Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I have recently received my first ever Jury Summons, for early Feburary. I'm kind looking forward to the process. Lots of folks I know talk about trying to get out of it.

Is it a Christians duty to serve?

Who's more qualified to judge?

Have you served on a jury?

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

First? Are you a kid? lol

I have been called many times but never served.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Sure it is. But I have a technique. I shake my head when the DA is talking, like we do in church. They never choose me and I get to go home! :thumbsup

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Yeah, do that or just say that you believe everyone is guilty & that you understand this is just a formality!:nutso

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I have been summoned several times. I've only actually served on one jury, though. It was a civil trial. Not as exciting as a criminal trial, I assure you.

I don't understand the whole "trying to get out of it" thing either. I was looking forward to it also and am glad that I was able to participate. It helped educate me on our legal processes - better than any classroom. I guess, though, that I would NOT want to have my life interrupted by a 6-week trial. I can see that as a problem. But there aren't very many of those around here very often.

Enjoy it.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Serving on a jury is a great honor and the last stronghold of the people in terms of keeping dangerous people from the streets and keeping government in check.

You will probably be told the exact opposite of this but they are lying...

As a juror you are there with the authority to judge the individual as well as the law. The law is being judged as much as the person is.

As a juror it only takes one person who decides that the law goes to far to bring a hung jury and the law is, in this case, nullified.

It is a juror's right and duty to know and exercise the full extent of his authority as a juror.

Please read this book.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Simply ask one of them what Jury Nullification is... consider yourself dismissed.

The last thing one of todays courts wants is an informed citizen.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I agree, I is just funning ya!
I had a great job with a big corporation in the 90's who had a policy that if you were chosen for jury duty, not only would they hold your job for you but you would still get paid!
Alas not every company or business does, or is able to do that, therein lies a big problem!

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

My experience in the states has been that most employers pay (at least the ones that I've worked for and my friends/acquaintances have worked for). I don't think it is a legislated thing, though. I think it's more a corporate responsibility thing, to be honest. It's usually listed as a paid benefit in HR materials.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

funny....and true.

if this doesn't work....you could always break out a word of prophecy...something about the world ending, 4 horsemen, deadly mark of the beast....that should do it.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I have been called several times and served twice. Sent one guy to county and another to the state pen. I have mixed feelings about that- mostly bad.

The guy who went to county probably only spent the night - if that. He was charged with a DUI but went for the jury trial to argue that he had no intention of driving. He had broken up with his girlfriend and was drinking in his car in the apt parking lot with the radio turned up loud. Cops responded to a noise complaint and cited him for DUI because according to our state law (and most states) all you have to do is be "in control" of the vehicle. The defendant complained that he was drinking in the parking lot to allow his roommate a chance to sleep because he had to work the next day. It was probably all true - but the law... you know?

The other guy said he just happened to be walking down the street past a car that he "didn't know was stolen..." Three cops testified that they had actually pursued him for several minutes and arrested him after he climbed out of the car and started to walk away.

Neither experience was pleasant.

We're not there to judge their souls, just to judge the law and whether the law was violated in that particular case.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

So funny...I just recieved my first summons ever for February as well! I dont know why it took so long...I've been a registered/active voter since I was 18.

I believe it is our duty to serve, and I look forward to it....as long as its not a scary case! I dont want to come face to face with a murderer!

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Is it wrong to shirk our civic duty?

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Yes. If you want to have your voice heard and your voted counted, then you need to be willing to do the rest of your civic duty.

It's not that bad. I have been called several times. Picked once and then dismissed. Tell the truth when ask all questions.

Don't try and get out of it. I ask to be released because I am a funeral director and had a funeral to take care of. Told the judge, yet he said have a seat, the others can take care of it. I said yes sir and never ask to be removed again.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Ironically I have jury duty next Thursday.

Probably second summons in 20 years.

As a former prosecutor and defense attorney seriously doubt won't get struck by both sides.

:-)

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I have to serve on a jury the the last week of May!

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

We would have been there together! I will be in DC next week for the Inaug. so I had to change my date.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

LOL mine is lowly JP court so probably a traffic ticket.

When in Feb? You do know that is when the serial killer case is scheduled?


Hope to see you tonight sis. Depends on how much better the kids are doing...

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Uh, nope...didnt know that!!! Its Feb 10th. I wouldn't get picked for a capital trial because I would never vote for the death penalty. Ever.

I cant come to church on Thursdays (booooo). I have a schedule conflict with a meeting from 630 to 730 in the Woodlands each Thursday.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I've been called twice and served once.

I was dismissed from the one because they asked if we knew the difference between a shotgun and a rifle. By the time they got to me in the selection process, I was already tired of the nonsense that was obvious was going to go on in this particular trial. So when they asked me if I knew, I simply said, "Yes, one is longer than the other". Wrong answer of course. But I knew that. I also knew that this was going to be a huge waste of time trial. So I suppose I should feel bad, but I don't.

The next one I served as an alternate. So I had to sit in on the whole trial, but didn't get to vote in the end. In this case, that was probably for the best. This was a young lady whose boyfriend had been beating the tar out of her for over 5 years. Broke many bones. Many black eyes, etc., etc. He had a record a mile long of domestic violence. She finally got tired of calling the police every time he beat her up again. So one day he beat the tar out of her. She endured it. And then he left for work at a garage. She went and got a gun, drove to his work, walked in and blew him away.

My feeling on that one was that we should give her a gun and let her go after all the rest of the jerks in the world who beat up on women. But the jury ended up convicting her. They sympathized. But felt like they had to follow the letter of the law. So she went to prison. But on a lesser charge than they had originally gone after her for.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

Served on a rape trial one time...... not fun. Have been called many times.

Courts and trials fascinate me. Sometimes I think their selection process is needlessly long and a pain to endure. Personally, I believe if your employer compensates you and it doesn't not work a financial hardship - you should serve.

Yeah - if there is a reason you don't want to serve on a particular trial - there are specific answers to give and you'll be dismissed in a hurry! :heeheehee

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I think it's your duty as an American to serve on a jury. The jury system is part of what makes our legal system work. (This does not apply to people in other countries, not going to pass judgment on the French or Canadian or Brazilian legal systems, because I know little or nothing about them!)

Our constitution has that you should be judged by a jury of your peers. I think that's a pretty good way to do it. You are guided by the law and the judge will give you instructions, so you're not totally thrown to the wolves.

Yes, I served on a jury once...I even tried my "I used to be a lawyer in another state" card to get off the jury, but that didn't work. Then the other jurors elected me foreman. I ran that jury like I run one of my investigative calls at work and we were out of there in no time. (It was an insurance case.) It was an interesting experience.

As for whether or not a Christian should serve on a jury, I think we're told to respect the laws of the country we live in, and the jury system is part of our laws.

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

I've been called more than once and been on several trials.
One lasted 3 weeks.

It's our civic duty as well as a great opportunity to be part of our unique judicial system.

I'd do it again but have not been called .

It helps you understand how someone is not convicted when you see a news article and wonder how the jury could do this. "Beyond a reasonable doubt".

Re: Jury Duty: Render unto Caesar?
 

My mother had jury duty, as well as my brother and husband. My sister's boss got her out of it.

My dad was never called and shortly after his death (80) a jury summons came in the mail.