Summons to appear...at 8:15 AM...explanation of available free parking...if selected plan on staying Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for trial.
Work this week really is prepared fro me to be off for three days. But in light of the importance of the serving my country--in a much safer way than joining the military--I will go. But I am secretly hopnig to be dismissed. Maybe this is the my best strategy:
Showing posts with label jury duty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jury duty. Show all posts
Monday, August 26, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Not Again?!
Friday afternoon I came home and checked the mail. In the pile of catalogs, dental ads, and pizza coupons, was an official looking letter addressed to me. Once I opened it, I was both disappointed and more than a little anxious. It was notice that I have been "randomly selected as a prospective juror". Really??!! Seems like I just did this not that long ago. Genius golfer haven't EVER had a jury duty notice.
Argh!
At least this is just for our county courts. When I was seated in a jury, it was for the federal system and it was awful. This will at least be more local, but still--a hassle!
My window of selection will be July 1 through September 30. So, here's hoping that I don't need to serve.
But my luck isn't that good. You know that.
Argh!
At least this is just for our county courts. When I was seated in a jury, it was for the federal system and it was awful. This will at least be more local, but still--a hassle!
My window of selection will be July 1 through September 30. So, here's hoping that I don't need to serve.
But my luck isn't that good. You know that.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Courtroom Antics
It has taken few days but I think I am digesting my jury experience a little bit and can tell you that, over all, I am happy I did that, but the happiness with the experience is about 51%.
It is frustrating to me that the "system" is so slow moving.
This accident we heard about happened in 2005. The family had settled out of court with the company that was responsible for unloading these massive pipes. Of course, we don't have any detail of that settlement. So now, they were coming after the pipe manufacturer who also loaded these pipes on the truck.
It felt like they were grasping at straws as the week progressed.
It is frustrating that attorneys come in all levels of competence. You'd hope if they made it through law school, they's be good. But alas, attorneys are not all alike in skill or finesse.
It felt like this family was being represented by Larry, Curly, and Mo; Attorneys at Law. Except it was only two brothers--maybe it mas more Laurel and Hardy. I don't know for sure. But for your entertainment, as well as my sanity at the time, I jotted things in my jury notebook as these two brothers were presenting or questioning.
Here are comments I made in the juror's notebook to myself, for mental entertainment purposes--and to keep from screaming at them in reality:
"Mr. H. (the plaintiff's attorney) can't get his name correct & is getting really knit picky. He is badgering him. He's driving me nuts!!"
"Mr. H. uses 'fair and square' phrase as if it were a question of agreement; ARGH!"
"Is Mr. H. questioning a witness or just doing a live deposition reading for us? Maybe I should have brought my bongos."
"Again?! He can't get the name of witness correct. Pay attention, man!"
"Did he just use the phrase 'pray tell'? Holy Cow!"
"Blah, blah, blah--more badgering...more deposition reading..."
"'Fair and square' one more time and I think I might scream!"
"////" (hash marks counting the use of the phrase)
"More deposition quoting...blah, blah, blah...."
I suppose that there is a element of humor in the courtroom. There certainly is an element of theatrics and drama. And I don't mean just on shows like Law and Order.
It is frustrating to me that the "system" is so slow moving.
This accident we heard about happened in 2005. The family had settled out of court with the company that was responsible for unloading these massive pipes. Of course, we don't have any detail of that settlement. So now, they were coming after the pipe manufacturer who also loaded these pipes on the truck.
It felt like they were grasping at straws as the week progressed.
It is frustrating that attorneys come in all levels of competence. You'd hope if they made it through law school, they's be good. But alas, attorneys are not all alike in skill or finesse.
It felt like this family was being represented by Larry, Curly, and Mo; Attorneys at Law. Except it was only two brothers--maybe it mas more Laurel and Hardy. I don't know for sure. But for your entertainment, as well as my sanity at the time, I jotted things in my jury notebook as these two brothers were presenting or questioning.
