Jury Duty

[The Minsky Moment]

Why shouldn't a lawyer serve on a jury?  That whole pesky "knowledge of the law" thing? 

I think the fear is that other members of the jury would be unduly influenced by the professional.

The rule no longer exists in the US (or at least in the federal juries).

the thinking is that lawyers are so poorly regarded now that they aren't at risk of influencing anyone.

[DGuller]

The rule no longer exists in the US (or at least in the federal juries).

the thinking is that lawyers are so poorly regarded now that they aren't at risk of influencing anyone.

Isn't there a danger of a lawyer being too knowledgeable for his own good?  If I were on a jury in a suit involving car crash in New York, the possibility of fraud and crooked chiropractors would weigh strongly on my mind, and I would likely mention that in the deliberations.  I don't think it should be on my mind, unless one side make an argument to that effect in court, but how can I help myself given what I know from my field?  I imagine lawyers would be in a similar kind of position.  Then again, maybe that's exactly what voir dire is for.

[KRonn]

Why shouldn't a lawyer serve on a jury?  That whole pesky "knowledge of the law" thing? 

I think the fear is that other members of the jury would be unduly influenced by the professional.

Maybe it's also that a lawyer knows the law, the ins and outs, the technicalitys so may be influenced, or know the legal gambits, of what he/she knows goes on with a court's proceedings?

[Caliga]

Perhaps there is a fear of possible jury nullification if a laywer were present.

[garbon]

Oh, I get to go back at the end of november. Apparently you only get excused on financial hardship if you have no paid days left.

[PDH]

My six months of being in the jury pool ended on the 14th.  Once again the City of Laramie failed me and I did not get to condemn anyone to death.

[merithyn]

I think that is incorrect as far as religion goes. The church I was raised in forbids jury duty and I would have heard if it couldn't be excused in California or anywhere else in North America

The church you were raised in forbids voting, thereby alleviating any chance of someone from the church being asked to be on a jury.

[Admiral Yi]

Lawyers are excused from juries because JDs wrote the rules on jury selection.

[ulmont]

I think that is incorrect as far as religion goes. The church I was raised in forbids jury duty and I would have heard if it couldn't be excused in California or anywhere else in North America

The church you were raised in forbids voting, thereby alleviating any chance of someone from the church being asked to be on a jury.

Untrue.  The jury rolls also pull driver's licenses and the like, at least in Georgia; registering to vote does not improve your jury chances.

[merithyn]

Untrue.  The jury rolls also pull driver's licenses and the like, at least in Georgia; registering to vote does not improve your jury chances.

That seems odd since you have to be an American citizen to serve on a jury and lots of immigrants have drivers' licenses. My understanding was that's why they use voter registration to pick from for jury duty. 

[Neil]

I for one am glad for living in an oppressive totalitarian state where we have no juries, and court rulings are handed down from on high by unelected wisemen. 

They are insufficiently Anglo-Saxon to be gods.

[Ed Anger]

I am glad Martinus lives far, far away too.

[garbon]

That seems odd since you have to be an American citizen to serve on a jury and lots of immigrants have drivers' licenses. My understanding was that's why they use voter registration to pick from for jury duty. 

Massachusetts pulls licenses.

[Maximus]

The church you were raised in forbids voting, thereby alleviating any chance of someone from the church being asked to be on a jury.

That may solve their problem in the US, but I know of people who have been called up in Canada. They required evidence that this was really their religion and not something made up to get out of jury duty: character witnesses, religious literature, quizzing on their beliefs, etc.

[ulmont]

Untrue.  The jury rolls also pull driver's licenses and the like, at least in Georgia; registering to vote does not improve your jury chances.

That seems odd since you have to be an American citizen to serve on a jury and lots of immigrants have drivers' licenses.

Non-citizens can get called, but can exempt out for the obvious reason.