***JP heaves HUGE sigh of relief***

[Jim Price]

If you felt a gust of wind go through the Altoona area at around 12:30 this afternoon, it might have been me heaving a huge sigh of relief...

About a month and a half ago, I received notification in the mail that I was supposed to begin serving federal jury duty in Johnstown district court starting this Monday (April 7), for a trial period to last three weeks or longer.

Since April is the most important time of the year in my line of work (the radio spring ratings period starts in April), I sent the court an initial letter requesting to be excused, citing workplace reasons. As of last Friday, that request had been denied. I then sent a second, more detailed letter explaining my situation. I don't know if that letter was the deciding factor, or if something else occurred (if the case was a lawsuit or other litigation, it might have been settled out of court before the trial date); but when I called the district court's automated phone service earlier this afternoon, I was told that my jury service was cancelled. So I'm off the hook, at least for now. (The message did say that I could get called for jury duty in the future.)

So if I look more festive than usual this weekend, you'll now know why.

Anyway, out of curiosity, has anybody else here ever been contacted for or served jury duty? Do you have any stories about serving jury duty or how you escaped serving? Feel free to share below...

[rreihart]

Twice now, once in each County (Bedford & Cambria) I have lived, I have been seated on a jury.

The Bedford County trial was over 10 years ago. We actually heard the case, I think it was 3 days. I was the only male on the Jury with a bunch of older "stay at home" types of ladies. Kind of odd, and I of course was elected foreman of the Jury. I actually really enjoyed it. We acquitted after deliberating for about 2 hours.

About a year ago I was seated on a jury in Cambria county that was a Mesothelioma case against like 10 companies or something? This trial was potentially going to last 3 weeks. On the Friday before the case was supposed to start, they called an cancelled. Apparently it was settled out of court.

[Brian of the Clan Plush]

once again off-topic....but when I looked quickly at this thread all I caught was

"JP Heaves Huge"

and I thought T...M...I!

[Bloodsong]

i was dismissed without ever answering a question at the courthouse. guess they didn't think i looked like the ideal juror. (i understood.) took my 10 bucks that they gave me and went and had a couple beers and a burger at Off The Rak. too bad; i was gonna put the whole system on trial... :lol:

[Brian of the Clan Plush]

i was dismissed without ever answering a question at the courthouse. guess they didn't think i looked like the ideal juror. (i understood.) took my 10 bucks that they gave me and went and had a couple beers and a burger at Off The Rak. too bad; i was gonna put the whole system on trial...

perfect...if I get called for jury duty I'm showing up in (bad) drag. I'll make sure I have a full-face beard to go with it and smell a little like a hoagie.

[rug]

The 1st time i got called i just didn't go. Then they called me about 6 months later and i let them know how i felt about our corrupt government and the rediculous amount of loopholes in our "legal" system and a few other issues....they replied "Thank you for your time Mr Weibley." and i never heard from them again.
I've always been ANTI JURY DUTY and will NEVER, EVER do it.
Congrats to you JP, glad it all worked out for ya.

rug

[jangel]

Some years ago federal jury duty was in Pgh....it was 2 weeks. when we went in the first day they made a point to tell us that if you did not show up there would be severe consequences. Well a guy from up north Bradford Co did not show....Federal Marshalls went and arrested the man. He ended up with a huge fine.....and the message was loud and clear.. He didn't take the time to request being excused...he just didn't show up.

[Rich]

I got called locally... The judge asks you if there was any reason you couldn't be on the jury for a case. I just told him I knew people on one side or the other and was basis... And that was that... Actually I did know people in 4 outta 5 cases. The other I wasn't picked for...

[Brian of the Clan Plush]

Actually I did know people in 4 outta 5 cases...

were any of them bass players?


sorry, wrong thread

[nickname]

Good job, Jim...this time! Next time tell them that you have a felony on your record! Worked for me. Now I NEVER have to report, but I also can't vote or own a firearm.

[DickShackBass]

Just this past monday I had to go for jury selection. Thankfully, I was not selected for a jury. I didn't do anything in particular to keep from getting selected, they just didnt pick me, yay!
I am STILL hurting from those damn seats in the courtroom, though. They are ramrod straight and hard! My tailbone feels like it will never be better again.

andrea

[Colton]

The judge asks you if there was any reason you couldn't be on the jury for a case.

