Jury Duty

[Mark_Henderson]

Have many of you had to do this often? I served on a jury in Boston a few years ago - case where a Vietnamese woman, who didn't speak English and lived in Dorchester was suing Commerce Insurance Co. (don't ever use them) because they refused to pay her when her car was stolen and were insinuating that she stole it herself.

I've recently moved back to Boston after working for a couple years in NJ and now I have another jury duty summons. I thought that this would likely be another B.S. small time thing, but now that I called them and looked at the summons more closely, this is actually U.S. federal court in Boston. What pisses me off is that I haven't even changed the address on my driver's license yet - they apparently tagged me because I registered to vote a few weeks ago. Maybe I'm not being a good citizen, but I'm going to try to get out of this with a doctor's note.

I think I posted something about this the last time I did jury duty and RoadGrader seemed to have knowledge about it (think his work was possibly related to the state courts). Do many people get summoned multiple times, or am I just lucky?

 

[PatsFanLisa]

So state jury duty you don't have to do more than once every three years.

Federal is completely different. I feel badly for you because federal trials can go for quite awhile. I used to work in Boston fed. ct., and my trials could run as lengthy as 3-4 months. You may not get called, so don't get worked up yet. But hopefully you have a hardship excuse.

Also, take a good look at the summons. Is it for jury duty or grand jury duty? Grand jury is a whole different ballgame.

 

[Mark_Henderson]

So state jury duty you don't have to do more than once every three years.

Federal is completely different. I feel badly for you because federal trials can go for quite awhile. I used to work in Boston fed. ct., and my trials could run as lengthy as 3-4 months. You may not get called, so don't get worked up yet. But hopefully you have a hardship excuse.

Also, take a good look at the summons. Is it for jury duty or grand jury duty? Grand jury is a whole different ballgame.

The summons specifically says that "the court summons you to appear for jury duty" - Moakley courthouse. I've had some medical issues and the doctor's nice, going to try to go that route.

 

[Undertaker #59*]

I've never been called and I am not sure how I feel about it.

 

[PatsFanLisa]

I've never been called and I am not sure how I feel about it.

It's so random. I've only been called once. I know people that have been called every three or five years like clockwork.

---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:50 PM ----------

The summons specifically says that "the court summons you to appear for jury duty" - Moakley courthouse. I've had some medical issues and the doctor's nice, going to try to go that route.

Make sure you get a letter from your doctor. I will say, though, fed ct has some pretty interesting cases.

 

[PatsFan09]

I'm in my late 30s and I've been called four times, but only served once (last year). It was a fascinating case; a man was accused of sexually molesting his girlfriends four year old. Turns out that the girlfriend and her daughter made it up four years later.

 

[patswin]

I served when I lived in NH. I've been called 4 or 5 times in MA but every time I was excused.

 

[Mark_Henderson]

Make sure you get a letter from your doctor. I will say, though, fed ct has some pretty interesting cases.

My Mass. case was interesting, but it only lasted a day and 1/2. The Fed case may be more interesting, but not what I want to spend time on now. Does Whitey Bulger have any appeals pending?

 

[PatsFanLisa]

My Mass. case was interesting, but it only lasted a day and 1/2. The Fed case may be more interesting, but not what I want to spend time on now. Does Whitey Bulger have any appeals pending?

His girlfriend might.

I know an upcoming case there is the Fanduel/DraftKings case, and I think that would be fascinating. Lengthy, though. I'm not up on what cases are on deck, but I could find out. When are you scheduled?

 

[Patriots44]

I'm in my late 30s and I've been called four times, but only served once (last year). It was a fascinating case; a man was accused of sexually molesting his girlfriends four year old. Turns out that the girlfriend and her daughter made it up four years later.

Was the guy convicted then released later when it came out that they made it up?

 

[bideau]

Knock on wood.....

The one and only time I was called was in 1984.
My wife had a period of time when she got called 3 times in 10 years.

 

[tehmackdaddy]

I've been summoned once, but didn't get selected.

I *think* in large areas like Boston that the courthouse workers are inclined to send summons to people who have actually replied to do their civic duty instead of trying to chase down those who don't reply and don't show up. At least that makes sense to me, but I have no actual evidence to back that up other than anecdotal.

 

[tehmackdaddy]

I'm in my late 30s and I've been called four times, but only served once (last year). It was a fascinating case; a man was accused of sexually molesting his girlfriends four year old. Turns out that the girlfriend and her daughter made it up four years later.

Need more info. Did the accuser break down on the witness stand? Was the guy falsely convicted and then later exonerated? How did you find out? popcorn

 

[Joolz]

Knock on wood.....

