ATT: I am always liable

[wallace784]

South Carolina

Hi

Had a quick question was hoping you might be able to answer. During the past week I found I had to do jury duty yet it didn't say how long it would be. Obviously that can't be determinded until we see what cases I might be on as a juror. What my question was though as this is the first time I will have jury duty is about how long does this usually last if there is no big cases involved?

Is my duty over after a case or might I be on several cases and how about if I have no jury cases arrise about how long till my jury duty terminates on average. Thanks.

wallace784

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

South Carolina

Hi

Had a quick question was hoping you might be able to answer. During the past week I found I had to do jury duty yet it didn't say how long it would be. Obviously that can't be determinded until we see what cases I might be on as a juror. What my question was though as this is the first time I will have jury duty is about how long does this usually last if there is no big cases involved?

Is my duty over after a case or might I be on several cases and how about if I have no jury cases arrise about how long till my jury duty terminates on average. Thanks.

wallace784

My response:

Good to see you again.

It's nice to see that you're civic-minded about doing jury duty.

Generally speaking, the average amount of time spent on jury duty is 2 to 3 days, tops. Most cases are personal injury or contract cases that do not require unending days of service. If you are chosen for a Criminal matter, the average amount of time required for service is anywhere from 3 to 5 days. Like anything else with the law, time estimates given to jurors are subject to revision during the course of the trial.

Again, generally speaking, your State requirements for jury service is complete when the verdict has been rendered by the jury foreperson, and you will not be required to serve again within 6 months thereafter. But, as you and I both know, there are varying reasons accepted by the courts whereby a person may never serve on a jury in their entire life, or after one stint, may never serve again.

Before you're chosen to sit on a jury by the attorneys, be prepared to "hurry up and wait". You may, in fact, go through up to 5 Voir Dire sessions (that's the fancy way of saying that you, and the rest of the prospective jurors, will be questioned, both by written form, and verbally, at some length by the attorneys to determine whether or not they want you to sit on a particular jury). Depending on your court's specific rules, the jury administator will tell you how many times you need to be rejected from Voir Dire before they excuse you from having to serve.

Voir dire questionnaires usually call for biographical information regarding each prospective juror (age, occupation, etc.), acquaintance with parties or counsel, knowledge of case, etc.

They may also cover potentially embarrassing or "sensitive" matters about which prospective jurors may be more willing to respond in writing than orally (e.g., prior marriages, litigation, etc.). As a result, more intrusive questions are often allowed in voir dire questionnaires than in live questioning.

If, prior to trial, a trial is believed to be quite lengthy:

-- The judge and jury commissioner, based on their experience, preliminarily determine how many prospective jurors to summons;

-- Prospective jurors are screened and the hardship to each juror is evaluated;

-- The court may even call the juror's employer and attempt to arrange for the juror to be compensated for the time he or she is serving on the jury.


Jury service can be exciting, stimulating and educational. But, it can also be as boring as hell - - lengthy contract cases, for example, are real "sleepers".

So, while you're waiting for a trial to start, and before Voir Dire, make sure you bring some magazines or a good book with you - - I suggest "War and Peace".

Good luck to you, and thanks again for being a good citizen.

IAAL

 

[wallace784]

Thanks didn't know it could be that short. One question I noticed either I failed to ask or you answer was once I serve on a trial juiry for whatever reason will that be it until the next time I am called months or years down the road or is it possible to have to serve on more then one case during this jury period? Just curious as this is all new to me. In some senses i hope i get a contract case might help me gain some knowledge to use in my own case which I filed this morning. Called the defendant up and gave her one last chance to settle with what I want and she rejected it so hung up and went to file now it's a matter of sit and wait. Glad i was in the military with all the sitting and waiting I could be doing between my own case and jury duty was good training being in the reserves alot of hurry up and wait when I was in. LOL.

wallace784

 

[JETX]

Looks like it has been a few days since your post, so thought I would interject into your conversation....

