Multnomah County Jury Duty

[Joe Link]

I spent my day at the courthouse today, where I was happy to be the 12th name called from the jury pool, then chosen to serve. We wrapped up before 5pm, with my fellow jurors and I wrongly believing we were done. Turns out that even if you serve on day one, unless it runs over into the next day, you're required to report for possible selection on day 2 as well. Ah well, I enjoy it. Wish me luck on getting another interesting 1 day case!

Anyone have any interesting stories?

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[Stomper]

I did jury duty on a two day civil case down in Salem last fall. A lady was suing her insurance company for reimbursement on her chiropractor bills from a car wreck in which she was rear ended.

She was just a slightly "past prime"
gal who is a waitress on her feet all day who had to pay out of pocket to get her back and neck into working order and no more migraines so she could work her job. She was wasn't looking for a "payday", just her out of pocket according to her policy benefits. It was a unanimous decision 12-0 to award her the requested amount.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

As I am the Court Security Deputy in my county I have set through a bunch of trials. The murder ones take the most time.

 

[edison bulb]

Nice! I sure love seeing those types of companies getting the shaft. They sure shaft the rest of us...

 

[etrain16]

I've been called to jury duty 4 separate times in Clackamas County - twice when the term of service was 30 days. Back at that time, you had to call in each day to find out if you had to report the next day - and you had to do this all month, and would typically be called to report 4-6 times during that term of service. I've been called in to report about 14 times total (12 during those 30 day terms of service) and to date have never been selected or even questioned for a jury, just showed up and waited for hours on end until we were dismissed. I was selected once to go in for jury questioning (pre-selection) but as we were walking out the door we were informed that they had settled the case without a trial.

 

[66PonyCar]

Last case I was on was a domestic abuse case. The prosecutor alleged that the defendant had a drinking problem. When the defendant gets on the stand he said "I don't have a drinking problem, I've had two beers today and I am fine."

The defense attorney buries his face in his hands. It was 9:00 am. Jury deliberation took about 2 minutes but we didn't call the bailiff for 10 minutes to make it look good.

 

[Joe Link]

I've been called to jury duty 4 separate times in Clackamas County - twice when the term of service was 30 days. Back at that time, you had to call in each day to find out if you had to report the next day - and you had to do this all month, and would typically be called to report 4-6 times during that term of service. I've been called in to report about 14 times total (12 during those 30 day terms of service) and to date have never been selected or even questioned for a jury, just showed up and waited for hours on end until we were dismissed. I was selected once to go in for jury questioning (pre-selection) but as we were walking out the door we were informed that they had settled the case without a trial.

So if I get another trial tomorrow I should buy a lottery ticket?

 

[billyinfinity]

No wonder you weren't answering the phone

 

[Stomper]

Did you show up wearing your "white power" T-shirt?

 

[Joe Link]

I don't have one of those, but I did think about hitting Powell's on the way for a book on jury annulment

 

[Stomper]

LOL... Jury nullification, SWEET!

(BTW- That above post was directed at MTpockets )

 

[billyinfinity]

my wife had a multnomah county summons last month. she called and said "can i be excused?" and they said "what do you do for a living?" to which she replied "i work at trader joes." they said "ok". so there you go. if you really want to get out of jury duty, get a job at trader joes.

 

[Stomper]

Nice! I sure love seeing those types of companies getting the shaft. They sure shaft the rest of us...

Yeah, we deliberated for about.... Oh, 3 minutes on that one. That was too soon to call the clerk in, so we each took a turn ranting about the obnoxiousness of the insurance company's "expert witnesses".

 

[Caveman Jim]

The first and only time I was called up, my wife said to let them know I had a hearing impairment on the phone, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt that I was a poor candidate for any juror.
I made my way with all the others to a room and was told to be seated, I stood. They called names, they got up went into the other room and I was the only one left in the room for 10 minuets. I waited and the lady came back out and asked my name, I told her & asked why she didn't call my name earlier, she replied "I did 5 times". I told her that I can't read lips from across the room...... She lip synced loudly; It's OK Honey, you are excused. Thank you so much for coming in and I'll put your name on the do not call to serve list.