Here are comments I made in the juror's notebook to myself, for mental entertainment purposes--and to keep from screaming at them in reality:
"Mr. H. (the plaintiff's attorney) can't get his name correct & is getting really knit picky. He is badgering him. He's driving me nuts!!"
"Mr. H. uses 'fair and square' phrase as if it were a question of agreement; ARGH!"
"Is Mr. H. questioning a witness or just doing a live deposition reading for us? Maybe I should have brought my bongos."
"Again?! He can't get the name of witness correct. Pay attention, man!"
"Did he just use the phrase 'pray tell'? Holy Cow!"
"Blah, blah, blah--more badgering...more deposition reading..."
"'Fair and square' one more time and I think I might scream!"
"////" (hash marks counting the use of the phrase)
"More deposition quoting...blah, blah, blah...."
I suppose that there is a element of humor in the courtroom. There certainly is an element of theatrics and drama. And I don't mean just on shows like Law and Order.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Has the Jury Reached a Verdict?
Yes, Your Honor, we have.
We finished hearing testimony about 2PM yesterday and then the attorneys had closing arguments. We were given our instructions and we went into deliberations. We deliberated until about 8 PM. Then we were escorted back into the courtroom where our verdict was delivered. I got out of there about 8:30 PM.
I am tired. My brain hasn't had to absorb information like this since I was in college. And the stress of this kind of decision is pretty massive too. Add to that the debate that occurred in the jury room while the 10 of us who were convinced the company had no negligence tried to convince the other two hold outs. The decision had to be unanimous.
We were to decide if a company who makes high density poly ethelene plastic pipe (HDPE plastic pipe, we have learned) and loaded four pieces on a truck was negligent enough to cause the death of the driver in the unloading process.
We listened to experts witnesses in the plastic pipe industry. We heard testimony of the loaders and the unloaders. We heard the safety procedures of the company.
In the end, the driver was killed when the isolating strap was released prematurely during the unloading of this massive pipe. He did that himself. He was simply in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time. A 4500 pound piece of pipe fell from 8 feet off the ground onto him in the blink of an eye.
It is quite a responsibility to determine the answer to that question. You know going in to this that the family of this driver is filing the suit. You know that they are looking for a payment that would provide for them--his wife, his three children, his mother. This may be their best chance for a comfortable life.
On the other hand, you know the company is just going about their business and has some way to go in their safety procedures, yet the load made it there safely. The unloaders told the driver to safe out of the way. It is not his job to unload--only to deliver. The loaders did their best even if it was the last load on a Friday afternoon.
I haven't been this sick to my stomach that many days in a row for a long, long time. I was so very tempted to go back on the Diet Coke, as it was provided to us all day long, all week long as much as we'd like. But I am still soda-free, I am happy to report, but it wasn't easy.
I'm happy to see the process from the inside. I am not anxious to do it again for a long while. I'm still deciding if it was an overall positive experience. Maybe I'll be able to tell better when my four-day-long headache goes away and my sleep gets caught up. I'll keep you posted.
We finished hearing testimony about 2PM yesterday and then the attorneys had closing arguments. We were given our instructions and we went into deliberations. We deliberated until about 8 PM. Then we were escorted back into the courtroom where our verdict was delivered. I got out of there about 8:30 PM.
I am tired. My brain hasn't had to absorb information like this since I was in college. And the stress of this kind of decision is pretty massive too. Add to that the debate that occurred in the jury room while the 10 of us who were convinced the company had no negligence tried to convince the other two hold outs. The decision had to be unanimous.
We were to decide if a company who makes high density poly ethelene plastic pipe (HDPE plastic pipe, we have learned) and loaded four pieces on a truck was negligent enough to cause the death of the driver in the unloading process.
We listened to experts witnesses in the plastic pipe industry. We heard testimony of the loaders and the unloaders. We heard the safety procedures of the company.
In the end, the driver was killed when the isolating strap was released prematurely during the unloading of this massive pipe. He did that himself. He was simply in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time. A 4500 pound piece of pipe fell from 8 feet off the ground onto him in the blink of an eye.
