[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by The Great Fumar

I volunteered once for duty , until it was explained to me that you can't be a plaintiff and a juror at the same time,,,,,,,,,

fumar

Wonder where the Great Fumar is?

On a more serious note, I received a Jury Duty notice for Sumter County in Friday's mail. I now have picked up these twice from Sumter County, once for Pinellas County in Florida, once from Sonoma County (part of the wine country of Northern California) and a Federal Court in Ocala.

I mentioned my victims' rights work and they excused me for jury duty in Sumter County about 8 years ago via mail. I just filled in a form. I probably will not try to get excused this time as this might be an interesting experience.

I have not actually served on a jury yet. I always have been bumped especially when I go into my explanation about my victims' right to access of information spiel. And, no, I do not describe it in terms of the identifiers I put on it since 1993 of 224 and 613 and this usually makes me come off as quite crazy. A quick refresher-- https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...49-post12.html

I may send the same group of 120 or so documents about some of my experiences with this advocacy I have had since 1990 to the Sumter County Clerk of Court http://www.sumterclerk.com/index.cfm/jury-duty so neither they or I blindside anyone with questions whose answers we do not want to go into all that much with a bunch of potential jurors listening. I had sent these 120 documents to the Federal Government last month while trying to apply for medical insurance.

[LeeM]

Where do they pull potential jurors from i.e. voters or what?

[Gat0r]

They get your name from your driver license.In Pasco county I was called 4 years in a row.They can only call on you once a year.

[casita37]

I was summoned a few months ago. Went to Bushnell, as advised, along with quite a few other TV'ers. We sat for about an hour, then were released. The defendants all decided to forego the jury trial. I admit, I was a bit disappointed. I have been summoned in other areas where I lived, but have never actually served. I don't look at it so much as a duty, or a priviledge, (which it is), but I was looking forward to the experience and opportunity to be part of the "system". Maybe next year...

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

I was called for jury duty for the Villages murder trial several years ago. The jury pool was huge. I was in the Jury assembly room from 8 a.m. til 5 p.m. for six days. I appeared on Monday and was in the final group of 11 called to Voir Dire the following Monday.

As it turned out, they needed only one more juror. I ultimately was not selected.

It was a great experience. I felt the seriousness of it when I faced the two young defendants in the courtroom on that final day. I realized at that time that if I was selected, I held their lives in my hands.

They were found guilty. One got life in prison, the other got the death sentence.

I know it's considered to be a nuisance, but what greater privilege do we have as American citizens than to be the ones who shape our judicial system. Jurors perform a vital role in the American system of justice. The reward for a juror's services lies in the awareness that he or she has performed a high duty of citizenship, and in the realization that he or she has aided in the maintenance of law, order, and in the administration of justice among his or her fellow citizens.

Think about Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and other places where people are found guilty in make believe trials and taken out back and shot or hung. Even the Saddam Hussein execution was a circus. How about countries where women are executed for sexual activity.

I think I'll serve on Jury duty an time I'm called.

JLK

Excellent! I could not have expressed it better myself.

A long career in law enforcement (close to 40 years) has kept me off of juries, but lots of experience with the seriousness of trials (as a witness) has given me deep respect for those who serve as jurors.


My sincere thanks to those who serve on juries.

[Bonanza]

Jury duty is a nuisance?
A bother?
A pain in the butt?

Well . . what else do you have to do besides play golf, take a swim, go to happy hour early, go to the movies, shop, sleep late, go out to dinner, play pickle ball and blah, blah, blah.

We all need to stop complaining about it, racking our brain about how to get out of doing it, and just do it!

Yeah, I know it's our civic duty and all that. But did you ever think that it just might be interesting? And Oh, boy! We also get paid to do it. Whooooooeeeeee.

[NottaVillager]

Originally Posted by eremite06

Anyone get summoned for jury duty in Sumter county? Be honest now, did you ignore it or actually show up? What was your experience?

I don't know where you're from, but anyplace I've ever lived ignoring a jury summons is a great way to meet a couple of large humorless guys who look like they can bench press their own squad car, who will humorlessly cuff you & stuff you and present you to the judge. Not cool.

