Rescinding Voter Registration

[JakeBrake]

I've noticed there's a difference in the way jurors are treated in Federal court where the judges are annointed for life and county court where all the officials are elected by the local voters including potential jurors.

 

[SkisALot]

Just make sure that you'll be happy with that jury should you ever find yourself in court. )

I wouldn't be happy with a jury that consists of once decent citizens who's sense of responsibility has been severely abused as is happening now.
I think EVERYONE should serve on jury duty a few times in a lifttime, including those on welfare. Don't shortchange those people's intelligence. They can think enough to milk the system. Why not make them work for the money they're getting.

 

[TromboneAl]

SkisALot, check my posts on this topic -- I'm in a similar boat to yours.

Recently, a jury administrator told me that if I put down the fact that I have to drive 35 miles each way to the courthouse, I will be excused from any long trials.

She also told me that they don't have the resources to follow up after the threatening letters. However, I don't think I could ignore that letter.

 

[Rambler]

I'm actually considering going down to the courthouse once a year or so and volunteering for jury service. Then, If I do get to sit thru the selection process, I'll have my certificate of service for the full year...so I don't have to worry about rescheduling my FIRE activities. I'm thinking late January would be perfect. Besides that, I've lived overseas so long that I feel bad about not serving.

Skisalot-you mentioned your DH is 74. What is your age? I think my folks didn't have to serve after a certain age...can't remember if it was 65 or 70. But you might want to check out the age related waiver.

R

 

[JARON46]

I served Federal Jury Duty in January, the Jury administrator told us once you are on the "list" you cannot get off even if you drop your drivers license and stop voting.

She said that they have sent Federal Marshals to people's homes to pick up people who were "awol"

 

[Westernskies]

I've noticed there's a difference in the way jurors are treated in Federal court where the judges are annointed for life and county court where all the officials are elected by the local voters including potential jurors.

"absolute power corrupts absolutely" is the quote that comes to mind...

 

[Bestwifeever]

I'll come to California and be your substitute, Skis. The only time I was called for jury duty (county courts, too; not put on a jury) was in 1981. I can't believe it.

DH hasn't been called in about 15 years; he worked in an occupation that used to be exempt from jury duty, but the courts dropped those for the most part (a good thing imho). He did have to cancel a vacation to serve and did get put on a case.

DD was called and did serve on a jury last year. She said the judge lambasted the people in the pool who answered questions in an obvious "don't put me on a jury" way (such as "I think I know the defense lawyer's brother"), but he let them walk away anyway.

 

[Alan]

Skisalot-you mentioned your DH is 74. What is your age? I think my folks didn't have to serve after a certain age...can't remember if it was 65 or 70. But you might want to check out the age related waiver.

R

Where we live it is 70, and on the summons it states that while you can decline to attend if you are over 70, they would still welcome you as a juror.

 

[SkisALot]

I'm 61. The cut-off age here in California is 70.5. If you live over 80 miles both Federal and Superior courts give a "subsidy" for a motel, but you have to pay first, then get reimbursed. I live 75 miles, but it's a mountain road; I've driven in severe blizzards to get to jury duty in the winter. Once it took me 3.5 hours to get there. I asked to be rescheduled in the summer ; they said road conditions were not an excuse and scheduled me for February. Same conditions.
They also say it's random, but once you're on the list your're on the list. So much for random. My issue with voting is that if this is the "system" (and it is) I don't want any part of it; I think the whole thing is a power scam: Let's show these people who's boss. Next we'll have to ask "someone" for permission to move to another apartment or house like they've had to do in another country.

 

[SkisALot]

I'll come to California and be your substitute, Skis.

GREAT. You can stay here at my house. I have to warn you, though, we got 2 feet of snow last night so first you'll have to dig out.

 

[SkisALot]

SkisALot, check my posts on this topic -- I'm in a similar boat to yours.

How do you find your posts? (I'm not real up on the stuff here).

 

[SkisALot]

I'm actually considering going down to the courthouse once a year or so and volunteering for jury service.

R

I know a guy who is a mediator for the court and he says that you can volunteer by showing up in the morning and checking in and if they need more people they will take you. I was once in the jury room when not enough people showed up and there was a volunteer, but even with him there still weren't enough people so we were all sent home, but not before the jury person said what horrible things they were going to do to those who didn't show up. Her venom was scary.

 

[FinanceDude]

When I get called, I show up and say the same thing: "Yes, I am familiar with the case, and yes, I believe the defendant is guilty and the judge should throw the book at him/her"...gets me excused real quick!!

 

[Free To Canoe]

I'm actually considering going down to the courthouse once a year or so and volunteering for jury service. Then, If I do get to sit thru the selection process, I'll have my certificate of service for the full year...so I don't have to worry about rescheduling my FIRE activities. I'm thinking late January would be perfect. Besides that, I've lived overseas so long that I feel bad about not serving.

Skisalot-you mentioned your DH is 74. What is your age? I think my folks didn't have to serve after a certain age...can't remember if it was 65 or 70. But you might want to check out the age related waiver.

R

Don't know if you can do that.
If you could, DW would have done it a long time ago. DW loves to serve on juries (it takes all kinds to make a world).
Great news! After several years of waiting, DW got called to jury duty yesterday.

 

[GregLee]

According to online FAQs, for federal courts in Hawaii, 70 is the age you start getting excused, and for state courts it's 80. For both, lists of potential jurors are made up by sending questionnaires to people randomly selected from various sources. In my experience, the easy way to avoid being called is not to reply to that questionnaire. The first one I got here in Hawaii, I did answer, and I had to serve. I moved in 1994, got a new questionnaire (by ordinary mail) but didn't answer it. I heard nothing further. (However, far be it from me to recommend that anyone fail to answer such a questionnaire, since that is illegal, I think.)

 

[TromboneAl]

One idea I considered: take a course in some legal thing (correspondence?). Doesn't that disqualify you?

SkisALot, check my posts on this topic -- I'm in a similar boat to yours.

How do you find your posts? (I'm not real up on the stuff here).

Advanced search, "jury" in titles only, user name TromboneAl

Jury Duty - Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community

http://www.early-retirement.org/for...alled-for-jury-duty-54929.html?highlight=jury

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/jury-duty-strategy-36103.html?highlight=jury

 

[TromboneAl]

When I get called, I show up and say the same thing: "Yes, I am familiar with the case, and yes, I believe the defendant is guilty and the judge should throw the book at him/her"...gets me excused real quick!!

Have you really done this and had it work?

 

[Bestwifeever]

Have you really done this and had it work?

And aren't you under oath when you answer that?

 

[Westernskies]

When I get called, I show up and say the same thing: "Yes, I am familiar with the case, and yes, I believe the defendant is guilty and the judge should throw the book at him/her"...gets me excused real quick!!

Bring on the guilty party, yer honor! They wouldn't be here if they weren't guilty of something. Let's get this over with so I can get back to watching Judge Judy....

 

[SkisALot]

The Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution abolished slavery and INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE except as punishment for a crime. Guess it doesn't apply anymore.