It is quite a responsibility to determine the answer to that question. You know going in to this that the family of this driver is filing the suit. You know that they are looking for a payment that would provide for them--his wife, his three children, his mother. This may be their best chance for a comfortable life.
On the other hand, you know the company is just going about their business and has some way to go in their safety procedures, yet the load made it there safely. The unloaders told the driver to safe out of the way. It is not his job to unload--only to deliver. The loaders did their best even if it was the last load on a Friday afternoon.
I haven't been this sick to my stomach that many days in a row for a long, long time. I was so very tempted to go back on the Diet Coke, as it was provided to us all day long, all week long as much as we'd like. But I am still soda-free, I am happy to report, but it wasn't easy.
I'm happy to see the process from the inside. I am not anxious to do it again for a long while. I'm still deciding if it was an overall positive experience. Maybe I'll be able to tell better when my four-day-long headache goes away and my sleep gets caught up. I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Taking a Break
As a member of this jury for the next week or so, I am forbidden from talking about the case with anyone...so I have absolved myself form writing for a bit lest I accidentally write something, even jokingly, that could be misconstrued for a lapse in my duty.
Don't worry...you WILL hear about this experience when I am done. Wish me luck!
Don't worry...you WILL hear about this experience when I am done. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
UPDATE
Jury selection is over and, guess what, I won!? I was selected and seated and opening arguments were heard today.
We were told to plan on 7 days worth of trial. I'm in it to the end, like it or not.
So many people are already being inconvenienced by this--carpool change ups, Dear Friend Tammy's schedule and those who help her, School Community Council, PTA meetings. Not to mention my kids and Genius Golfer.
Oh, and I am not allowed to talk about the trial in anyway, with anyone. I think my head might just explode before this is over. Excedrin (and Imodium) will be my new best friends.
YIKES!
We were told to plan on 7 days worth of trial. I'm in it to the end, like it or not.
So many people are already being inconvenienced by this--carpool change ups, Dear Friend Tammy's schedule and those who help her, School Community Council, PTA meetings. Not to mention my kids and Genius Golfer.
Oh, and I am not allowed to talk about the trial in anyway, with anyone. I think my head might just explode before this is over. Excedrin (and Imodium) will be my new best friends.
YIKES!
Again?!
I'm off again for jury selection this morning. Last year I was asked to be ready, but then the case was settled or cancelled. This time I am to appear.
This is for the US District court too. That makes me nervous. It is a case involving child abuse I think I would suggest hanging the perp by the genitals in a public place until dead.
That may sound too rednecked to a defense attorney.
Maybe that is the trick. Red-neckedness may save me from some crazy sequestered week in Salt Lake.
I can only hope. I've got too much to do this week. Wish me luck. And I'll keep you posted if, in deed, this ends up with a public genital hanging sentence.
This is for the US District court too. That makes me nervous. It is a case involving child abuse I think I would suggest hanging the perp by the genitals in a public place until dead.
That may sound too rednecked to a defense attorney.
Maybe that is the trick. Red-neckedness may save me from some crazy sequestered week in Salt Lake.
I can only hope. I've got too much to do this week. Wish me luck. And I'll keep you posted if, in deed, this ends up with a public genital hanging sentence.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Almost Forgotten Updates
Well, I have been teasing you all along, haven't I? There have been some "I'll keep you posted" entries here that I have failed to uphold. So, today's post is the remedy for all the questions keeping you awake at night. Yeah, right. Anyhoooo....
Dear Friend Taffy reminded me that I dangled my impending JURY DUTY assignment out there for you and then never told you all what happened. So here you go, Taffy and others who care: NADA. (That would be nothing to you and me, gringo.) I was asked to call after 2 PM on the business day before I was scheduled to appear (which would have been Friday afternoon for the call and Monday morning early for the appearance) and the session for the jurors was canceled. In fact the recording this time even said, "Thank you for your service in the jury pool. Your assignment is now over. We look forward to working with you again in the future" or something equally inane. For what it's worth, you want to know why our judicial system is screwed up and back logged? My guess is that juries keep getting canceled. Not that I was in a BIG hurry to sit on one, but you know what I mean. Someone would surely love to be on the jury. It just wasn't me. Besides, my "red neck qualities" have a tendency to appear when lawyers are involved. I have a genetic predisposition to my own redneckedness, that's the truth.
