I finally get a jury summons, sent to my address here in New Mexico and guess where the summons is coming from? Marion County, Indiana. Dudes! I haven't lived in IN for over a year and a half!
I've always been interested in serving as a juror but in my years I've only ever received one, back in the early '90s and when I called in that morning I was told I was no longer needed.
@see_the_sus I get jury summons regular as clockwork every two years. I don't believe it when they say everybody is called equally.
@elbutterfield @see_the_sus I'm in Aus, and I've never been summonsed for jury duty. My spouse has, and had to decline. Because we work in court transcription, neither of us is allowed to be on a jury.
For years when I was a working photojournalist, I often wondered if I was called for jury duty if I'd be disqualified as being potentially "prejudiced."
@see_the_sus @Nimthiriel I don't know but I would think you would make a great juror with all that knowledge and understanding of the way of the world.
Oh I agree but oftentimes that can be seen as a threat to the defense.
@see_the_sus @elbutterfield In Australia it's more about the whole jury being as average as possible. Our selection is extremely random here. Like, there's no interrogating the jury, the defendant can only object to three potential jurors without giving a good reason, and they're just paraded in front of them so it's in case they recognise each other or something.
@Nimthiriel @see_the_sus Wow! That's very different from the voir dire here. I wonder which one yields a fairer jury?
Iβm curious as well. Fascinating!
@see_the_sus @elbutterfield I'm happy to provide more details on how our juries are chosen if anyone is interested :)
Iβm always intrigued by how other countries do their βstuff.β π
Does this mean a person has to drive to the courthouse and sit and wait on the off-chance they may not get selected?
Do people get paid for jury duty, like they do here? Every state is different about how much it pays and naturally, it doesn't equal what a person, if working, gets from their job.
Ugh, that would drive me bonkers. When I lived in Boulder, CO, (northwest of Denver), all you had to do was call in the morning and they'd tell you if you were needed. I only know this because I got one summons, way back in the early 1990s.
@see_the_sus At least here in Melbourne, the major courts are all in the same part of the city centre and very accessible by public transport. But yeah, it would also drive me absolutely bonkers to show up and find out I'm not needed! Though the courts seem to do their best to be as efficient with people's time as possible
@see_the_sus Yes, and I believe yes. Usually if you're not selected to be on a jury panel within a day or two, you get excused and are replaced, I think.