I mean, have you recieved a summons (letter) either from your municpality or another in which you’re selected to be a juror. You show up to the courts and assigned a number along with being asked about occupation, status, etc. but is the probability even that high on becoming part of the 12 jurors? Is it a criminal offense for failing to appear?

  • Schwim Dandy@piefed.zip
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    3 days ago

    Is it a criminal offense for failing to appear?

    I believe that it technically illegal but I can say that I’ve received dozens in 4 states over the decades and threw each one away.

    I’ve not been arrested yet.

    • andyburke@fedia.io
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      3 days ago

      I’m glad I served. On the trial I was on three young men could have easily seen their lives destroyed because of shitty cops and a shitty prosecutor.

      I will never forget having to explain reasonable doubt repeatedly to more than one other juror in deliberations.

      Please, don’t skip jury duty.

      • over_clox@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Interesting that you’d assume that some people such as myself can even remember names between the cops and the people on trial from one day to the next. Some trials go on for months, and I just can’t remember all that stuff, let alone be bothered to not take care of my mom for a few days even.

        Jury duty isn’t for everyone ya know.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          3 days ago

          Even celebrity trials rarely take more than a few days. The case drags on for months, but the jury is only selected and seated for the very end. Such cases are extraordinarily rare.

          The overwhelming majority of the time, jury duty means calling in the evenings to determine if you are needed the following day. Most of the time, the answer is “no”.

          The flip side of your right to a trial by a jury of your peers is a duty to judge as a peer of the defendant. It is extraordinarily selfish to deliberately avoid jury duty.