 

[pdrake]

Not my story, but a true story from a friend. He was raised in a strict family, Army lifer for a father. He got called to serve on a jury for a domestic abuse case. During the pre-trial questions from the bench to the new jury he rudely stands up, interrupts the judge, and blurts something like "any many who would harm a women deserves to be hung" or something like that.

He was dismissed from jury duty that day. And, it seems like he got more than an earful from the judge.

But I can't blame him: He was honest to himself and to the court, as he could not be objective about the case.

 

[Classic]

Before I retired I used to enjoy getting a summons... Free vacation where I could read a book and drink coffee all day without the everyday rhetoric from work. Now that I'm retired, i don't need a vacation from my everyday life. When I get a summons handed to me (where they know I have it) I will do my civic duty again but if they think the US mail always gets delivered with all the mail theft that is going on, well mine must have been stolen again

 

[Stomper]

You saying I am bald?!!!

No, but CLEARLY your mama dress you funny.

 

[Provincial]

My grandfather had a furniture store. He was called to jury duty early in the 20th century, a case of Lewd Cohabitation.

A couple had rented out an upstairs apartment to a young woman. They reported that evenings when the renter was in, they would hear the private door to the apartment open and close, footsteps go up the stairs, and first one shoe would drop, the the second. The the bed springs would squeak! The visitor was never identified.

The prosecutor had the defendant on the witness stand, described the reported scene, then asked "and, young lady, why did the bed springs squeak?" She hesitated, then looked directly at Grandfather and said "Ask M______ D_______." pause "He sold them to me!"

 

[elsie]

I don't have one of those, but I did think about hitting Powell's on the way for a book on jury annulment

My favorite is Article 1 Section 16 of the Oregon Constitution:

"Section 16. Excessive bail and fines; cruel and unusual punishments; power of jury in criminal case. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed. Cruel and unusual punishments shall not be inflicted, but all penalties shall be proportioned to the offense.—In all criminal cases whatever, the jury shall have the right to determine the law, and the facts under the direction of the Court as to the law, and the right of new trial, as in civil cases."

The key part being the jury shall have the right to determine the law... It's not necessarily what the judge tells you it is.


elsie

 

[BoonDocks36]

I have been excused from Jury Duty, indefinitely... Due to muscular issues, I (really) can not sit that long any more, besides the ~Off to the Men's Room Issue~ ... But I have done my civic duty in my younger days, the last one was very interesting...

A DUI case, off duty officer sees the weaving vehicle on 126, he is going East, DUI, is west bound.
This was just east of the North Fork Siuslaw river.... Hard place to have a weaving vehicle coming at you. He pulled off to his side of the Road, called FPD, reported all info, then was ordered to turn around and meet the officers sent to stop the DUI.

OK, with that laid out... The defendent claimed "One Beer" with Dinner" after a Ducks football game... His Family Ate in Eugene.... He drove all the way to Florence, could not do the DUI tap dance requests....

And blew a 1.3 BAL ???? One "one" beer? I won't get into who, but the man was "Known" on the Coast... And thought his name would save him.

His Lawyer tried all the trade craft: was the breathalyzer calibrated that day (yes) Was the Officer TRAINED to calibrate (yes) had the Officer had experiance in the DUI arrest Procedures (over 270 arrests, IIRC)

OK, trial finished, Jury to the Room.

We had an instant 11/1 vote, not even really elected a Foreman yet... Then it took off in a hundred directions.

I had better things to do, so I brought us together, Ahem!!!!

I just got nominated Foreman!!!

I polled each for a vocal vote, got to the One... And his problem was "Gee, it is Mr. X we are talking about!!!!"

I simply asked him, guided him, through the trial, and questioned him about each part, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes... But, Mr. X!!!!

It took about ten more minutes, and, by golly, Mr. X regardless of his ~Position~ Of Authority (in his field) was now 12/0 guilty.

I have no Problems with drinking, drugging what ever. I live Only this Code: ........... "Your freedom ends at my Nose".

We walked out, I reported our Findings and we actually got polled by the defense lawyer, even with a verbal reading of "12 Votes of Guilty your honor".

I abhore the LAWYER, more than Mr. X's DUI Driving.

philip, and I have a Polish Nose... So....