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sunshinedaydream
Big Wall climber
yosemite area
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 16, 2008 - 04:43pm PT
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Anyone have any suggestions of how I get out of jury duty... I'm trying to make wall plans...
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Jun 16, 2008 - 04:58pm PT
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Do a wall, then without showering or changing, show up for the summons. They will probably send you home on the spot.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Jun 16, 2008 - 04:59pm PT
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Perhaps, depending on the crime they want you to adjudicate, tell them you have been to college, (you're a teacher, right?) and that your Taco handle is a line from a Grateful Dead song; you can probably just keep making plans.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jun 16, 2008 - 04:59pm PT
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Assuming that you've received a summons, read it carefully. Call the court or sheriff's office that issued it, or check their website, to find out what you can.
It's generally considered a civic duty, so it'll be up to you to prove that you can't do it. Simple inconvenience isn't enough, and lying to get out of jury duty isn't a bright idea.
A sure fire winner is to be somehow involved in the legal system - lawyer, law student, police, court, etc.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:00pm PT
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hey there... say, it is very hard on poor folks, becauses it take us away from the only little money that we have to pay rent... that is what always hangs hard over one, if a notice comes....
but, if you have pre-made plans and plane ticket etc, and will be out of town, i think they work around that if you call ahead.... is that why---are you worried it will make a trip fall apart....
if that's not it... but you have an illness, you won't have to go if you have a doc excuse....
if you are just poor money-wise, like me----you might have to take the loss, and somehow get by---i hope you will be okay....
talk to your landlord, too, and warn them...
now, if you plain ol' just don't want to go, and are not worried about job loss----usually, you have a "jury line" that you call each ngiht, and sometimes you go, and sometimes you dont.....
so just call each night, and it could turn out, you wont have to go anyway....
whichever the case, just do you best.... :)
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paganmonkeyboy
climber
mars...it's near nevada...
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:01pm PT
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Simple - Talk about Jury Nullification.
Lawyers and judges are terrified the people are going to remember that as a jury We Have The Power To Choose Not To Enforce The Law.
A jury can refuse to enforce a law even if someone is Guilty, due to mitigating circumstances, unjust or immorality of the law, etc...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification
Talk about it when you go in for the screening - I bet you 50 bucks you are not on the Jury.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:05pm PT
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i was grabbed for Kobe's jury back in Eagle County Co. I mentioned, in a hand written scrawl, that I had been a Bull's fan since ( though possibly only during) the Jordan era, and that my brother had been a prosecuter for 30 yrs; they let me go even before they dismissed the case....
Don't lie, but think of the best parts to emphasis....
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jstan
climber
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:08pm PT
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One guy was asked if he had any background in the law. He said yes, when he was in the military he was asked to be defense counsel for several soldiers even though he had no training. But he added, after I won all of those cases they made me a prosecutor.
Even the judge broke out laughing. Then they seated him on the jury.
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susan peplow
climber
www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:11pm PT
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Don't respond. What notice? Not like they're sent with return receipt or confirmation. Never received....woops.
Good luck with that. Plus, jail is nice these days. 3 squares and just think of the money you'll save on gas? All those pull ups... you'll be ripped for a wall in 2012!
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Chaz
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:16pm PT
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I just ignore the jury summons. They can't prove I ever got them because they never send them Registered Mail.
If The Man wants to lock me up for ignoring jury duty, fine by me. I would rather sit in jail than sit on a jury.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:19pm PT
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Just tell them you have a work commitment. It will get you out of it this time, but they will send you another summons in a few months, eventually you will have to suck it up and go. I am in the same boat.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
A cube at my soul sucking job in Oregon
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:35pm PT
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1. You owe it to the community to serve. The dregs that do show up do not inspire confidence in our jury based system. If you are a thinking human, please don't shirk your responsibility. Some day odds may catch up with any one of us, and having a non-tard jury may be one of the only checks left to keep good folk from falling prey to bad law.
Now to the fun...
2. Most locales allow you to reschedule your service up to 6 months out. For example move it to August when walls are too damn hot.
3. If you want to avoid selection (having failed in avoiding service in the first place), listen to the questions. Some lawyers are blatant about asking if you are a willful/forceful kind of person who might bully meaker folk around (folks they hope to bully around themselves). Read between the lines and answer as needed to peg yourself as something other than what they are looking for.
4. Show up dishevelled and tired. Do your best to be a bit odd (stare at one lawyer with angry eyes the whole time).
5. Make it clear you don't trust lawyers/cops/judges/society.
6. Show up late. I got put in the "extra" group because I was 20 minutes late to arrive once. We never got out of the waiting room, as they make sure they have enough pools to cover all the trials, with a little margin in reserve.
Lastly, bring a good book, and ANY old magazines you have lying around. Leave the magazines for others, as usually the ones in there are 3-8 years old.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jun 16, 2008 - 05:37pm PT
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Maybe you'll get lucky, and get put on the jury for some big trial. OJ Simpson. GW Bush. Cheney. Then you can sell your story.
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
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Jun 16, 2008 - 06:25pm PT
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Flirt with one of the lawyers. The other side's lawyer will dismiss you.
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atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
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Jun 16, 2008 - 07:06pm PT
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First, its doubtful you will even get to sit on a jury. Relax. Here, we call up 60 juror panels so we can dismiss approx. 45 of em.
If you actually make it to a courtroom, the judge will tell everyone how long the trial will last, and ask if there is anyone who has other obligations (i.e., hardships). Let the judge know you have a "pre-planned summer vacation" and cant sit for a three week trial at this time. He/she will ask where you are going. Be prepared.
If trial is just a couple days, I would see if you get into the box and can last thru voir dire. Being called for duty does not mean you are going to be a juror.
Jury duty is the most important thing citizens do imo. More important than voting. Its a reflection of how selfish and self centered our society is that folks dont realize or care how important jury duty is.
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Gene
climber
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Jun 16, 2008 - 07:08pm PT
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Tell ‘em you’d love to be on the jury because the defendant wouldn’t be here if s/he wasn’t guilty. The DA and cops have better things to do than bring spurious cases. Just look at that sorry wo/man. I can tell from here s/he's guilty as hell. I’ll do what I can to help that punk get what s/he deserves. I'm tired of those people taking advantage of folks like me and you.
Dismissed.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Jun 16, 2008 - 07:42pm PT
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in the last 30yrs of voter-hood I've gotten a jury summon maybe 4 times, I've never had to get as far as the court house. (they sent jury notices to 900 people for the Kobe Bryant thing.)
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 16, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
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You can usually postpone for up to 6 months without any reason. After that, go in and do your duty. You can reminisce about your wall climb while the lawyers are droning on and on.
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Jun 16, 2008 - 08:19pm PT
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I don't know why but I am called for jury duty at least once a year. I'm always let off due to my past LE service - but still, WTF???
This is a timely thread since right now I am on call for federal jury duty - have to call in once a week to see if "I'm needed". My hell will be over at the end of June...
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malabarista
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 16, 2008 - 08:31pm PT
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One time I forgot to show up to Jury duty. I called in and told them I forgot to show up. They rescheduled it for a later date. No penalty.
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