Effing jury duty

[Guest]

On 9/15/2021 at 9:36 PM, conVINCEd said:

Only criminal case I served on was an open and shut cap murder case 20 years ago.  Victim was a child.  I didn’t sleep well for a while.  No desire to serve on a murder jury ever again.

Did grand jury few years ago.  13 Thursdays in a row, averaging 10-12 cases per Thursday.  Had 1 that involved straight up abuse/ neglect of children in the home and another with some lady offering up her baby on the internet to sickos to come meet at a hotel and do their thing.  Yes, fucking really.

Heard all kinds of drug arrests, firearms charges, and miscellaneous horseshit.  Guess which 2 bothered me in a bad way.

The only positive out of the lady pawning off her baby is they offered her a plea deal if she'd help nail other shitbags.  Heard publicity on related arrests and convictions later on, well after our GJ was completed that helped ease the "Holy fuck we are bad people" moment.

[HRSchenker 2271]

Been registered to vote since 2007 and have never received a jury summons. One of my siblings gets a notice every year and never shows up. "I'm not required by law to open my mailbox. If they really want my ass to show up then send it certified."

[NeverMarryAStripper 21909]

No offense, but I hope your sibling gets falsely accused of a crime and he gets a jury made up of people too stupid to understand that cops can lie

[boilerhorn 1393]

On 9/17/2021 at 11:42 AM, Gene Parmesan said:

I was in voir dire on a drug case.  There were probably 30 of us and everyone was giving such stupid responses that I thought for sure I'll be chosen.  They ended up dismissing everyone and started over at square 1.  Not sure how common that is.  God help me if I need any help from a jury.

I had something similar happen.  I was #40-something and after the first 30 started giving stupid responses or claiming claimed they did not agree with drug laws, I was certain I would get selected.  After all were queried, the judge emptied the room. 

About 30 minutes later, we were all excused, as a plea agreement was reached.

The judge interrupted the 2nd (or so) guy who claimed he disagreed with drug laws.  The judge reminded everyone that the role as juror was to determine the guilt of the accused using the parameters of the existing laws only.  I think that encouraged even more folks to assert their anti-drug position.

Edited September 21, 2021 by boilerhorn

[HRSchenker 2271]

On 9/21/2021 at 12:18 AM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

No offense, but I hope your sibling gets falsely accused of a crime and he gets a jury made up of people too stupid to understand that cops can lie

None taken! The karma always comes around as much as I hate to say that about family

[Speedtrucker 2071]

In the EDTX criminal pool you need 30 minimum to seat a jury. The govt only gets 6 strikes to the defenses 10.

Every so often I’ve seen a defense attorney attempting to bust a pool. Both times the Judge shut it down and rehabbed enough potential jurors that we wouldn’t have to come back a few weeks later to redo it.

We always say the best way to get picked is to be in the first 30 and sit there silent. The best way off a jury is to be an engineer, lol I don’t like engineers! We have some prosecutors that don’t like teachers either but I don’t care about them usually.

[boilerhorn 1393]

10 hours ago, Speedtrucker said:

We always say the best way to get picked is to be in the first 30 and sit there silent. The best way off a jury is to be an engineer, lol I don’t like engineers! We have some prosecutors that don’t like teachers either but I don’t care about them usually.

I understand that one.

I was on a panel for an insurance issue.  During voir dire, the insurance company's lawyer asked something like, "Do you believe that if the plaintiff believes he is entitled to the entire award that he should get the entire award?"  I asked her to repeat it.  I said that there are multiple questions here.  First, if the plaintiff does not believe he is entitled to the award he is requesting, why is his attorney asking for said award?  Second, no one here knows enough about the case to answer that with any level of confidence.

I was stricken from the pool, of course.  However, the jury panel was a disaster.  Two people could barely put together a sentence.  IMO, settling out of court was a better path - for both sides.  Risk mitigation and all.

I am convinced that I would have been selected if I had just kept quiet.  