[Gat0r]

Also going to jury duty in flip flops and shorts could get you a contempt of court charge.
I didn't mind going I found it very interesting.It is your civic duty.

[blueash]

Think about Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and other places where people are found guilty in make believe trials and taken out back and shot or hung. Even the Saddam Hussein execution was a circus. How about countries where women are executed for sexual activity.
JLK

There has not been an execution in Cuba since 2003. The last prisoner on death row was commuted in 2010. Lots of issues with the Cuban government but indiscriminate executions is not one of them. However, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan....

By the way, original post is over 4 years old

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by casita37

I was summoned a few months ago. Went to Bushnell, as advised, along with quite a few other TV'ers. We sat for about an hour, then were released. The defendants all decided to forego the jury trial. I admit, I was a bit disappointed. I have been summoned in other areas where I lived, but have never actually served. I don't look at it so much as a duty, or a priviledge, (which it is), but I was looking forward to the experience and opportunity to be part of the "system". Maybe next year...

I do expect some Villagers will be there in Sumter County for Jury Duty. One even showed up on the jury panel for the Federal Courthouse a few years ago for a case involving the Claremont Police Department and a cop who claimed employment discrimination based on his writing some of his reports in Spanish. Some of the other cops evidently made fun of him or at least that what was alleged in the claims. I got bumped by the Judge as he thought I was hiding something. It is kind of hard to speak "the whole truth and nothing but the truth" if you have a very strange story to tell. So, I just told the Judge during voir dire what I could prove.

I do remember a Villager on the sitting jury as well as a retired CIA manager, a veterinarian assistant, and some others.

It was a nice trip to Ocala and I got to see Avatar in 3D in a movie theater near Paddock Mall.

I also liked some of the stuff TOTVers had written on this old thread, so I decided to use it rather than start a new one.

[villages07]

Timely resurrection, Tal... I got my first Florida summons for jury duty at the Circuit Court up in Ocala for next Monday, 4/28.

I certainly am willing to do my civic duty and do have an interest and curiosity about our legal system.

My only fear is to get picked for a trial that takes many days or weeks.

Anybody have recent experience in Ocala Circuit Court?

[Madelaine Amee]

I got called for Federal Jury Duty in NH many years ago. A small town policeman was on trial for pedophilia, the child was his stepson and the child's mother knew that it had been going on for several years - thankfully his school teacher finally realized something was very wrong. Harrowing, disgusting and I will never forget it, but the great outcome was when the Judge asked to address us in the Jury room before we were dismissed. He told us the authorities had suspected, but had no proof of his misconduct, and he thanked us for putting him away!

Worth every rotten minute I spent listening to this disturbing trial. So the Jury pool does matter!

[jblum315]

In my 43 years living in the NY suburbs I got called for jury duty a lot, but never served because my husband was a lawyer and I worked for a newspaper. Finally had to serve on a grand jury (12 days, 6 hours a day) looking to indict drug dealers. Totally boring but I did it and never got called again. I've only had one summons here in Sumter Co and excused myself for age.

[villages07]

Originally Posted by villages07

Timely resurrection, Tal... I got my first Florida summons for jury duty at the Circuit Court up in Ocala for next Monday, 4/28.

I certainly am willing to do my civic duty and do have an interest and curiosity about our legal system.

My only fear is to get picked for a trial that takes many days or weeks.

Anybody have recent experience in Ocala Circuit Court?

An interesting turn of events... as I started to research the circuit court, it became apparent that my summons was intended for Marion County only, not a multi county circuit. Called the Marion County Clerk and they said my DMV record must reflect Marion vs Sumter as that is the source for their jury pool. Been here almost 8 years now and never had any indication that DMV had me as Marion. Called DMV this morning to get it straightened out.

So, no jury duty to deal with at this time....

[missypie]

I would go to Jury duty in a heartbeat. Would be proud to serve in this capacity. I love my country and if my little brain could help someone then I'll be there.