In most jurisdictions, the 'jury pool' is taken from voter and drivers license records. Depending on the size of the 'pool' and the number of jurors needed, your turn for service could come up in a few months or a few years. Note that in most jurisdictions, you can be excused from jury service if you have served in a set previous time (usually 6 months to 1 year or so).

Additionally, once you are are picked from the 'pool', you are now a 'jury panel'. That is the group that is sent over to the actual courtroom where you could be questioned by the court and both parties to see if you have any prejudices or belief's that could affect your ability to serve as an impartial juror (this is called 'voir dire' as noted by IAAL previously). If you are NOT selected from the panel, SOME jurisdictions recognize that you have completed your service and excuse you from any further service. However, some jurisdictions send you back to the 'pool' to be available for the next panel. It all depends on what your county and court system requires.

And, if you are selected for a jury, to my knowledge ALL jurisdictions will release you from further service once you have actually been completed your jury service (at the end of the trial).

The shortest jury I have been on was about 1 hour on a mental competency (not mine!) and the longest was 3 1/2 weeks on an international commercial lawsuit (wind turbine/generators from Finland being shipped to Altamont Pass in California via Texas).

 

[wallace784]

Jury Duty

Well here is how it actually went. Got there about 10AM and they took about 60 of us into the courtroom took rool call. (Alot of people were going to end up getting a police escort to the court house to explain their abscents. Started out they'd get escorted in a squad car and I heard judge lean over to baliff and say he was going to end up using a bus was sort of a joke but not far from the truth.)

Anyways they took roll then ask all present some basic info then we got split as there were 2 trials this week so each had about 30-40 people left after the spilt.

Then we did the questions and answer time we're we could end up being excused or possibly at the beginning of this sent to the other court room for that case. That finished they started choosing jury and realized something was off so they had to restart the process so had lunch then they restarted it around 2:30 and at this point I was 1 of the 12 jurors and we had one alternate.

Trial lasted 4 days first day was short because of the morning choosing process and last day super long as we all decided to stay and just finish up instead of coming back Saturday morning. (with monday being holiday they wanted to catch up so they could start fresh this monday) Was an interesting case of a private citizens suing Wal-Mart Inc. for a slip and fall in one of their stores. Alot of BORING expert testimony but interesting case took us about 2Hrs 30 Mins to deliberate and we ended up splitting the responsability with Wal-Mart 65% at fault total judgement before % deduction and lawyer fees was just under 1.7 Million and then the wife had a case for loose of Consortium and we ended up giving her $500,000 as her husband will never be like he was before the fall and he has changed alot even Doctors said he'll never recover from the pain or all the metal problems now associated with him due to the fall. Anyways it was an interesting case not too long yet not too short either. Gave me some good ideas for my own case coming up sometime in the near future.

Thanks for all the help.

Wallace784

 

[JETX]

Well, you have just helped to create another 'slip and fall' Wal-Mart millionaire.

Bet that he finds a 'miracle cure' the day the check is cashed and he spends the rest of his life doing aerobics and water- and snow-skiing with his wife and the new girlfriend!
Bet his 'doctor' was really a chiropractor!!!

 

[wallace784]

Jury Duty

Well to give you an idea how believeable his case was when we started deliberating I made the suggestion of taking a papper vote first just to see where we stood countwise and the count of 12 was 1 for Wal-Mart, 6 for the plaintif and 5 split. The issue of the miricle cure was brought up but no one switched their mind to Wal-Marts side.

Personally I think Wal-Marts lawyer did an awful job they had 1 expert witness (compared to about 5-6 on the plaintiffs side so qualified by the judge with no objections (Except 1 and it was only a partial objection to one part he was being qualitifed for and he is a doctor of spinal medicine and is listed in my phone book as I just checked)), but they had 1 expert for Wal-mart and before he was even qualified he was arguing with everyone even the judge and continued until he left the stand I found contradictions in his own testimony he was a waste of time and I think the defese lawyer knew it because I watched his reactions and he was taking notes but looked so embarassed at his own wittness. But even Wal-marts other Wittnesses helped prove the plaintiffs case. That's why it was so many votes for a win even the spit people still felt thge plaint should win just not 100% so...