[horn4life 3768]

I just tell the truth if I am called.  I do say that I don't necessarily believe that the police are more honest than the average citizen.  I usually mention being assaulted by an off duty DPS officer.  Saw him put in handcuffs, and hauled away, only to be released around the corner...

Last jury I was nearly impaneled on was 30 years ago. I was lucky and had a higher number.  But I recognized one of the defendants... So I sat in to hear the beginning of the case.  The dude I recognized had slicked back hair and looked sort of rough... It was Jimmy Vaughn!  The Fabulous Thunderbirds were being sued by and old bandmate... Old bandmate lost as I read later.

[shadow_operative2.0 16006]

I played cards with the dad of the junior prosecutor once, that got me kicked pretty quick. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

If it’s civil, telling them you work for an insurance company gets you booted pretty quickly.

[Sandman 3403]

I got selected when I was 18 or 19, medical malpractice lawsuit. This lady claimed that she had been rendered sterile due to faulty care from this doctor. I got booted because both of my parents had or did work in the medical field. I've never been called again and I doubt I will, having worked in law enforcement and now working for the state.

I know it's changed now but I remember the jury duty pay in Oklahoma back then (1992) was $6 a day. I missed three days of work to "earn" $18. I used most of that to pay for parking. 

[ousux 5599]

I've only been selected for a jury of 12 once in my life (2 times wasted most of the day because I made the final 50 and had to sit through the attorney questioning) and it was the biggest waste of 4 days for everyone involved I could possibly imagine. Basically 2 20 something girls in a love triangle with the same deadbeat boyfriend...and they both stalked, harrassed and defaced each others property. But at the end of the day 4, nobody convicted of anything because each chose the greenest, just out law school attorneys they could find for cheap...and lets just say neither was near top of their class.

Some things are simply better left to be judged by Jerry Springer audiences.

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

On 10/16/2021 at 10:49 PM, Speedtrucker said:

 We always say the best way to get picked is to be in the first 30 and sit there silent. The best way off a jury is to be an engineer, lol I don’t like engineers! We have some prosecutors that don’t like teachers either but I don’t care about them usually.

It's ok.  I'm a teacher and I don't particularly care for them either.

[SquishMitten 10419]

“Semi-Intelligent” juror that says fuck it and goes against own opinion. That’s a new one

I don’t think you understand how getting a guilty verdict works

[Guest Lobo]

9 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

If it’s civil, telling them you work for an insurance company gets you booted pretty quickly.

Ned?  Ned Reyerson?!?

[ROFL BOX 6649]

South Florida... Broward County around 1990... '93 or so.

Criminal, accused got pulled over right as he was pulling into the apartment complex of a girl he was hooking up with.

Po-leece followed him something like 5 miles after leaving the nightclub @ closing time & THEN finally decided to two-block him.

Took around 45 minutes to get the guy over to the BAT-mobile (Blood Alcohol Testing) on the other end of the county. Remember, nearly 30 years ago, BAT devices were not portable & no personal or car operable video.

Dude stands there & asks the officer if he can take off his new boots for the recorded tests... "they are new, tight on my feet" & he balances perfectly on each separate foot to remove the boots, never sits down or stumbles. Aces the field sobriety. I don't recall what his % was.

Took us longer as a panel to order lunch than to decide his fate.

Innocent as charged. Dumb that the prosecution took the case that far.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

[Bill Clay 48]

About ten years ago my wife no pics served on a Travis county jury that awarded $25 million to Texas Disposal Systems in a civil case vs Waste Management. At the time it was the largest civil verdict in Travis county history, maybe still is. /csb

[freyguy 4279]

Only time I almost served on a jury, I was on a selection panel where a client was suing his former lawyer.  The defending lawyer really tried to play up the sleazeball attitude with a barrage of bad lawyer jokes.  He kept getting cut off by the judge "shut it down, this is the last time counsel."  Man, I was this close to being selected so we could sink this asshole.  After we took a lunch break, we came back and were told we could go home, because they settled out of court.