Another comment that was made several times in response to my entry about being worried about the youth of my nephew and his little fiance, made me think. I do know that many of you were far more mature and prepared for marriage at the very youthful ages of 18, or 19, or 20. I am still amazed by you stalwart women. At the turn of my twenties I was a total moron. I was barely more than an moron at almost 23. Luckily Genius Golfer was very patient and loving in our early married life and 16 1/2 years later he is still patient and loving and kind when I behave like a moron still.
Sadly, I missed meeting my new BFF, author Shannon Hale, even though Dear Friend Peggy reminded me of Ms. Hale's SLC launch party of her new book Rapunzel's Revenge in time to make it up to The King's English bookstore. We had soccer games that day and I never made it. Bummer, since Peggy reassured, that Shannon was as delightful in person as she seems. Maybe I can still talk my book club into reading her Austenland this year.
Dear Friend Taffy reminded me that I dangled my impending JURY DUTY assignment out there for you and then never told you all what happened. So here you go, Taffy and others who care: NADA. (That would be nothing to you and me, gringo.) I was asked to call after 2 PM on the business day before I was scheduled to appear (which would have been Friday afternoon for the call and Monday morning early for the appearance) and the session for the jurors was canceled. In fact the recording this time even said, "Thank you for your service in the jury pool. Your assignment is now over. We look forward to working with you again in the future" or something equally inane. For what it's worth, you want to know why our judicial system is screwed up and back logged? My guess is that juries keep getting canceled. Not that I was in a BIG hurry to sit on one, but you know what I mean. Someone would surely love to be on the jury. It just wasn't me. Besides, my "red neck qualities" have a tendency to appear when lawyers are involved. I have a genetic predisposition to my own redneckedness, that's the truth.
Another comment that was made several times in response to my entry about being worried about the youth of my nephew and his little fiance, made me think. I do know that many of you were far more mature and prepared for marriage at the very youthful ages of 18, or 19, or 20. I am still amazed by you stalwart women. At the turn of my twenties I was a total moron. I was barely more than an moron at almost 23. Luckily Genius Golfer was very patient and loving in our early married life and 16 1/2 years later he is still patient and loving and kind when I behave like a moron still.
Sadly, I missed meeting my new BFF, author Shannon Hale, even though Dear Friend Peggy reminded me of Ms. Hale's SLC launch party of her new book Rapunzel's Revenge in time to make it up to The King's English bookstore. We had soccer games that day and I never made it. Bummer, since Peggy reassured, that Shannon was as delightful in person as she seems. Maybe I can still talk my book club into reading her Austenland this year.
Thanks to so many of you who reassured me that my estranged friend is the one who lost out. It was heart warming to read from so many of you that you appreciate me. (The checks are in the mail, by the way.) I have always thought I have the best friends ever. you guys are great!
And finally, I am very glad to know that I am not alone in my occasional nostalgic moments. I love that we can commiserate some of the ugly facts we share due to all having grown up in the 70s and 80s. I'm also glad that so many of you understand that while there are things about the "good 'old days" that I miss, I wouldn't go back to relive it. And I'm glad, too, that someday my kids might believe they had a good time "back in the day" too. Payback could be worth it, huh?
So, there you go. A few loose ends now tied up. Now, I can hear the Gas 'n Sip calling my name and the errand list is still on hold, so off I go. Thanks to each of you for the lovely, kind, and hilarious comments you make to me. It makes me just enjoy my writing project here all the more. Have a fantabulous day today, friends. I'll look for something of value to write about tomorrow. Wish me luck!
Friday, August 15, 2008
You've GOT to be kidding!