The one and only time I was called was in 1984.
My wife had a period of time when she got called 3 times in 10 years.

Did you get stuck for an entire month? That was back before the one day or one trial system. I served for an entire month in '87 (I believe). I was chosen from the pool of jurors for three trials, trespassing; rape of a child; and murder.

 

[Mark_Henderson]

I've been summoned once, but didn't get selected.

I *think* in large areas like Boston that the courthouse workers are inclined to send summons to people who have actually replied to do their civic duty instead of trying to chase down those who don't reply and don't show up. At least that makes sense to me, but I have no actual evidence to back that up other than anecdotal.

I think there may just be more trials per capita in the city of Boston than in more suburban/rural districts. There was one woman on the last jury I was on who said that she'd blown off serving a couple times, but that if she didn't show up this time, she was going to be in trouble. The summons says that it's a $2,000 fine (in Mass, my federal summons says $1,000) if you don't show up for your service and I don't think you're even buying your way out of jury service for the fine, they can still summons you.

If I get desperate, I guess there's the Larry David approach:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IlnwluRoSLc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[bideau]

Did you get stuck for an entire month? That was back before the one day or one trial system. I served for an entire month in '87 (I believe). I was chosen from the pool of jurors for three trials, trespassing; rape of a child; and murder.

I was fortunate, it was a quiet day and I was sent home after lunch.

My wife has never been on a jury despite going 5 times. She knows too many judges, people in the DA's office and just about every one in the parole system (her counseling agency does a lot of business through the courts).

 

[RoadGrader]

I think I posted something about this the last time I did jury duty and RoadGrader seemed to have knowledge about it (think his work was possibly related to the state courts). Do many people get summoned multiple times, or am I just lucky?

you have a great memory MH!!!

I did post that I received a Jury Duty Summons from US Federal Court Boston (when it was @ Post Office Sq.)

I got *out of serving* as I cited the following 3 "hardship causes"

1.) I was self-employed (owned Sales/Marketing Co.)

2.) I lived in Metro-West Boston (495 belt) and travel into city would be difficult over a protracted period

3.) I D/L a great deal of pR0n (+18 M/F only) which I would have difficulty curtailing doing during the more-than-likely weeks-long prolonged boring Federal Court service hours needed to complete my summons

I received a hasty "NO need to report" letter which to this day I still can't process why

 

[BostonTim]

It's so random.

Random indeed. I was doing a pre-trial at the old PO Square courthouse one day when they were short a couple of people for a jury being seated. Marshalls went out on the street and dragged in a half dozen unsuspecting pedestrians. hardly gets more random than that. I was told by a long time court officer that that's a power that they've had for a long time but it was just the 2nd time he'd seen it in 30 years. I didn't do a lot of Federal trial work. But I loved it. The operation is slick and utterly professional. Federal prosecutors in general are smart and tenacious and fundamentally fair. The Federal clerks are scarily bright and hardworking. The thing with Federal work is you better be prepared. You better know the Law. You better not resort to bullshit or hocus-pocus. Not gonna work. Next to Federal work, the Mass State Courts are a clown show.

Cheers

 

[Mark_Henderson]

you have a great memory MH!!!

3.) I D/L a great deal of pR0n (+18 M/F only) which I would have difficulty curtailing doing during the more-than-likely weeks-long prolonged boring Federal Court service hours needed to complete my summons

Good to see you and I think I've got bingo!!

 

[Dwight Schrute]

It's real easy getting locales changed.

For some reason my initial one comes up Brockton every summons. I send it back requesting venue change. Sure enough a second notice to Plymouth almost every time.

Last time at Plymouth the case turned out to be 3rd offense sex with a minor. I was ready to kill the guy from my seat. Go thru the whole background bs and then the ask the jurors successive questions that you have conflicts with and you sit there like an ass with your hand in the air while they bring jurors up one at a time to address.

When I get up there they say "So you have a problem with this case?" The judge, DA, and defense attorney with the baliff or court officer next to me.
I say " Yes your honor. I think this man should have been executed after the first offense and here we are shockingly on case number 3."

The defense attorney gasped liked I kicked her in the hoo hah. The DA was emotionless. The judge said "That's not really for you to decide." I said "I'm just laying it out there your honor. My thoughts on people with this history. This is still America and people have a voice."

The defense attorney looked at me like I had poo on my shoe and said "We're done with him."

The court officer walked me out and said this court was Sex Crime HQ now. Tons of cases rolling thru there like that one. Said he respected hearing me speak my mind like that.

No long stint with some liberal minded lets rehabilitate the world asshats for the Schrute. I would donate time to help frame gallows on the town green though.