 

Oh well...

[Gil Bang 25980]

48 minutes ago, freyguy said:

Only time I almost served on a jury, I was on a selection panel where a client was suing his former lawyer.  The defending lawyer really tried to play up the sleazeball attitude with a barrage of bad lawyer jokes.  He kept getting cut off by the judge "shut it down, this is the last time counsel."  Man, I was this close to being selected so we could sink this asshole.  After we took a lunch break, we came back and were told we could go home, because they settled out of court.

 

Oh well...

 I fucking hate lawyers that tell lawyer jokes.   Have some self-respect, asshole. 

[Hank Scorpio 17729]

I use voir dire to work on my standup material. It’s mostly race humor, juries don’t seem to like it much but fuck them, the judge gave me an hour and I’m going to use it. 

[Jerry Callo 8706]

I got called up for jury duty in November.  Very little chance I get on a jury, but I like to go through the process from the potential juror side.

 

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

19 hours ago, Bill Clay said:

About ten years ago my wife no pics served on a Travis county jury that awarded $25 million to Texas Disposal Systems in a civil case vs Waste Management. At the time it was the largest civil verdict in Travis county history, maybe still is. /csb

The jury I sat on 3 years ago awarded something like 11 million against one person.  Dude was scamming Park Place Autos (DFW).  His scheme was amazingly dumb.  I don't recall the specifics, but it was something along the lines of buying a car as a sales manager, then reselling it for profit.  But, he wouldn't deliver the car title.  Then he'd shift funds from one bank to another to cover for older debts. 

I wish I could remember how he did it.  Suffice to say, it all caught up with him at the end ala a pyramid scheme.

[Jerry Callo 8706]

The jury I sat on 3 years ago awarded something like 11 million against one person.  Dude was scamming Park Place Autos (DFW).  His scheme was amazingly dumb.  I don't recall the specifics, but it was something along the lines of buying a car as a sales manager, then reselling it for profit.  But, he wouldn't deliver the car title.  Then he'd shift funds from one bank to another to cover for older debts. 
I wish I could remember how he did it.  Suffice to say, it all caught up with him at the end ala a pyramid scheme.

Aww . . . Jeez.

[Braff Zacklin 13628]

2 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

The jury I sat on 3 years ago awarded something like 11 million against one person.  Dude was scamming Park Place Autos (DFW).  His scheme was amazingly dumb.  I don't recall the specifics, but it was something along the lines of buying a car as a sales manager, then reselling it for profit.  But, he wouldn't deliver the car title.  Then he'd shift funds from one bank to another to cover for older debts. 

I wish I could remember how he did it.  Suffice to say, it all caught up with him at the end ala a pyramid scheme.

Was his last name Lundegaard?

[DalTxHornFan 3108]

2 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

The jury I sat on 3 years ago awarded something like 11 million against one person.  Dude was scamming Park Place Autos (DFW).  His scheme was amazingly dumb.  I don't recall the specifics, but it was something along the lines of buying a car as a sales manager, then reselling it for profit.  But, he wouldn't deliver the car title.  Then he'd shift funds from one bank to another to cover for older debts. 

I wish I could remember how he did it.  Suffice to say, it all caught up with him at the end ala a pyramid scheme.

He sounds like a really swell guy:

http://courtstuff.com/opinions/20200602/190032opinion.pdf

[Bill Clay 48]

8 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

The jury I sat on 3 years ago awarded something like 11 million against one person.  Dude was scamming Park Place Autos (DFW).  His scheme was amazingly dumb.  I don't recall the specifics, but it was something along the lines of buying a car as a sales manager, then reselling it for profit.  But, he wouldn't deliver the car title.  Then he'd shift funds from one bank to another to cover for older debts. 

I wish I could remember how he did it.  Suffice to say, it all caught up with him at the end ala a pyramid scheme.

