My third jury duty

[manley1]

This morning I had my third jury duty in Massachusetts since moving here mid 2000. This state has a policy of making its citizens eligible for service once every three years. Since I have been here for almost nine years, I have been selected three times, even once being impaneled on a a car accident case suitable for a low-end sitcomThis time

Comments

[anna_esq]

I have not done jury duty since 1997. I'm so jealous of you! Too bad you didn't get on a case.

[manley1]

I wouldn't have minded a criminal case so much, though it would have sucked to have to haul myself all the way to Woburn daily for the duration of the trial. The last civil case that I was on just sucked all the civic spirit out of me when it comes to jury duty, which is unfortunate.

If I could somehow send my jury duty cloud your way, you'd have it by now.

[vilasy]

I did three weeks on a medical malpractice case. I actually loved it. Don't tell anyone.

[manley1]

I also remember that you were in tears at the end because it was so draining on you.

drink!

[perich]

In a different context, I could have made a drinking game out of it.

This strikes me as the perfect way to get out of jury duty, actually.

Unrelated question: are you registered to vote in Massachusetts?

Re: drink!

[manley1]

I am. And I fill out that yearly Cambridge census form, which I think ties in more than voter registration to my being picked for jury duty.

Re: drink!

[perich]

Hmm ...

Re: drink!

[vlvtjones]

All rise.....SOCIAL!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!

[doceydo]

I've been called to jury duty FIVE TIMES since I moved here 9 years ago. That's ridiculous. Of course, I've only had to serve twice (and one lasted two days even though i didn't get picked). I've generally really liked jury duty though. I get a day off from work and I've never gotten picked for a trial!

[manley1]

How did you get called five times if you're only supposed to be called once every three years? Were you in grand juries or federal trials or something?

[doceydo]

I have no fucking idea. I think they maybe thought I was two different people. And I kept moving, so that didn't help.

[manley1]

Yeah, their recordkeeping is rather dubious. When the bailiff tells you to keep the receipt that comes in the mail next week as proof of service in case you get called again within three years, you know it's not on the up and up.

[kimmercake]

ugh, my last jury duty was a 2 day fiasco in dedham. it fucking sucked.

[manley1]

I'm sorry, hon. I hope the case was at least mildly interesting and not the like the insult to my intelligence my last experience was.

[jss1113]

I never got called for jury duty in TX, MA, or MN; I did get called when I lived in IL, but had a scheduling conflict (with LISA), so I got called again the next time they needed jurors. One morning at the county courthouse, and nobody got picked (one group got called to a courtroom to begin empanelling but that was enough for the defendant to plead out). Whee.

[manley1]

My dad, who's lived in VA for practically his whole life, has only been called one time. My middle sister, who lives in DC, is one of those, like anna_esq, that wants to be called, yet never is.

If only I could explain my jury duty juju and transfer it to those that want to serve. I probably would mind significantly less myself if I didn't keep getting assigned to more distant courts in my jurisdiction, especially given there being a courthouse in Cambridge (currently under renovations, I hear).

[vilasy]

eek, I'm -still- being called for DC jury duty twice a year. No idea how your sister escapes.

[manley1]

She doesn't know either. And she's lived there longer than I have lived here.