You got select for jury duty...

[MrScorpio]

HOW TO GET OUT OF JURY DUTY

http://www.pagerealm.com/jury/jury-duty-excuses-how-to-get-out-avoid-court-service.html

[tblue37]

1. I am severely hearing impaired.

I wear hearing aids, but even with them I can't understand speech unless I am right up next to you, right in front of your face and reading your lips--and even then it can be a problem.

I also don't know sign langauge, because the condition that causes my deafness is progressive, so it wasn't bad enough when I was younger to make it necessary to learn sign.

Every couple of years I get called for jury duty.

I write and explain that I can't do it because of my deafness. And, yes, they do excuse me, but with a warning that being excused this time in no way excuses me for the future.

So then, a couple of years later, they send me another summons for jury duty.

[xmas74]

2. I work in law enforcement.

I wanted to be on a jury a few years ago (big trial, change of venue case). I was informed, privately, that there is no way I will ever be chosen for a jury.

[dr.strangelove]

3. Not necessarily true

I'm an attorney. I have had juries with cops, FBI agents, corrections officers, parole officers and once a state legislator. In a criminal case, if I were the defense counsel I would try to argue you out for cause, and if that was not successful, use a pre-empt and bounce you on no cause. However, in a civil case, like a med mal or personal injury case, you would have no more prejudice than any non-law enforcement person would have. I would want you there because I think a cop or other law enforcement professional is more apt to pay attention to details.

Anyway, don't bank on getting bounced every time. If you came into my trial, unless it was a criminal case, I'd try to keep you around. I have had very good experiences with cops and such on my juries.

[xmas74]

4. I know in a bigger city it would be fine.

But I live in a small rural county. They said that chances were good that I would never be chosen (though I don't see a prob w/ the civil cases). I really wanted to sit on that one case (it was a serial killer-that would have rocked).

[dr.strangelove]

5. I used to practice in Clackamas Oregon

About as rural as you get. I don't know anyone who bounced cops or other law enforcement officers in civil cases even in very rural areas. Maybe where you live it is different, but that sounds very strange. To be honest, a basic trial tactic in injury defense cases is to get the smartest and most detail oriented people on the jury that you can. The rule of thumb is that people who appear to ignore the details and look only for the big picture, are likely to miss some very important detail of your case. I can't see any decent attorney bouncing a cop from a civil case unless it involved a cop.

If you ever are in my county, I'd put you on a jury without fail. I hope you get on one. It is a wonderful experience. I did it when I was in law school. Now that I am a trial lawyer, I have been bounced twice for cause. I hope to get on one again though.

[xmas74]

6. I have always wanted to get on one!

Sometimes, I think that my boss has something to do w/ it. We are working w/ shortages right now and everyone is considered essential.
I got bounced from a high profile case (serial killer) that I really wanted to serve on. Of course, I could not have been very impartial-too much press in the area but I still would have loved the chance.

[dr.strangelove]

7. If you could not have been impartial, I'm glad you were not on the case.

That last thing we need is jurors who can't be impartial. Hopefully you will get a chance though.

[AngryAmish]

8. Cops don't get out of civil trials

It depends on the individual if they would be good for plaintiff or defense.

[dr.strangelove]

10. Have you looked at our previous exchange?

We have been discussing your point in detail. I am an attorney and have tried several cases with cops, mostly med mal and personal injury cases. I find cops to be very good jurors on cases with difficult causation issues. I had a med mal case where an FBI agent was the foreperson and I won a defense verdict on a very difficult causation defense. I put a great deal of the verdict on his ability to piece together the causation picture and lead the jury to the correct conclusion. Cops, especially detectives, make very attentive jurors.

[xmas74]

9. Someday I hope to.

[AllegroRondo]

11. As George Carlin said

If you want to get out of jury duty, tell the judge you think you would make a great juror because you can spot guilty people -just like that.

[BiggJawn]

12. "Hey, Jawn!" "Hi, your Honour..."

And that was the end of MY career as a Juror...