Was the defendant's name Jeremy Wiggains? He was a childhood friend but I lost track of him 30 years ago. He owned a used car dealership in Dallas selling "high line" stuff. Rolls, Bentley, Ferrari, etc. He got busted and house raided by the FBI about 5 years ago. Something about selling the cars twice - once to Park Place and also to his actual customer. Not sure how he ever expected to get away with it. Cash probably was tight for a couple months and he found a "creative" way to stay afloat until it finally caught up to him.

Edit: just saw the other posts so different guy. But still:

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/park-place-motorcars-says-preston-hollow-man-business-partners-stole-dozens-of-luxury-cars-7127662

Edited October 20, 2021 by Bill Clay

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

6 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

He sounds like a really swell guy:

http://courtstuff.com/opinions/20200602/190032opinion.pdf

Thank you!  I've been looking for a recap or news article on the trial for at least a year.

Interesting.  As I'm reading through this, I don't recall any mention of all the b.s. he did leading up to the trial.  As far as I remember, he got fired around 2011 and the trial that I sat on didn't start until 2018.  I didn't know that he had delayed and played games in-between.

Edited October 21, 2021 by Knoxtnhorn

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

1 hour ago, Bill Clay said:

Was the defendant's name Jeremy Wiggains? He was a childhood friend but I lost track of him 30 years ago. He owned a used car dealership in Dallas selling "high line" stuff. Rolls, Bentley, Ferrari, etc. He got busted and house raided by the FBI about 5 years ago. Something about selling the cars twice - once to Park Place and also to his actual customer. Not sure how he ever expected to get away with it. Cash probably was tight for a couple months and he found a "creative" way to stay afloat until it finally caught up to him.

Edit: just saw the other posts so different guy. But still:

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/park-place-motorcars-says-preston-hollow-man-business-partners-stole-dozens-of-luxury-cars-7127662

Jeremy Wiggans was the trial I sat on.  I believe that Greg Duncan was a partner of his because his name rings a bell AND, in reading the synopsis, I actually got the two names confused.  I'm pretty sure they were in cahoots.

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

Yep.

Quote

Duncan worked for the Park Place parties—two car dealerships in the Dallas area—buying and selling cars. On August 1, 2013, the Park Place parties instituted this lawsuit. They alleged the Duncan defendants conspired with Jeremy Wiggins, Straight Line Automotive Group, LLC (Straight Line), and Crown Automotive –3– Group, LLC (Crown) to steal their money, car titles, and vehicles.

 

[DalTxHornFan 3108]

17 minutes ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

Thank you!  I've been looking for a recap or news article on the trial for at least a year.

Interesting.  As I'm reading through this, I don't recall any mention of all the b.s. he did leading up to the trial.  As far as I remember, he got fired around 2011 and the trial that I sat on didn't start until 2018.  I didn't know that he had delayed and played games in-between.

So the trial court did it's job to keep extraneous and potentially prejudicial information outside of the proceeding.  Nicely done.

[TwiceHorn 31509]

1 hour ago, Bill Clay said:

Was the defendant's name Jeremy Wiggains? He was a childhood friend but I lost track of him 30 years ago. He owned a used car dealership in Dallas selling "high line" stuff. Rolls, Bentley, Ferrari, etc. He got busted and house raided by the FBI about 5 years ago. Something about selling the cars twice - once to Park Place and also to his actual customer. Not sure how he ever expected to get away with it. Cash probably was tight for a couple months and he found a "creative" way to stay afloat until it finally caught up to him.

Edit: just saw the other posts so different guy. But still:

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/park-place-motorcars-says-preston-hollow-man-business-partners-stole-dozens-of-luxury-cars-7127662

For the record, yes, a different guy, but a co-conspirator.  Wiggains is the central dude.

Apparently, he was also a defendant in that Duncan suit at one time.

[Gil Bang 25980]

15 minutes ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

Jeremy Wiggans was the trial I sat on.  I believe that Greg Duncan was a partner of his because his name rings a bell AND, in reading the synopsis, I actually got the two names confused.  I'm pretty sure they were in cahoots.

cahoots?

