FEDERAL COURT JURY DUTY

[GRANDPA]

Anyone here ever serve on a Federal jury? I received a questionnaire recently about it. It asked if I was a US citizen, under 70 years of age, what county I lived in, if I was a federal employee, active duty military, law enforcement or first responder. It also asked if I was hispanic ??? It plainly stated this was not a summons, but I bet I get one sometime soon.

[BillB]

Never did.
I was in a capital murder jury pool once.
Not a good experience.

[Sangersteve]

Wow maybe it's for the feds vs John Wiley Price

[BigTex]

And of course if you ever do get a summons, you will have to fill out the questionnaire again.

[GRANDPA]

Oh, fun. I don't know if it would be JWP since I live in Tarrant county. But being a Federal case & jury, ya never know. That would be interesting.

[BigTex]

Isn't the JWP trial years away?

[geeiabil]

.

Yep,

I had the opportunity to serve in Barefoot Sanders court.

The service period could be as much as a month. You had to call in every day to see if they needed you there the next day.

I ended up as the seventh juror in an age discrimination trial, Diamond Shamrock vs some guy named Herb. DS had an oily, weasel HR person as their main representative. A guy you could instantly hate. However, the way the evidence was presented and the way the trail went, you had to agree that DS was right in their claim.

As it worked out, I was the alternate juror. So, when they were sent off to deliberate, I was beckoned by Barefoot to come back to his chambers. I went with great trepidation figuring I had done something wrong and was in for a trip to the federal woodshed. As it worked out he was pretty cool and just wanted to see what my opinion of the trial was and how I would have voted. He concurred with me, right down to our disdain for the HR guy.

After that four day stint, I still had to call every day, but never had to go back.

[GRANDPA]

Well, guess what came in today's' mail. This may be tricky considering my job as an over the road truck driver. I guess it could have been worse. It could have said "Greetings from the President"

[BigTex]

When you go through voir dire you will probably be asked if anything would prevent you from being able to serve on the jury for multiple days. That would be the time to bring it up. Of course, you might get a judge who says "tough."

[millergrovesue]

Wow maybe it's for the feds vs John Wiley Price

Wouldn't that be something? I'm thinking that trial will take months.

I've never done federal but have done local civil and criminal several times. It was very interesting and made us all feel good that we were part of the process.

[millergrovesue]

Well, guess what came in today's' mail. This may be tricky considering my job as an over the road truck driver. I guess it could have been worse. It could have said "Greetings from the President"

Oh my!

[Sangersteve]

Well, guess what came in today's' mail. This may be tricky considering my job as an over the road truck driver. I guess it could have been worse. It could have said "Greetings from the President"

I know for a fact that a local judge will not excuse you for anything work related.

[GRANDPA]

Am I safe to assume they do not pick jurors on Saturdays & Sundays?

[BillB]

Am I safe to assume they do not pick jurors on Saturdays & Sundays?

County courts don't.
I don't know about federal, but I seriously doubt it.

[truep]

The last time I got a letter saying"Greetings from The President", I was drafted! I joined to get out of Infantry so I had to serve 3 Years! That might be how long the JWP trial might take!!!!

[ann jusko]

In one year, I served on a city jury. Well, actually, I said the defendant was a neighbor and I would be prejudice. Not for the reason they thought, I'm sure. He was a jerk. A couple months later here comes the district court summons. It was a child molestation and the jury pool was HUGE. The defendant did appear in the courtroom and then they disappeared. We waited again! After about 45 minutes we were summoned into the courtroom and the judge said the defendant took a plea deal. Both my next door neighbors were in the jury pool so the 3 of us went out to lunch. Ha! The lawyer said "I won't be picked. They hate lawyers on the jury." I told Jim "Hey, they'll pick you first because they sure don't want Judy and me." I guess we looked fierce enough he took the plea deal.
Then 6 months later came the federal summons. I absolutely HATED it. First the parking situation, then the turning in of cell phones and the rest of the security check, then sitting and waiting, if you could find a seat. It dragged on and on. So, finally the damn trial started and of course the defendant opted for a translator. By that time I was very cranky. Can you imagine every sentence was translated so there you sit. I was working deep nights and was so sleepy about 10 am, I could hardly keep my eyes open. Thank God, I'm of an age that I can opt out now! Never federal again is just such a pleasant thought. Oh yes, we convicted. The evidence was there!

I'm sorry you have to go through this Grandpa.

[bodine]

I got called to Federal Jury Duty in Houston; we were sworn in, went through processing, and waited. Got a lunch break, and about an hour after we came back, the defendant accepted a plea deal.

The first jury I sat on was for sexual assault of a child. Multiple counts. Hours of video evidence. We found the guy guilty, gave him two consecutive life terms. He turned down a plea deal that would have gotten him 20 years.

[grouchy]

I got called to Federal Jury Duty in Houston; we were sworn in, went through processing, and waited. Got a lunch break, and about an hour after we came back, the defendant accepted a plea deal.

The first jury I sat on was for sexual assault of a child. Multiple counts. Hours of video evidence. We found the guy guilty, gave him two consecutive life terms. He turned down a plea deal that would have gotten him 20 years.

You did good.

[glenn/dallas]

Well, guess what came in today's' mail. This may be tricky considering my job as an over the road truck driver. I guess it could have been worse. It could have said "Greetings from the President"


Watch out for the one that starts out "We're from the government and we're here to help you"

[GRANDPA]

The letter I have says NO cell phones, etc allowed in the building (Eldon Mahon courthouse in downtown Ft Worth) at all. I hope there are pay phones available so I can call my wife for a ride home. I got 3 summons in a row, almost as soon as the grace periods were over. Served twice of the three. My daughter got one for Tarrant county, but she lived in Corpus Christi at the time. Filled out the form for her, then a few weeks later she gets summoned in CC. Hmmmm.