a Peer, then that person has The Right to expect you to be a jurist. Just as you would expect it of him or her, if you were being tried.

Dress normally, but not like a bum! I have seen people who deliberately dressed like they were trying to get out of Jury Duty, reap some dire consequences. If you "Insult The Dignity of The Court," you just might be in contempt. Trust me, you don't want that to happen. Usually, with your Jury Summons Paperwork, they give you some dressing advice about your appearance on Monday Morning, and thereafter.

Odds are good you won't be chosen. But, treat this as a "Life Experience," and learn why it's important for people to participate in a Just and Legal System. If you have the right attitude, it might just be an enjoyable experience.

Peace and Love, Joanie

[Carrie R]

I haven't been on jury duty in about 5 years, can a person take an iPad or a Kindle there? Must it be a book?

[Nicola2876]

I'm currently on jury duty but not seen the inside of a court yet after 2 days! Took my kindle and finished early today so spent this afternoon dressed posing for photos so not all bad!