 

 

[Bill Clay 48]

15 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

For the record, yes, a different guy, but a co-conspirator.  Wiggains is the central dude.

Apparently, he was also a defendant in that Duncan suit at one time.

There was a plot twist to this too that I'm not sure how it finally resolved, maybe one of our Surly lawyers can answer. Jeremy knew his goose was cooked. So he and his wife filed some kind of "partition" agreement and he filed for personal BK the very next day or something like that. I'm sure a plan to avoid creditors but can you do that?

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1780808.html

[C-Man 27235]

I'm assuming a "no-show" is not a good idea.  Anyone?

I’ve been called 6-7 times probably, all after moving to Dallas in 1998. I’ve never gone. I’ve either used exemption excuse (kids, whatever) but more than a few times, I’ve just simply not shown up.

I think one time I actually went through the effort of calling in daily over a 2- or 3-week period to see if they needed me to come in. Never did. Guess that counted as serving. If you just chucked it in the trash, nothing will happen to you.

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

 

I’ve been called 6-7 times probably, all after moving to Dallas in 1998. I’ve never gone. I’ve either used exemption excuse (kids, whatever) but more than a few times, I’ve just simply not shown up.

I think one time I actually went through the effort of calling in daily over a 2- or 3-week period to see if they needed me to come in. Never did. Guess that counted as serving. If you just chucked it in the trash, nothing will happen to you.

 

Yeah.  I sent a letter requesting a deferral, then called it a day.  I haven't received anything back as of yet.

[C-Man 27235]

18 minutes ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

Yeah.  I sent a letter requesting a deferral, then called it a day.  I haven't received anything back as of yet.

I wouldn't waste another minute on it honestly. My in-laws next door neighbor is a riot. He's been retired for years, alleges he's the inspiration for "Tommy Bahama" for the guy who created the clothing brand. Might be full of shit. Might not be full of shit. I love his response to jury summons. He says he files them away in his "file cabinet":

[NeverMarryAStripper 21909]

This thread is a perfect illustration of why our entire system is collapsing.  Our system of government/justice requires responsible participation by responsible citizens.  I'm willing to bet that everyone posting in this thread about getting out of jury duty, or how much of a waste of time it is, has complained about how fucked up our justice system is.  Guess what, you're part of the reason it's so fucked up. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by NeverMarryAStripper

[Jerry Callo 8706]

2 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

This thread is a perfect illustration of why our entire system is collapsing.  Our system of government/justice requires responsible participation by responsible citizens.  I'm willing to bet that everyone posting in this thread about getting out of jury duty, or how much of a waste of time it is, has complained about how fucked up our justice system is.  Guess what, you're part of the reason it's so fucked up. 

He's right you know.  Next time you get wrongfully accused of a crime you didn't commit, found guilty, and sentenced to death - you'll have nobody to blame but yourself.  Well, also the police that made up their minds early and focused all of their investigation on you with very little real evidence.  And the prosecutor that was focused only on getting a conviction and not the truth.  And maybe a few others - but mainly you.

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

I certainly hope this isn't directed at me.  I'm happy to serve.  I just couldn't do it on the day I was scheduled for possible selection.  And, shitty-ass Dallas County had no way to actually contact the court via phone or net.

[Guest]

18 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

This thread is a perfect illustration of why our entire system is collapsing.  Our system of government/justice requires responsible participation by responsible citizens.  I'm willing to bet that everyone posting in this thread about getting out of jury duty, or how much of a waste of time it is, has complained about how fucked up our justice system is.  Guess what, you're part of the reason it's so fucked up. 

Nah.  I was impartial and rendered my judgment as a juror.  Fucked up prosecutors, crooked cops, and over-litigious lawyers can go fuck themselves.

