Will my experience be as interesting as Tara's???? - Update in first post... About This Page:

[WDWfan]

I have jury duty tomorrow. I have to catch a 7 am train to downtown Chicago. If it goes like it has the last 3 times I've gotten called, I'll sit in the jury room all day with a couple of hours for lunch and then catch a late afternoon train home. I've never even made it into a court room. We have a one day/one trial system here. If I don't get chosen tomorrow I'm done. If I do, I serve for one trial.

It would be just my luck to get chosen this time. I am taking my DS to college on Monday and work is crazy busy right now. It would not be a good time to be on a jury!

Wish me luck!
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Update 8/7 - I t definitely wasn't as exciting, although there were a few moments when I thought I'd end up on the jury and the trial was supposed to last all of next week! It was a civil trial. The plaintiff was suing the defendent for an injury he sustained while working on a construction site. He was a carpenter working on a project run by the defendent.

They brought about 50 jurors into the court room and read 12 names to sit in the jury box. I wasn't one of them. The judge started questioning jurors about info on the juror questionaire we all filled out and about their ability to be impartial and make decisions based on the law and not their personal beliefs. The first 6 jurors passed his scrutiny and them number 7 said he could NOT be impartial. He feels people sue too often and he works in situations where people ignore unsafe situations and then sue and he has to defend his actions. He was out of there! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/bye.gif[/img] And then who's name was called? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/whistling2.gif[/img] You guessed it - mine!

I took seat number 7 (the best seat in the juror's box by the way - on the end, in the back row, perfect view of the judge and any witnesses) and the judge started questioning me. He was trying to lighten up a very boring process. He asked a few questions of each of us that were pertinant to our individual situation and then asked us each about 15 questions that were identical. He started asking us what his next question would be after awhile since we had heard then all several times. He was fine with me and continued on.

He excused 2 more people because of biases and called up replacements. Once he had 12 jurors he was satisfied with he turned the questioning over to the lawyers. The plaintiff's lawyers kept trying to ask questions that told us too much about the case. The judge had to reprimand them several times. Since I work for a major insurance company they asked me a lot of questions about my work. There was another juror who also worked in the insurance industry and she and I do almost the same job! They seemed to really question people who had knowledge of medicine or insurance.

Then the defense lawyers started asking quesstions. They were mostly concerned with people who had ever worked on a construction site or had family who had. When they were done the lawyers and the judge left the courtroom to discuss the jurors. As they were leaving several jurors raised their hands to ask questions. They all wanted to explain why they couldn't serve due to personal time conflicts. The judge was having none of it. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/noway.gif[/img]

The first lady has a nephew she had legal custody of who was scheduled for surgery next Tuesday. He's six years old and the judge asked if it was out patient and could anyone else go with him? She explained that she was the only person available. He then asked if it could be postponed and she said it would be difficult to reschedule. He asked what wass the surgery? And she answered he was going to be circumsized [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] The questions continued and got more personal about why it had to be done. I felt sorry for the poor woman. He really grilled her.

Two other people also spoke up - one had airline tickets to fly to Boston next week on vacation and the 3rd had a medical test scheduled Monday for an elbow injury he had sustained last Saturday playing softball. Again, no sympathy! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/shameonyou.gif[/img] He was really nice, until people started with the excuses. I'm glad I didn't say anything about taking my son to college. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/whistling2.gif[/img]

We all got a 15 minute break and then everyone came back and they read 6 names who were excused, 2 names who were still being considered and 4 names who had been accepted for the jury. I was one who was excused.

I'm not sure why I was let go. They don't tell you. I figure it is either because I work for a major insurance company, used to be a life insurance underwriter and so have some medical knowledge, have had some experience with insurance claims, because I have 3 close family members who have had careers that included spending some time in road construction, or because when the judge aske dwhat my favorite TV program was I said "The West Wing" until it was cancelled (showing my obvious bleeding heart liberal bent). Maybe some combination of all of the above.

It would have been interesting to be on a jury. I found it fascinating just to watch and be a part of jury selection. You could already see the lawyers trying to position their case, even during jury selection. If I hadn't had personal conflicts I probably would have been disappointed by not being chosen.

In case you're interested. The other lady in the insurance business was let go as well, the lady with the trip (who was a nurse) was dismissed, as was the young man wth the elbow injury. They accepted the lady who's son was scheduled for surgery. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Hope that works out for her.

All of this took 2 and a half hours and they only had 4 jurors. It may have been a long day. Those of us who were excused received our checks for $17.30 and were told we could go home. It was just noon and my day was done. Even for the small part of the system I saw I thought it was interesting.