Back in April, just after spring break, I got a letter from the Great State of Utah that I was in the Jury Duty pool for the months of May through August this year. That means that they can call me in, for any case, to the federal building in Salt Lake City to be interviewed by attorneys to determine if I am best qualified to sit on a trial jury.
I realize that this system is one of the reasons America is the best place to live in all the free world, but what a pain! I'm on hold all summer--meaning if they called me up while I am on a vacation that I had planned even six months ago, I was hosed. Not that I have any vacations like that scheduled, but it COULD happen.
I got notification to appear in June. The instructions tell you to call the last business day before you are scheduled to appear and see if the case may have settled out of court, etc. before you end up driving to SLC (for which you will NOT be reimbursed, they remind you several times) and sitting around only to be told that they really don't need you after all.
I was scheduled to show up for interviews on a Monday. I called the Friday before and, sure enough, the case was cancelled--or settled, they don't tell you any details--and I didn't have to go after all. I figured, I was safe. There were a LOT of people in this pool, surely. I thought I was safe, until I got the mail today.
Again, another notice to appear. Remember that my "tour of jury duty" only lasts until August ends. Guess when I an scheduled to appear?! Yes, August 25th. The very last Monday of the four months I am on call. Dang it.
I'm supposed to plan on being there at 7:40 AM in SLC to start the processing. That means I have to impose on my neighbors to get kids to school, etc. And it could last all day, which means I couldn't meet other friends for lunch to celebrate all the kindergartners and preschoolers being back in school. And I might not even make it back for when school gets out, so then I have to impose more on the neioghbors I already imposed on in the morning. And what if this thing is a MAJOR trial, a la O.J., and I'm sequestered???!!! (Deep cleansing breath now...I'm jumping to conclusions.) Either way: Drat, and Double Drat.
I am almost afraid to hold my breath to see if they might settle this before I have to go, and the call on Friday, the 22nd will be a relief telling me I am off the hook. In the meantime I am ON the hook until at least the 22nd. Drat and Dang it all.
A "trial by a jury of your peers" might be more than it is cracked up to be if I am the jury and you are my peer. I'll keep you posted on the outcome of my Law & Order life.
I realize that this system is one of the reasons America is the best place to live in all the free world, but what a pain! I'm on hold all summer--meaning if they called me up while I am on a vacation that I had planned even six months ago, I was hosed. Not that I have any vacations like that scheduled, but it COULD happen.
I got notification to appear in June. The instructions tell you to call the last business day before you are scheduled to appear and see if the case may have settled out of court, etc. before you end up driving to SLC (for which you will NOT be reimbursed, they remind you several times) and sitting around only to be told that they really don't need you after all.
I was scheduled to show up for interviews on a Monday. I called the Friday before and, sure enough, the case was cancelled--or settled, they don't tell you any details--and I didn't have to go after all. I figured, I was safe. There were a LOT of people in this pool, surely. I thought I was safe, until I got the mail today.
Again, another notice to appear. Remember that my "tour of jury duty" only lasts until August ends. Guess when I an scheduled to appear?! Yes, August 25th. The very last Monday of the four months I am on call. Dang it.
I'm supposed to plan on being there at 7:40 AM in SLC to start the processing. That means I have to impose on my neighbors to get kids to school, etc. And it could last all day, which means I couldn't meet other friends for lunch to celebrate all the kindergartners and preschoolers being back in school. And I might not even make it back for when school gets out, so then I have to impose more on the neioghbors I already imposed on in the morning. And what if this thing is a MAJOR trial, a la O.J., and I'm sequestered???!!! (Deep cleansing breath now...I'm jumping to conclusions.) Either way: Drat, and Double Drat.
I am almost afraid to hold my breath to see if they might settle this before I have to go, and the call on Friday, the 22nd will be a relief telling me I am off the hook. In the meantime I am ON the hook until at least the 22nd. Drat and Dang it all.
A "trial by a jury of your peers" might be more than it is cracked up to be if I am the jury and you are my peer. I'll keep you posted on the outcome of my Law & Order life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