"Id be great for jury duty. I can tell if the fuckers guilty by just lookin at'm!"

[Rich]

were any of them bass players?

Um..... no.... (Funny guy, huh???)

[Heywood]

I got called for federal right b4 thanksgiving. Since I'm a principal of a school, I thought for sure they'd let me off. Wrote a wonderful letter, they replied telling me to pound sand, I had to do it anyway. Then when I called, just as JP, it was cancelled. I was hoping I would get to see some kind of interesting double homicide, drug CSI Bull Crap! Maybe next time!

[bassist_25]

I remember that one episode of The Simpsons where Homer tells Bart that the key to getting off of jury duty is to say that you're prejudice against all races.

I wonder if that would really work.

[Bag]

I was recently picked for HARRISBURG. Same thing happened though, I called and the automated message said I didn't have to report. I really didn't want to have to go clear to Hburg and have no idea how long I'd have to be there.

I got picked locally once too. Turned out I was related to one of the parties, and got excused.

[HarleyRo1]

In my position at work, I am frequently approached and literally begged to get employees out of jury duty by writing letters and pleading. The one thing that I can tell you is that you have to have extreme circumstances to be released from the obligation.

A co-worker was summoned for federal jury duty in Johnstown for three weeks. She is a divorced parent of 4 kids who lives in Altoona. Her kids rely on her for everything including transportation to school. They are also younger, and cannot be left alone. She wrote and told them of her situation and said that it would be impossible for her to leave her home at 7 am and spend the day in Johnstown, and then not get home until 6 pm at night. She was written back and they asked where the kids' father was, and couldn't he assume responsibility. It literally turned into a letterwriting pissing match. She eventually told them that they could fine her, arrest her, etc., but she would not show up. They eventually dismissed her.

[PanzerFaust]

I did the same as "Nickname" I just wrote that I had an extensive criminal history and never heard another word...

Of course it was all lies I'm an angel.. hehe....


Tood

[moxham123]

I was summoned twice in Cambria County. Once in 1995, I had to serve a week on jury duty as the 2nd alternate for a malpractice medical case. They threw one juror off the case for talking to her husband one evening about the case and the 1st alternate moved up. They do not mess around with that stuff. I was not permitted to be in the deliberation room since I was an alternate. The case was all trumped up against an elderly doctor who was found not guilty.

The second time I was summoned, I wrote that since I am self employed, I cannot afford to miss work because my business will stop if I have to serve. They did not care. I had to appear for jury selection for a case that included MetLife as one of the representing insurance companies. They asked if anybody ever worked for any of the companies involved in the lawsuit and I said I worked for MetLife previously but it would not affect my decision. I guess the lawyers did not want to take a chance and they excused me from being selected.

[CHICKSINGA]

When I lived in LA I was summoned and because I had a job where they pay you for it I had to go. It was a gang murder case. A member of an asian gang shot a member of a hispanic gang in cold blood in front of many witnesses at a school. It was horrible and scary. The gang members of the asian gang were all in court staring us down. And we weren't sequestered but went home every day. All I could think of was them following me home to see where I lived and if their homey was convicted they'd find me.
Unfortunately the monster got manslaughter because too many of the jury members fancied themselves as psychiatrists rather than using the facts to make their decision. It was a complete joke.

[BloodyFingers]

I sat on a jury about 10 years or longer ago. I was a father sexuly abusing his teen son and daughter. We found him guilty in 2 hours. It was very interesting to do. They sent me a letter a few weeks ago but due to being disable I could sit as long as they required. OOOH Well

[songsmith]

That's messed up. I would probably enjoy the jury process (i've never been summoned), but I'm really squeamish about crime-scene photos and stuff... I'm one of those guys who's so sympathetic, I get slight cramps when my wife has her monthlies!
I'm a political moderate, as noted in another thread, but I think the death penalty should be instantaneous in most cases. "...We the jury find the defendant guilty, your honor." "Very well then. We'll take a short recess so the bailiff can set up the gallows out back."-------->JMS