[EuroHorn 3265]

As a potential juror and during voir dire, I like to make motions to the judge that we adjourn for a quick break.  I find speaking like foghorn leghorn gives me a bit of credibility

[HRSchenker 2271]

On 9/19/2021 at 4:25 PM, HRSchenker said:

Been registered to vote since 2007 and have never received a jury summons. One of my siblings gets a notice every year and never shows up. "I'm not required by law to open my mailbox. If they really want my ass to show up then send it certified."

And there it is folks. Just got a summons for grand jury duty. Any idea what to expect? I've heard grand jury duty can last 3-4 months at a time. 

[Speedtrucker 2071]

And there it is folks. Just got a summons for grand jury duty. Any idea what to expect? I've heard grand jury duty can last 3-4 months at a time. 

Federal?

In the eastern district of TX the grand juries sit for 12 months but can be extended out to 18.

The selection process takes about a day and once the 23 are selected they get to watch training and are sworn in.

After that each month they meet for 1-2 days and listen to AUSA and agent presentations, ask questions and issue a true bill or no bill.

[HRSchenker 2271]

16 minutes ago, Speedtrucker said:

Federal?

In the eastern district of TX the grand juries sit for 12 months but can be extended out to 18.

The selection process takes about a day and once the 23 are selected they get to watch training and are sworn in.

After that each month they meet for 1-2 days and listen to AUSA and agent presentations, ask questions and issue a true bill or no bill.

County

[Texas Jeff 1945]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:17 AM, HRSchenker said:

And there it is folks. Just got a summons for grand jury duty. Any idea what to expect? I've heard grand jury duty can last 3-4 months at a time. 

I went through grand jury selection in January.

Everyone showed up in zoom and they checked attendance.  We all had a number assigned which was maybe 1-100 or so.  The judge asked us if anyone wanted to be excused and maybe 60 zoom hands were raised.  We went through all of that one by one and some people had legit excuses and some were hilarious.  One guy said he was a big cheese at the Texas Lottery and serving for a few hours a few times a week would jeopardize the Texas Lottery.  It was at that moment that I remembered Texas has a lottery.

Once all of the excused folks were gone, they took a short break, came back and announced the winners.  No questioning of the candidates other than "do you have a reason not to do this?"  Lots of winners from the early numbers and a few more scattered from later numbers -- this was probably done to "balance" the jury so that different groups had representation, but that's just a guess.

If you weren't picked (and I was not), the judge said thanks for your service and that was that.  It was three hours on zoom listening to some people with real hardships and some people that just wanted out.

[Hate 20121]

My wife got called for the 4th time since we have been together.  Meanwhile, I have been eligible in 7 different counties in my lifetime and never once called.

[Knoxtnhorn 6061]

14 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

 It was at that moment that I remembered Texas has a lottery.

LOL

14 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

Once all of the excused folks were gone, they took a short break, came back and announced the winners.  No questioning of the candidates other than "do you have a reason not to do this?

This part was weird when I served 4 years ago.  It was a pretty big civil trial (made the papers/news) re: a guy that had been scamming Park Place Motors to the tune of missing millions, missing car titles, even a missing person that may have been whacked by the mob.  Anyway.  One of the pre-selection questions asked about possible prior experience as an accountant.  We were asked if we had ever been an accountant, ran an office, handled money for a business, etc...  Those that raised their hands were dismissed.  I figured they'd look for folks that had some experience with this type of stuff.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21909]

Lawyers only want stupid, gullible people on a jury.  In other words your average American

[shadow_operative2.0 16006]

I wrote ‘I drink like a fish’ as the answer to a DWI questionnaire. Shockingly, wasn’t picked. 

[Gil Bang 25980]

7 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

LOL

This part was weird when I served 4 years ago.  It was a pretty big civil trial (made the papers/news) re: a guy that had been scamming Park Place Motors to the tune of missing millions, missing car titles, even a missing person that may have been whacked by the mob.  Anyway.  One of the pre-selection questions asked about possible prior experience as an accountant.  We were asked if we had ever been an accountant, ran an office, handled money for a business, etc...  Those that raised their hands were dismissed.  I figured they'd look for folks that had some experience with this type of stuff.